Silhouette Mirage #BestOfSaturn

A September 1997 release, Silhouette Mirage is the second Treasure game to hit the Saturn. Set in the year 2xxx, the worldwide AI known as Edo malfunctions and splits everyone into either Silhouettes or Mirages.

Enter our heroine Shyna Nera Shyna, who can switch between these two attributes at will by simply facing one way or the other. This matters as only Silhouettes can attack Mirages, and vice versa. Shyna embarks on a platforming adventure through time to repair and restore Edo and reunite the Silhouettes and Mirages.

Shyna can have up to seven weapons (called Parasites, with references to the Seven Deadly Sins), which go up or down in potency, depending on her Spirit gauge. The duality is that being hit by an opposing enemy impacts your HP while being hit by the same type reduces your Spirit. Collect coins to buy upgrades or regain health as you work your way through the game’s frenetic, colorful levels.

Silhouette Mirage received two fan translations — first in November 2023 with the Working Designs’ English script inserted, and again in March 2024 with an original retranslation, as Working Designs strayed quite far from the original Japanese script. Both efforts were led by Rasputin3000, Wiredcrackpot, and others.

	Peter Malek
		A Saturn fan since the beginning, Peter plays Saturn almost exclusively. For Peter, Saturn represents a moment in time where 2D games were at their best, 3D was just rising, and fascinating gaming 'firsts' were commonplace.  There are very few Saturn games that Peter cannot find some enjoyment in!