Radiant Silvergun XBLA

[Sno]

Maybe it's just that most Japanese games have "loliness" in them in general? The average Japanese RPG has at least one 14 year old (sometimes even younger) and they seem to have less and less clothes each time.

Not even just that, all-girl moe fighting games are surprisingly common. (

just came out on PSN, or... would have... I guess...)

Most of it is really very harmless, but some of the things like that are scandalous as shit, yo.

I mean, and i have a pretty high tolerance for a lot of real awful and real wrong things, not easily offended, and beggars can't be choosers, right? Not exactly a lot of options for shmupping in the west. You know, but when you're just into something for the gameplay mechanics, being beat over the head with somebody's weird fetish is really uncomfortable, especially when said fetish has so many incredibly uncomfortable parallels to pedophilia.

Hey, so Deathsmiles came in a big box, i still have that box lying around because i can't bring myself to throw anything out. So it's kind of hiding around here, and I don't want to ever explain that box, that is not the kind of artwork you can explain to friends and family.

Jaaapaaaaaaan!

[Tanukitsune]

Not even just that, all-girl moe fighting games are surprisingly common. (

just came out on PSN, or... would have... I guess...)

Most of it is really very harmless, but some of the things like that are scandalous as shit, yo.

I mean, and i have a pretty high tolerance for a lot of real awful and real wrong things, not easily offended, and beggars can't be choosers, right? Not exactly a lot of options for shmupping in the west. You know, but when you're just into something for the gameplay mechanics, being beat over the head with somebody's weird fetish is really uncomfortable, especially when said fetish has so many incredibly uncomfortable parallels to pedophilia.

Hey, so Deathsmiles came in a big box, i still have that box lying around because i can't bring myself to throw anything out. So it's kind of hiding around here, and I don't want to ever explain that box, that is not the kind of artwork you can explain to friends and family.

Jaaapaaaaaaan!

Pfft, Aracana Hearts is pretty tame, I don't see the loli perviness that appears to be in other games, but yeah I hate seeing 12 year girls in these games, but like you said, I'm playing them for the genre or mechanics, not for the loliness.

Is there any modern non-loli shmup out there? Even when you aren't a pair of underage flying panties, you at least playing a game where the pilot is a little girl.

[Sno]

So i was joking about it, but i did actually end up playing some Gradius V again, heh.

Nnnnnngh, that game is so good, probably the best game in that series, i think. (And it's a Treasure game! Treasure made Gradius V.)

The thing that always rubbed me the wrong way about Gradius was how difficult continuing was, with all power-ups lost and checkpoint restarts. Later in those games, a single death could end your run, there was almost no point in having additional lives at all.

Gradius V lets you respawn at the point of death and try to grab your lost options before they disappear from the screen, continuing is a less painful thing, and yet even with these concessions it's still regarded as one of the hardest Gradius games. Heh.

If there's a complaint, it's the fact there are no Moai heads anywhere in that game.

Found a couple random youtube replays of some of the coolest stages in Gradius V -

That second one i think is a beautiful example of shmupping game design, i haven't ever seen a level like that in a shmup. Lots of really amazing stuff in that game, so much love for Treasure.

(If you're curious, i think the other best Gradius game is probably Gaiden, which i think has only been released outside of Japan via the PSP Gradius Collection, which is a thing i actually have. Huzzah.

.)

[Tanukitsune]

I don't actually own Gradius V, most of my shmup collection is on PSP/PSN, I imported every shmup collection I heard of!

No Moai heads in Gradius V? That's... almost sacrilege? I thought the moai head was the symbol of Gradius?

I did love Gradius Gaiden on the PSP though!

I don't know what you have, but since you have a PSP you should really check out the shmup heaven that is the PSP, they have, if you'll willing to import from Japan, the Lifeforce collection, the Twinbee collection, the Parodius collection (the only one were you can play the original MSX game), the Star Soldier Collection and a very weird collection that has some visual novels called Galaxy Fraulein and the rarest and most expensive PCEngine shmup of all time, Sapphire, it's pretty amazing, it's practically the PCEngine's swan song game!

Just recently I discovered the treasure trove that is the Japanese PSN market, they have SO MANY SHMUPS on the PSOne and quite a few on the PCEngine, I only tried out the Cotton series for starters, I would buy a new PSN card and get more, but yeah... PSN is dead right now.

[Sno]

I don't actually own Gradius V, most of my shmup collection is on PSP/PSN, I imported every shmup collection I heard of!

No Moai heads in Gradius V? That's... almost sacrilege? I thought the moai head was the symbol of Gradius?

I think Gradius V is only main-series game that doesn't have any Moai heads, but... God dammit, it's just so good. One of my favorite Treasure games.

I did love Gradius Gaiden on the PSP though!

Gradius Collection is very ace, innit?

I don't know what you have, but since you have a PSP you should really check out the shmup heaven that is the PSP, they have, if you'll willing to import from Japan, the Lifeforce collection, the Twinbee collection, the Parodius collection (the only one were you can play the original MSX game), the Star Soldier Collection and a very weird collection that has some visual novels called Galaxy Fraulein and the rarest and most expensive PCEngine shmup of all time, Sapphire, it's pretty amazing, it's practically the PCEngine's swan song game!

I think i have a fairly solid collection of shmups, and have at least played many more, but i have to draw the line at imports. I just can't justify spending that much money and going through that much trouble for it. My interests are too diverse to focus so much of my resources on any one thing.

Just recently I discovered the treasure trove that is the Japanese PSN market, they have SO MANY SHMUPS on the PSOne and quite a few on the PCEngine, I only tried out the Cotton series for starters, I would buy a new PSN card and get more, but yeah... PSN is dead right now.

Wii Virtual Console introduced me to a lot of older shmups i had never heard of, was a really amazing tool for me. Honestly, and i genuinely kind of appreciated have a legitimate avenue for showing some of that stuff support in a way that is kind of "hey, maybe some of that money will get to the right place." (The VC was the first time i had played Sin & Punishment, and sales of that VC release specifically spurred on Sin and Punishment 2, which was also a really phenomenal game. VC releases also introduced me to a lot of things i really wasn't familiar with, games like the "Of Thunder" games, the Star Soldier series, the Aleste games. Amazing stuff.)

^ Musha Aleste is a game that kind of blew my mind, for being such a deep and fast-playing earlier shmup from 1990. (

.)

And the 360, for whatever reason, has been amazing. It's just that for every one shmup that is released here, like three more come out in Japan. (For all the shmups that just came out here on XBLA in the last couple weeks, just as many retail shmups were released in Japan.) You know, but we somehow ended up with all the Raiden releases here*, and a ton of other cool things. That Raiden Fighters Aces collection is absolutely amazing. Raiden IV was really fantastic too, so much improved over III, a solid return to form.

Really, and XBLA, getting so much love from companies like G. Rev and Cave and Treasure.

* - Me forgetting that i'm talking to international people. "Here" is Canada.

[Tanukitsune]

Hmm, I think I rented Alesta back in the day, because it looks so familiar?

Oh, and don't worry about importing these games I don't think any of them cost me more than 30€, PSP imports aren't are expensive as 360 or PS3 ones, specially since most of these games are old enough to be in whatever they call the "Platinum" pricing over there in Japan.

Japanese imports are only ridiculously expensive if you buy them the day they come out, if you wait enough time, they'll be much cheaper.

I consider myself a budget gamer, I don't buy 60€ games, I buy three 20€ ones!

[Sno]

I don't consider myself a budget gamer, i have to have things when they're new. Heh.

Hmm, I think I rented Alesta back in the day, because it looks so familiar?

I don't think that one specifically ever came out in Europe, but the Aleste series was apparently pretty long-running, it's certainly possible that one of them did. Genuine copies of those games apparently fetch quite handsome eBay prices.

Man, 16 bit shmups were rad as shit. Thunder Force III on the Genesis always stood out in memory as a spectacular game, and i always had a soft spot for Axelay, despite its flaws. (Its flaws being its slightly jacked up vertical mode-7 stages.)

^ Axelay was famously the last game developed for Konami by Treasure's founding members. A fact that surprised the hell out of me, learning about it many, many years after having played Axelay as a kid.

- An awesome horizontal Axelay stage.

- A not as awesome vertical Axelay stage.

Now i'm just nerding out.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Sno

[Tanukitsune]

Well, the video game rental store did have imports, but now that I've seen some footage of Axelay, I'm positive it was this game I rented, I remember the switching between vertical and horizontal stages and the lava stage!

Hmm, I think Europe never had that many shmups to begin with, the only console on which I had more than one shmup per system was the Dreamcast.

I used to be a day one perch guy until I realized half the games I bought ended up being unplayed for so long they ended up at budget price when I got to them, so... I buy them when they are cheap, that way I feel less bad if they end up in my backlog! XD

[Sno]

I used to be a day one perch guy until I realized half the games I bought ended up being unplayed for so long they ended up at budget price when I got to them, so... I buy them when they are cheap, that way I feel less bad if they end up in my backlog! XD

Hah! I run into this more than i'd care to admit.

I had a copy of Okami i bought on release that i didn't play until just before Okamiden was released.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Sno

[Sno]

Ever played Raptor: Call of the Shadows? That was an awesome game, still think it's one of the best shmups i've played on the PC. It was weird too, with it's open-ended progression and huge health bar. Earning cash instead of a score to slowly upgrade your ship, with an immense number of upgrades to choose from. Loved that game.

GoG has an updated version for sale, but i've heard mixed things about it, it apparently has a number of annoying issues that weren't present in the original DOS version.

Maaaan, i think i might spend a couple days diving through old games now. Heh.

[Tanukitsune]

Ever played Raptor: Call of the Shadows? That was an awesome game, still think it's one of the best shmups i've played on the PC. It was weird too, with it's open-ended progression and huge health bar. Earning cash instead of a score to slowly upgrade your ship, with an immense number of upgrades to choose from. Loved that game.

GoG has an updated version for sale, but i've heard mixed things about it, it apparently has a number of annoying issues that weren't present in the original DOS version.

Maaaan, i think i might spend a couple days diving through old games now. Heh.

Yeah, I got the original version on CD a few years ago, while it's probably the best non-Japanse PC game, it feels way too long, if I shmup doesn't end in an hour I start to get impatient! XD

Doesn't it have a hidden carrot ship?

[Sno]

Doesn't it have a hidden carrot ship?

I don't know that i ever heard that, but it did have a lot of weird easter eggs.

[Raff]

I had the shareware demo of Raptor with loads of other Apogee games that came on a CD with my Dad's PC. It was second only to Zone 66!

[Sno]

I had the shareware demo of Raptor with loads of other Apogee games that came on a CD with my Dad's PC. It was second only to Zone 66!

Haaah, i remember Zone 66, that was cool.

How about Major Stryker?

[Tanukitsune]

Haaah, i remember Zone 66, that was cool.

How about Major Stryker?

I only know of it because I saw a review of it on Ancient Dos Games.

[Sno]

Bangai O: Missile Fury is up on Live, it seems pretty fantastic.

[Raff]

How convenient that my Xbox is in transit to Frankfurt.

[Tanukitsune]

Man, we sure are getting a lot of shmup love lately. I really need to clear up my backlog so I can have "room" for these games! XD

[Sno]

Oh god, some of these levels, this game was designed by assholes. Heheh.

They do eventually give you a mercy-skip after you fail a stage a certain number of times, let you move on ahead. There's only one level that's really giving me trouble right now though.

Probably the hardest Bangai-O game though, i think.

There's a pretty fully featured map editor, which is no surprise. Looks like you can use custom maps in the co-op too, and also trade with friends? I don't know if it's some peer to peer thing, or if there's an upload space, i haven't really tried it out yet. Either way, it's probably not as awesome as being able to turn a level into an MP3.

Not sure how functional the co-op netcode is, haven't tried it.

[Tanukitsune]

Wait, so is this game a remake or a sequel to the Dreamcast game?

I was lucky enough to get Suguri Perfect Edition in the mail today, I got a physical copy not only because it comes with a soundtrack, but because I've never held a PC Japanese shmup before!

[Sno]

Wait, so is this game a remake or a sequel to the Dreamcast game?

It's a new game, and it has more in common with the DS game than the Dreamcast/N64 game.

I was lucky enough to get Suguri Perfect Edition in the mail today, I got a physical copy not only because it comes with a soundtrack, but because I've never held a PC Japanese shmup before!

I'm not very familiar with doujin scene stuff, but... Google tells me that is the immediate predecessor to Acceleration of Suguri, which is a game i am peripherally aware of. (A localized version of it came out on PSN a while ago, and looks an awful lot like G.Rev's Senko no Ronde.)

[Tanukitsune]

It's a new game, and it has more in common with the DS game than the Dreamcast/N64 game.

I'm not very familiar with doujin scene stuff, but... Google tells me that is the immediate predecessor to Acceleration of Suguri, which is a game i am peripherally aware of. (A localized version of it came out on PSN a while ago, and looks an awful lot like G.Rev's Senko no Ronde.)

Wow, I had never heard of this game before... and it's out in Europe?

Well, that's another game to add to the list... that is, if I actually like this game, I've never played a "Bullet hell fighter" before.

[Sno]

Wow, I had never heard of this game before... and it's out in Europe?

Well, that's another game to add to the list... that is, if I actually like this game, I've never played a "Bullet hell fighter" before.

Acceleration of Suguri or Senko no Ronde? Senko is very, very awesome. It's kind of a simpler Virtual On, they both are, if you're familiar with that at all. (Speaking of which, I can't recommend the

port on XBLA enough.)

Anyways, Senko no Ronde, Ubisoft localized the first game world wide, unfortunately rebranded with the generic-ass "Wartech" moniker. The new name is just on the case though, they left the game itself almost completely intact.

... And of course it was ripped to shreds by the western critical community, so our chances of seeing Senko no Ronde Duo are nothing to nothing.

Still, "War Tech" is commonly available though, in bargain bins everywhere. Very cool game, lots of fun, surely worth 10 bucks.

[Tanukitsune]

I've only had time to play it a little and it's like a 2D version of Psychic Force 2012, I'll probably Senko no Ronde since 10€ is more or less the price I found it for!

Frankly, I've only played Gradius-styled games until now, I've only started with more bullet hell-ish and doujin games pretty recently.

[Sno]

I think the first bullet hell game i played was probably Mars Matrix on the Dreamcast.

Hah, and Psychic Force 2012, that is a game i had completely forgotten.