I don't think I'm super qualified to rate shmups, especially not horizontal ones, but it was very fun. LOVE the Yousuke Yasui music, ship customization is fun too
It's Ginga Force, but now in horizontal mode, and with a much larger budget and more attention to detail. It's a genuinely great and fun game to play, with varied stages and everything working seamlessly. It's easily one of my favorite shmup games. The game is somewhat easier than Ginga Force, but it feels like it's because everything works better and you have more options this time.
Not only is this a really solid shooter with a great soundtrack, it's got a nice story mode to it which takes a slightly different tack to what you'd expect. Loads of weapons to buy and use, plenty of stages. It's not an all-time classic but you know what - it works at 120hz, it controls really nicely with an analogue stick: they have done everything you want to make this kind of game approachable and smooth to play. Highly recommended if you either like the genre, or like the idea of the genre.
Too expensive at the full price they wanted on Xbox One but even without discount this is something worth supporting. Also buy Eschatos because not only is it a great old-school shooter but it has an all-time great soundtrack.
Too expensive at the full price they wanted on Xbox One but even without discount this is something worth supporting. Also buy Eschatos because not only is it a great old-school shooter but it has an all-time great soundtrack.
Qute has quite a reputation for producing quality vertically-scrolling shmups that reproduce the traditional appeal of the genre while having a flair of more modern design conventions. Natsuki Chronicles is a change of pace for the developer being a horizontal shmup, but it's a pleasant surprise that they nailed the formula and produced a game that is everything a modern shmup should be.
Taking inspiration from other well-regarded horizontal shmups such as Gradius, Darius and Thunder Force, Natsuki Chronicles has fast-paced satisfying gameplay with varied level design, unique bosses and a simple but engaging scoring system based around destroying enemy formations quickly. The game also has in my opinion some of the most polished visuals of any 3D graphics shmup. Yousuke Yasui is back for the soundtrack and sound design and his work on Natsuki Chronicles is up there with his best, with my personal favourites being the stage 3, 4, 6 and boss fight themes.
Natsuki Chronicles increases its replay value by including a story mode which keeps track of your progress. While the story isn't anything special and is too rigidly stuck to the events of Ginga Force, the story mode is a more approachable format for beginners and offers a wide array of purchasable and upgradeable customisation options for your ship. Weapons range from homing lasers to multi-directional bombs and each sports their own strengths and weaknesses. There is also an arcade mode which removes most of the story and has a more traditional upgrade system for people going after the 1CC.
Taking inspiration from other well-regarded horizontal shmups such as Gradius, Darius and Thunder Force, Natsuki Chronicles has fast-paced satisfying gameplay with varied level design, unique bosses and a simple but engaging scoring system based around destroying enemy formations quickly. The game also has in my opinion some of the most polished visuals of any 3D graphics shmup. Yousuke Yasui is back for the soundtrack and sound design and his work on Natsuki Chronicles is up there with his best, with my personal favourites being the stage 3, 4, 6 and boss fight themes.
Natsuki Chronicles increases its replay value by including a story mode which keeps track of your progress. While the story isn't anything special and is too rigidly stuck to the events of Ginga Force, the story mode is a more approachable format for beginners and offers a wide array of purchasable and upgradeable customisation options for your ship. Weapons range from homing lasers to multi-directional bombs and each sports their own strengths and weaknesses. There is also an arcade mode which removes most of the story and has a more traditional upgrade system for people going after the 1CC.
Didn't finish, didn't like it, needed it out of my playing tab
I'd call it a lot 'better' than Ginga Force but I still think EXP systems and grinding are terrible in shmups, and also the lack of GF's insane setpieces killed any motivation I had to go further. GF plays abominably, but when you get to take down lightspeed missiles while gliding above the infinite sea or taking on an inpenetrable horde of spiderbots aboard a sky cruiser, those moments are what make you put up with the hell. But Natsuki's levels are all indistinct asset store hodge-podges.
Also, they could not make me more apathetic to this universe's lore by trying to make me take the 'kill them all, Peter' bit seriously
I'd call it a lot 'better' than Ginga Force but I still think EXP systems and grinding are terrible in shmups, and also the lack of GF's insane setpieces killed any motivation I had to go further. GF plays abominably, but when you get to take down lightspeed missiles while gliding above the infinite sea or taking on an inpenetrable horde of spiderbots aboard a sky cruiser, those moments are what make you put up with the hell. But Natsuki's levels are all indistinct asset store hodge-podges.
Also, they could not make me more apathetic to this universe's lore by trying to make me take the 'kill them all, Peter' bit seriously
Как всегда очень годная игра от Qute/M-KAI (Judgement Silversword, Eschatos, Ginga Force). Два полноценных режима - в сюжетном есть магазин, большее количество уровней, не нужно проходить всю игру за один присест, а после проигрыша на уровне можно сменить оружие или купить более крутое. Соответственно аркадный проходится за один присест. Есть четыре уровня сложности и в сюжетном режиме можно в любой момент перейти на Easy. Ошибки прощаются - всего три хп, но достаточно прожить некоторое количество времени, чтобы восстановить один удар.
И да, это горизонтальный скролл-шутер, который сочетает в себе классические препятствия и буллет-хелл. В нём есть функция отображения траектории пуль, помогающая отследить криво летящие пули, при желании её можно отключить. Четыре кнопки - основная и дополнительная стрельба, щит и смена скорости. Зажав основную и дополнительную стрельбу, можно стрелять двумя оружиями в полсилы. Благодаря магазину можно сочетать стрельбу вперёд и назад, широкий спред и бомбы, лазер и самонаводки, вариаций множество. Аналогично можно выбрать щит, защищающий спереди, по бокам, летящий вперёд, но тратящий много энергии и т.д. В игре хватает интересных задумок, а один уровень в сюжетном режиме так и вовсе способен неслабо удивить.
В целом это такая среднебюджетная игра, которых так не хватает в жанре. В ней хорошая трёхмерная графика и большое количество озвучки. И я не мог поверить своим глазам, но эта игра может работать в 120 фпс! Это вправду удивительно, так как разработчики двухмерных игр, особенно скролл-шутеров, не заморачиваются и просто затачивают игру жёстко под 60 фпс. Даже странно, что именно эта особенность порта с XBox One никак не обозначена в описании игры - сейчас и так кроме киберспорта с думом особо нечего в таком фреймрейте смотреть, а тут одиночная хардкорная игра с быстрыми пулями, которая только выигрывает от такой плавности.
И да, это горизонтальный скролл-шутер, который сочетает в себе классические препятствия и буллет-хелл. В нём есть функция отображения траектории пуль, помогающая отследить криво летящие пули, при желании её можно отключить. Четыре кнопки - основная и дополнительная стрельба, щит и смена скорости. Зажав основную и дополнительную стрельбу, можно стрелять двумя оружиями в полсилы. Благодаря магазину можно сочетать стрельбу вперёд и назад, широкий спред и бомбы, лазер и самонаводки, вариаций множество. Аналогично можно выбрать щит, защищающий спереди, по бокам, летящий вперёд, но тратящий много энергии и т.д. В игре хватает интересных задумок, а один уровень в сюжетном режиме так и вовсе способен неслабо удивить.
В целом это такая среднебюджетная игра, которых так не хватает в жанре. В ней хорошая трёхмерная графика и большое количество озвучки. И я не мог поверить своим глазам, но эта игра может работать в 120 фпс! Это вправду удивительно, так как разработчики двухмерных игр, особенно скролл-шутеров, не заморачиваются и просто затачивают игру жёстко под 60 фпс. Даже странно, что именно эта особенность порта с XBox One никак не обозначена в описании игры - сейчас и так кроме киберспорта с думом особо нечего в таком фреймрейте смотреть, а тут одиночная хардкорная игра с быстрыми пулями, которая только выигрывает от такой плавности.
Not quite as good as Ginga Force but it's still pretty great. The story ties back to it in some interesting ways, although I wish the fight that was reversed from Ginga Force was more fun since that was such a cool and exciting concept. That said, I clapped when they played the song.