STG will never die. Discuss your favorites. Just please for the love of God Hand don’t use that word that rhymes with cups.
Current events digest edition, there’s actually a ton of shooter stuff going on lately:
Several of us are playing DariusBurst CS and you should be too. It’s colorful and mechanical and full of robo fish and good but sometimes weird music. I propose we all use Cabinet 2 as the Official Selectbutton II shared AC mode cabinet. I dunno if PS4/Vita/Steam share this feature or not - at least the Sony versions should since they’re also cross-save. I’m on PS4 for whatever it’s worth, and Vita once the physical cart releases in Japan in January.
Degica is cranking out the Steam ports recently. Eschatos (!!!), Darius, Mushihimesama, Triangle Service games! Why was I playing XII Stag and Mushihimesama on my PS2 when I moved into an apartment in San Diego back in the summer of 2003… and now they’re new again? Whatever.
Oh yeah, Strania got a self-published Steam port from G.Rev too! Good game but not their best work… but maybe that could open the door for something cooler (and less easily accessible than a game that’s also on XBLA for 2/3 of the normal Steam price)… like Border Down.
December 26 there’s some big event in Japan hosted by Degica to promote the PC as a platform for the genre: http://transition.tokyo/en. The next Cave port is going to be revealed, and lots of companies are participating. Basically anyone who had a notable release on Steam in the past couple years. Cave, Moss, G.Rev, Yotsubane, Taito, Treasure (wonder what they’re up to, Ikaruga on Steam was back in February 2014…), Triangle, Qute.
And to remind everyone that CONSOLE shooters aren’t dead either, Raiden V is now confirmed for February 25, 2016 in Japan, for Xbox One. Region free, get one of the only potentially Japan-exclusive imports that will matter for that system! Qute also mentioned that Natsuki Chronicle isn’t gonna make 2015 (no, really?), but that’s good news since they acknowledged it’s still coming.
The only game in this genre I’ve been playing with regularity at all in the last few months is TwinBee but that’s mostly a function of constantly being on the road. I might pick up Prismatic Solid while it’s on sale on PSN.
@Mikey Oh I had never even heard of Prismatic Solid and now I’m interested… It’s funny, but the reason I initially grew to like DariusBurst was that I was traveling a lot at that time and I’d play that on the PSP. (also, I think the new forum was subliminally calling to me after being mostly MIA over the past year+ on SB haha)
@Rudie That would be a very very nice word filter!
I can’t get myself excited about Steam Mushihimesama, I’m kinda fine with the 360 game. I even turn to the iPhone version from time to time when I’m out and about and need a fix. I almost feel that I should get it just to support the genre getting good releases… but I’m so indifferent about Cave stuff that already got excellent (better?) ports on 360, and that’s what I kinda expect to keep seeing. Of course it’s nice to have an easily accessible option for people who don’t already own this stuff, but if I’m going to double dip on a game just to give the genre support, I’ll go with something like Eschatos or Crimson Clover to support more up and coming creators that are actually making new content. Or Strania to encourage G.Rev to keep it up and release more stuff (Border Down). Or… fuck, DariusBurst for an actual unique feature with the dual-monitor support.
I take this all back if they announce Ibara Black Label.
I’m playing DBCS on steam. Currently on cabinet 007 but I could switch if there are other SBers on cabinet 002. I believe the pc and psn communities are separate.
I’m digging it so far. Enough so that I’ll probably pick up the physical vita release when it is available.
This most recent Japan Trip I picked up Ibara PS2. I tried turning on my PS3FAT yesterday and it has finally decided to for real die. So I guess I should go ahead and order a fliptop for my PS2.
I’m excited about Mushihimesama because it was one of the games we couldn’t play on a US 360. it would be nice if they brought over DDP or DDPSDOJ. I maybe be alone but DOJ and DF never clicked with me. I have the Euro release of Resurrection and I don’t have strong feelings about the bosses or the scoring system or memories of what each level is about. I also don’t like Ketsui
Also Caladrius is free on J-PS+ this month. So I can finally put a little time into that game without paying for it.
If someone was complaining about not enough games they would be very wrong. I also have at least 2 indie and 4 doujin STGs on my Steam Library I haven’t touched. I should do that since I have a shiny new laptop that doesn’t randomly turn off.
I don’t really like shmups that much but everything else about Strania is amazing. The environment, the music, the great SF story going on in the background all without any dialogue or exposition. I love love love it.
In that one shmuplations interview, the creators were talking about how they originally wanted to do voiced interstitials but the budget couldn’t afford it, and OH MY GOD I’m so glad they didn’t do it. So much more is expressed from NOT talking about it and just looking at what’s going on and taking it all in.
Easily my favorite X360 shmup!!!
Also whenever I get a PS4 in the next year, I am jumping on that DariusBurst Chronicle Saviours (with that Euro “u”). I was thinking about doing it on Steam but at full retail price, I’d rather do it on a platform I actually play.
I was considering going with the Vita, but at full price, I’d rather get the Japanese physical release with the artbook, but that’s not even out until January plus I don’t really have anyone to ask to get it for me.
Yeah, chalk it up to DBAC/CS being based on a PSP game. But honestly, once the action gets intense and you’re slicing through giant hordes of robofish with otherworldly space techno-opera blaring in your ears, it doesn’t matter. :3~
Bonglord, Viper it’s based on an ARCADE game that got a PSP port. I feel like Square-Enix treats Taito like some automatic withdrawal on their bank account every month. “What? Sure whatever.” Their small out put is pretty good though. Weird that Groove Coaster to my knowledge has no S-E songs in it.
I’ve noticed that a lot of shooter fans who like Cave stuff aren’t too keen on the (depending on who you ask) critically acclaimed/overhyped Hiroshi Iuchi shooters. I’d chalk it up to being very different takes on the genre that appeal to different tastes. I’m ok with high score purists hating how Ikaruga is so dependent on memorization and I’m ok with saying that I don’t care for most Cave stuff (except Guwange. Guwange is awesome)
Ha! I remembered that I bought a physical copy of this while I was in Japan. Perhaps I should crack it open and try it when I go back to my folks’ place for the holidays.
@Rudie@HEAVYVIPER Sorry Rudie, Viper is right here - Dariusburst was originally a PSP game. The “AC” arcade version came like a year later, and the current CS release is based on AC but with a bunch of additional features, making it the definitive version of the game. And nope, no S-E indication at all from what I’ve seen.
I’m sad my Playstation 3 RAP VLX edition doesn’t work on the PS4 Dariusburst CS though. Seeing that little “watch your head” scene with the pictures of the arcade machine in-game makes me want to play it as Viewlix-y as I possibly can! I’m probably going to get the Steam version in the holiday sale solely to play on that stick on PC (OK, and reconfigure my monitors to play in double-wide mode)… @Persona - I see a game that could use a patch to include the Lab Zero stick compatibility software!
Also, I might have to knife fight you. Strania CAN’T be G.Rev’s best work because they made UNDER DEFEAT (man, even writing that makes the crunchy stage complete music echo in my brain). If we’re talking G.Rev though, I can see saying Strania is their second best game. Border Down is mechanically sort of annoying with the death/Border gimmick. I’d still have rather seen that cheaply available on Steam though, just due to it being so much harder for people to play than the very easily/cheaply available Strania. Though yeah, they can easily fix that by just releasing both.
Also, I could not get into the Side Vower mission for the life of me. Loved the original Strania, but something about the Vower levels just would not click with me. I do think it’s cool to see the reverse level progression when compared to the “normal” mode though!
@Iacus Yeah I’m definitely a Cave guy as opposed to Hiroshi Iuchi. Hate Radiant Silvergun, don’t really care for Gradius V, and while I can appreciate Ikaruga I do think it’s wildly overrated. But even though Strania has a little of that same feel, I prefer its more straightforward design as opposed to the overly gimmicky weapon mechanics of RS or polarity in Ikaruga.
Interesting; so in the Shmup world, it’s Cave or Hiroshi Iuchi?
I don’t like any Cave shooter but meanwhile I adore Gradius V & Strania (though Iuchi only did some graphics for Strania, no design work?).
My top 5 shmups would be: Fantasy Zone, Fantasy Zone 2, Gradius V, Strania, some kinda tie between Galaga Legions/DariusBurst SP/Space Invaders Infinity Gene.
Though now that I think about it, I really do like Thunder Force IV, R-Type Final, R-Type Delta, and G-Darius. Maybe I like shmups more than I thought, hmm.
I’m pretty old fashioned in my STG tastes. Gradius, R-Type, Raiden, all of Toaplan’s output. I do like 'em straightforward. I have a soft spot for ones that have a cinematic flair, too. Your Einhanders, Stranias and R-Type FINALs etc.
I like danmaku, I can play danmaku decently, but I just prefer the old guard most of the time.
I want to say Imperishable Night, Ikaruga, Deathsmiles and after that it gets fuzzy. Those are the 3 of the genre that I have sunk 30+ hours into each. I’ve played plenty and I buy every Dreamcast release but no others have hooked me.
Speaking of which I have an extra copy of Ghost Blade (DC) what should I do with it?
I guess my taste in STG’s is pretty far-flung. Toaplan, classic Cave, Konami horis, most of Treasure’s output, you name it. Guess if it was one of those desert island scenarios i’d go with Batsugun (special version), Silvergun, and i dunno, Guwange?