Shmups

[hazeredmist]

With this in mind...

NAME YOUR TOP TEN SHMUPS!

(You too Ksub. You don’t actually have to play the things to write a list )

[Stanshall]

I can't give a definite order and I've listed fifteen but I'd go with:

S+ Rank
Mushihimesama Futari
Dodonpachi DaiOuJou
Ketsui

S Rank
Psyvariar Delta
Espgaluda
Mushihimesama HD

A+ Rank
Espgaluda 2 Black Label
Muchi Muchi Pork
Rolling Gunner

A Rank
Ikaruga
Darius Gaiden
Progear

B Rank
Gunbird 2
Danmaku Unlimited 3
Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu Black Label

[KSubzero1000]

NAME YOUR TOP TEN SHMUPS!

(You too Ksub. You don’t actually have to play the things to write a list )

Thanks! You guys are really welcoming. Looking forward to getting more involved in this community.

• 1. Ikaruga

Feels a bit weird to put it at #1 considering I haven't even finished it, but I honestly can't think of a better candidate. Impeccable example of focused design and magnificent presentation. Haters gonna hate.

• 2. Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi

CAVE's masterpiece for me. It's that good.

• 3. Blue Wish Resurrection Plus

A game so sublime, it transcends the feeble concept of monetary value. Also comes bundled with a free pony and a 4th century BCE manuscript of the Rāmāyaṇa.

• 4. DoDonPachi Resurrection

I may be trash at it, but I have nothing but respect for this game's ingenuity and layers upon layers of mechanical depth. One of the best value propositions in the genre.

• 5. Crimzon Clover

An indie love letter that surpasses most heavyweights it was inspired by. Mad respect to the dev.

• 6. Mushihimesama Futari

I doubt I'll ever get past the Chapter 3 roadblock, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Brilliant game.

• 7. Battle Garegga

Really liked what little I've played of it. Will have to investigate further on occasion.

• 8. Espgaluda II

Same as the above.

• 9. Danmaku Unlimited 3

Same as the above.

• 10. Akai Katana

Same as the above.


Honorable mentions going to Ghost Blade HD, Blue Revolver, Bullet Soul Infinite Burst, Dariusbiurst Chronicles Saviours, R-Type Dimensions EX & Eden's Aegis.


PS: I'm leaving out twin-stick shooters here, otherwise both Resogun & Nex Machina would be somewhere near the top of the list, I reckon.

[hazeredmist]

01 - Rolling Gunner (easy choice, movement, mechanics, style, controls, accessibility, everything is perfect)
02 - Neko Navy - Daydream Edition (man I love this one, the feels)
03 - Crimzon Clover (I'm amazed this isn't a major dev title. It's superb, I love it)
04 - Deathsmiles (with more play this will end up higher on the list I think, lots in common with #1)
05 - DoDonpachi Resurrection (setting aside scoring issues this is a lot of fun and a superb package on Steam)
06 - Ghost Blade HD (enjoyed this one a lot on PS4, will be going back for more)
07 - Super Earth Defense Force (SNES game, didn't expect to take to it but I did)
08 - Armed Police Batrider (after a rocky start this one has grown on me a lot)
09 - Danmaku Unlimited 3 (it's here for the first couple of stages before it gets stupidly hard)
10 - Overdriven Reloaded (has to be on this list, first shmup I played through fully before wanting to get into the genre more)

[hazeredmist]

PS: I'm leaving out twin-stick shooters here, otherwise both Resogun & Nex Machina would be somewhere near the top of the list, I reckon.

Ditto RE Resogun, as my time with shmups has developed I also feel it doesn't belong on this list for some reason. But I love it, and other Housemarque twin stick games, e.g. Super Stardust Delta)

[Stanshall]

Really hope that these top tier indie shmups get ported one day, they look great. BWRP in particular, really enjoyed your vid KSub. Crimzon Clover seems like a total no brainer but I guess the guy can't be arsed.

In Futari BL God Mode news, I've finally started to understand how the gem system works because it's pretty different to Original Mode. I was getting a bit frustrated because sometimes I would generate small gems, sometimes large gems and sometimes it would cash out my bonus with a bullet cancel. I had a vague idea of why and how but it finally clicked this morning after a bit of time in training mode playing with timings and button combinations. Turns out there's some kind of chaining system at play! I always wondered why there was a meter and why it sometimes flashed red and blah blah blah.

I don't totally get it but I think that rapid shot basically increases your meter (as does collecting gems) and when the meter is full, enemies shed large gems so the more you hold rapid shot, the more big gems you get. Point blanking also seems to generate more gems but, revelation of the day, it seems that point blanking enemies with your option/drone is even more effective. I'll be honest, until this morning I never even considered manually positioning the option, I barely noticed it.

Beyond that, when you do build your combo, you have a few options when destroying large enemies. You can either hold rapid shot and cancel bullets into small gems, hold rapid shot and laser together to cancel into large gems or hold laser and cancel every bullet to the value of the combo multiplier. That's when you get those gorgeous burnt orange 30000 filling the screen at max chain.

There's definitely more to it, though. I don't understand why sometimes the chain starts to drop but its think that's just on bosses and midbosses. You then need to tap rapid to top it back up but it's hard to time it to cancel with laser. Quite often, I have a 30k chain, just topped up and by using laser I cancel into large gems rather than cashing out. Must be a question of timing. Anyway, back to the training yard.

[hazeredmist]

09 - Danmaku Unlimited 3 (it's here for the first couple of stages before it gets stupidly hard)

Check DU2 when the steam sale starts - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2805 ... limited_2/
It usually goes for 79p, is way more forgiving and is a much better game in my opinion.

I've already got it mate, just haven't played it yet. Along with a few other recommendations, Hurricane of the Varstray etc - they're installed, ready and waiting!

[hazeredmist]

Picked up Stellar Interface on Switch, 99p... Sometimes I can't help myself with seemingly ridiculous deals. Down from £12.99. Sounded good, roguelite shmup but supposed to be accessible. Onto the pile of shame it goes

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Ninten ... 93091.html

[Stanshall]

blah blah blah

Just call me Mr Strat.

Definitely seeing some progress after a few hours with these half-imagined mechanics. Basically trying to get my combo as high as possible as fast as possible and then cashing the fuck out at the best moments I can.

I saw that Jaimers managed 115m on his God Mode 1CC so I will send him some words of encouragement and a few tips.

Edit: Removed vid as it's redundant. New high score next page.

[Stanshall]

Woooo! Fireworks night soon, you could just get everyone to sit round the 360.
Seriously impressive. This is getting ridiculous now. Is that a safe spot down the bottom left during that t-rex boss or is it just a good place to go for the dodging?

In other news I've dropped down to barbies pony retreat mega black label, novice mode. Seems doable.

I'm getting to the last stage on mushi maniac, I reckon I can maybe do that.

Yeah, it's a safe spot. I thought it was good misdirection at first but then I realised I didn't need to do anything just hide out. Good to know because that pattern is a swine. First time round I kind of misdirected the same pattern by its head but not very well so I had to dodge it, anyway.

Are you on original Mushi Maniac? How's that? I don't think I've ever given it a proper go but I do love that game. Stage 3 where you're breaking off all the armour, that's so good.

[Stanshall]

I'm certainly going to get back to Mushi and I'll give Maniac a go, defo. I like more, slower bullets as a rule, it just feels cool to me. I don't know it especially well yet but I love that each stage is different. Funnily enough, stage 5 reminds me of Futari stage 4.

[Stanshall]

OK, this is my limit for stage one, this is the best I can play without pushing my luck too far and relying on flukes. The cancels in the first half and the midboss are pretty much pixel perfect and while I played a little bit safer in the second half of the stage, I'm happy with the strats and the end result. It's double what Jaimers got on this one so I'm going to bank that and get stuck into stage two.



The great thing about this game is that while I found grinding Ikaruga and DOJ absolutely exhausting, this is more and more fun the more I play. I definitely have a problem.

[hazeredmist]

Oh boy I came so close to the 1cc tonight on Rolling Gunner again... was doing smashing till Mission 6 then lost a lot of my saved up lives & bombs - got to the last last boss and nearly did it but not quite. Got my top score though of 112,464,500. I think I’m just gonna keep repeating this till I get it, I really want a 1cc replay now and I get so much enjoyment out of playing it that it feels worth it to try.

[hazeredmist]

OK, this is my limit for stage one, this is the best I can play without pushing my luck too far and relying on flukes. The cancels in the first half and the midboss are pretty much pixel perfect and while I played a little bit safer in the second half of the stage, I'm happy with the strats and the end result. It's double what Jaimers got on this one so I'm going to bank that and get stuck into stage two.



The great thing about this game is that while I found grinding Ikaruga and DOJ absolutely exhausting, this is more and more fun the more I play. I definitely have a problem.

Honestly mate, how the actual fuck do you do this. It’s absolutely nuts. Incredible to watch

[Stanshall]

Oh boy I came so close to the 1cc tonight on Rolling Gunner again...

So close you can taste the victory. What about doing a bit of training mode on stage 6 to work out the kinks? Looking forward to seeing that vid, mate! If you're having fun with it, it's going to happen. And thanks for the kind words, it does seem like I've clicked with this Futari mode like with almost nothing I've ever played. There's a lot of practice going in but it's always fun, which hasn't always been the case with other stuff.

Mate..

Hehe, definitely being a little facetious there because I know Jaimers hasn't got the time to be great at everything. I think he just ploughed through and saved his scoring for the later stages.

Seriously, though, yeah. I love how encouraging this thread has been and how much we've all come along with different games, with loads of recommendations and tips and suggestions. Must be one of the best threads I've ever been part of in nearly twenty years of forums.

[KSubzero1000]

Whoa, incredible!

Those are some serious skills in that MuFu replay, mate. Don't think I'll ever get there.

[hazeredmist]

another rolling gunner 1cc

Honestly, knowing what I do now I don't think the first one truly counted... I definitely messed with settings in the early days when I didn't understand the unwritten (but lets face it, strict) rules with this shit, changing bombs and lives, I thought I'd put them back but remember how I said it didn't save my score or let me save a replay... That has to be why, I've seen that "warning scores won't be saved" in Cave games and while I didn't recall seeing that on Rolling Gunner, what other explanation is there. I hit a menu button to reset to default ages ago and I've never not been offered to save a replay since, scores have been saved etc - so I honestly don't feel like that first one was legit.

...which gives me rather strong motivation given I'm on the last last boss before dying, it can't be far. I'd love to share a 1cc clear so you guys can see how I'm doing and maybe offer critique on how I could do better too, so that's the aim. I have re-corked the champagne. It's a bit flat now, mind.

[hazeredmist]

Oh boy I came so close to the 1cc tonight on Rolling Gunner again...

Seriously, though, yeah. I love how encouraging this thread has been and how much we've all come along with different games, with loads of recommendations and tips and suggestions. Must be one of the best threads I've ever been part of in nearly twenty years of forums.

We're soaring like eagles!

Damn straight! That's what it's all about. I think I can just about hear our Owly reaching for the PS4 pad too, twitching slightly, unable to resist...

[Stanshall]

...which gives me rather strong motivation given I'm on the last last boss before dying, it can't be far. I'd love to share a 1cc clear so you guys can see how I'm doing and maybe offer critique on how I could do better too, so that's the aim. I have re-corked the champagne. It's a bit flat now, mind.

I went back to it myself earlier on to see how I could do on stick and it is one tough game. Brought me back down to Earth, I tell you! You really really need to know what's coming from where to stand a chance later on.

If you can get to TLB, you can do it! I'll get the tinnies chilling.

[Stanshall]

Don't think I'll ever get there.

I don't think I'll ever touch your BWRP score, but I did manage to play it for the first time today by balancing my laptop on an upside down stool to keep it ventilated and cool enough. Yeah, honestly. The tension of it shutting down and melting at any second helped inspire me to the 1CC!



What a fantastic little game. The cancels feel really cool, so well designed and balanced and some fun and interesting patterns. I suspect I've picked the easy mode ship or something but I'm very happy with that on my first run, with zero guards or bombs remaining. Really tense.

I also played ZeroRanger which I quite liked but it seems you really need to memorise the stages and environments because there are so many hazards.

Unfortunately, I then tried to play Crimzon Clover and my laptop started to sound like the PS4 Pro and it shut down. The great experiment is over but it was a fun little blast and a taste of PC gaming when the day eventually comes.