CoKami
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It doesn't feel entirely fair to include this in my Shmups list, but I'm gonna. I understand it's age is a factor, but damn it's just really boring. It's got the bones of something more interesting there, but it never really makes much of it.
2021
This review contains spoilers
I've been putting off writing anything about this cause I'm absolutely baffled by the way this game has sat with me.
In short, I was absolutely in love with it for a solid 50 hours! FIFTY! And as the pacing of the game started to feel like it was winding down, and I was comfortable that I'd had my fill, it rolled into an ending that felt incredibly rushed and pretty unsatisfying. I was a bit befuddled by it and googled it, cause it felt like I'd got a "BAD ENDING", but no, it was Bravely Default pulling it's usual stupid fucking move. It was a fake out ending. If you reload your save after the fake ending, the game continues into a new act towards a proper revelation.
And it really annoyed me. I know it's a creative choice. And I know that they've got previous for doing this, it's almost BDs defining characteristic at this point. But fuck off. It felt like a really insulting disrespect of my time. I'll get back to it some time and finish it, probably.
Oh, all the actual Scottish people doing Scottish accents instead of just going "have you seen Austin Powers? Good, you can do the Scottish accents in our game" was a gigantic plus for me. You could tell real Scottish people were consulted on the script too, as they often use words, phrases, grammar, and intonations that sound like things my wee grannies used to say all the time, and I appreciated that immensely.
In short, I was absolutely in love with it for a solid 50 hours! FIFTY! And as the pacing of the game started to feel like it was winding down, and I was comfortable that I'd had my fill, it rolled into an ending that felt incredibly rushed and pretty unsatisfying. I was a bit befuddled by it and googled it, cause it felt like I'd got a "BAD ENDING", but no, it was Bravely Default pulling it's usual stupid fucking move. It was a fake out ending. If you reload your save after the fake ending, the game continues into a new act towards a proper revelation.
And it really annoyed me. I know it's a creative choice. And I know that they've got previous for doing this, it's almost BDs defining characteristic at this point. But fuck off. It felt like a really insulting disrespect of my time. I'll get back to it some time and finish it, probably.
Oh, all the actual Scottish people doing Scottish accents instead of just going "have you seen Austin Powers? Good, you can do the Scottish accents in our game" was a gigantic plus for me. You could tell real Scottish people were consulted on the script too, as they often use words, phrases, grammar, and intonations that sound like things my wee grannies used to say all the time, and I appreciated that immensely.
2017
This is the second EastAsiaSoft published shmup I've played this month and man, stinko. It's more traditional than Task Force Krampus or whatever the fuck it's called, but it also just feels ass to play. I genuinely had to go and play some other Shmups to make sure I hadn't lost my touch.
I hadn't, games just not very good.
I hadn't, games just not very good.
I think this one is the most template one I've played. Not to suggest that's a bad thing at all, if anything it speaks to how great the series can be when THIS is the baseline. I think it's a really good one to point at as being The Basic Format of these games. Plus it's not incredibly difficult, though the fucking card drop rates being so low makes me want to whip myself in the baws.
2019
One of my favourite things about Shmups is how they are always simple on the surface but really surprisingly deep in their own unique ways. Because of that, sometimes my opinion on a shmup can change drastically from first go till the time I've rinsed it clean.
Anyway TFK felt rubbish at first and only got worse. Stinkin.
Anyway TFK felt rubbish at first and only got worse. Stinkin.
2020
I've enjoyed many run based rouge likes and rouge lites, but I've also never ever like a Supergiant games product. Unsurprised to say the latter has outweighed the former in this case.
GOTY? [Limmy_Steel_Feathers.gif]
GOTY? [Limmy_Steel_Feathers.gif]
2019
Dangan GB is a free game, available for download on Itch.io (https://snorpung.itch.io/dangan-gb)
It's a Gameboy compatible (via emulator or flash cart on original hardware) Shmup that runs unbelievably well. Fast, no slowdown, bullet hell fun. 6 bosses make up the whole game, with their own patterns to learn. A wonderful, simple wee thing. Excellent "I've got 5 minutes" fodder, though my "I've got 5 minutes" turned into "Oh fuck, HOW long?" on my first session.
It's a Gameboy compatible (via emulator or flash cart on original hardware) Shmup that runs unbelievably well. Fast, no slowdown, bullet hell fun. 6 bosses make up the whole game, with their own patterns to learn. A wonderful, simple wee thing. Excellent "I've got 5 minutes" fodder, though my "I've got 5 minutes" turned into "Oh fuck, HOW long?" on my first session.
2007
I've not really got on with many sidescrolling Shmups so far, but wowee this one absolutely rips. Fucking hell it's so good lads. You're a wee anime lassie witch and you fight all sorts of brilliantly designed fantasy monsters in all sorts of incredibly fun areas. You fight a big scythe wielding skeleton. You fight a weird creepy head buried in the ground. You fight an absolutely giant demonic cow! Fuck yes mate, Big Cow Mary! It's a very fun, anime gothic, bullet hell treat. It's quite easy on its standard settings, though a few of the late bosses turn the difficulty curve into a cliff, the last boss especially. Fuck yes mate, Cave were incredible weren't they? Just wall to wall bangers.
2018
I think since I started this delve into Shmups this is the most middle of the road one I've played. It has a fun hook in the Buzz system, where powerups and score bonuses are given out for getting close to enemy bullets as they whiz by. But that's about it? Enemy design is dull, nothing particularly interesting in the wave design, the branching paths are initially interesting but when the game as a whole is straight-down-the-middle fine it doesn't matter which path you chose.
Absolutely fine. This game is absolutely fine. Don't see me obsessing over scores or 1CCs on it, but happy to boot it up now and then for a quick go.
Absolutely fine. This game is absolutely fine. Don't see me obsessing over scores or 1CCs on it, but happy to boot it up now and then for a quick go.
I realised today that hadn't even considered picking this up again in weeks. I dunno if I was finding it too easy? Maybe not quite engaging enough? It's obviously GOOD! I dunno man.
2021
God, MOBAs. I love and detest mobas in equal measure, man. They are horrible wee toxic pits of stink, 40 minute forays into the rancid depths of sportsmanship and teamwork. On the other hand, they are as close to the feeling of team sports as games have to offer.
Sorry, my bona fides here are that I've played an absolutely fuck tonne of Heroes Of Newerth and LoL over the past decade. I finally kicked the LoL habit cause it was genuinely making me into a horrid cunt, and I was missing out on playing plenty of much better games whilst playing it.
Anyway, Pokémon Unite is good. It doesn't have text chat. It's simple enough to pick up really quickly. It has all the fun of great team play, but about half of the depth of a """"real"""" moba. And it's not stinking with horrid Free to play shite.
Sorry, my bona fides here are that I've played an absolutely fuck tonne of Heroes Of Newerth and LoL over the past decade. I finally kicked the LoL habit cause it was genuinely making me into a horrid cunt, and I was missing out on playing plenty of much better games whilst playing it.
Anyway, Pokémon Unite is good. It doesn't have text chat. It's simple enough to pick up really quickly. It has all the fun of great team play, but about half of the depth of a """"real"""" moba. And it's not stinking with horrid Free to play shite.
Not a big Gradius guy, never really got into any of them, but this is really something else. Any game where you can beat a boss by shouting "SHAVING IS BORING" at them through a megaphone is alright in my book.
2012
I decided recently that, since I was on a Shmup kick, I really should brush up on Cave's games. I've always heard from trusted sources they are The Ones, and my experience with them has been sparse at best.
After quick blasts on a few of them, Mushihimesama (1.5, specifically) proved to be the one that stuck with me most. I know many people say DoDonPachi Ressurection is they're fav, but I just want to make a case for Mushi in case you've ever tried DDPR and bounced off.
It goes without saying, hopefully, but all the Shmup trappings are there, obviously. Bullet Hell patterns remain the order of the day. I'd come from Shmups with smaller hitboxes on the player, so that took a bit of adjusting too, but it truly is fantastic once you hit a flow with it
The soundtrack is wall to wall BANGERS (again, specifically, the 1.5 version. The original music is a bit flat comparatively) and the enemy and world design is ace. Horrible wee bug bastards in a honey I shrunk the kids style world, and huge gnarly insect bosses are absolute top notch stuff, much more fun than just "is a spaceship"
Anyway, this is on switch now (though at time of writing, still awaiting an EU release that is "coming soon") and I can't recommend it enough. Good, hot, Shmup action baby.
After quick blasts on a few of them, Mushihimesama (1.5, specifically) proved to be the one that stuck with me most. I know many people say DoDonPachi Ressurection is they're fav, but I just want to make a case for Mushi in case you've ever tried DDPR and bounced off.
It goes without saying, hopefully, but all the Shmup trappings are there, obviously. Bullet Hell patterns remain the order of the day. I'd come from Shmups with smaller hitboxes on the player, so that took a bit of adjusting too, but it truly is fantastic once you hit a flow with it
The soundtrack is wall to wall BANGERS (again, specifically, the 1.5 version. The original music is a bit flat comparatively) and the enemy and world design is ace. Horrible wee bug bastards in a honey I shrunk the kids style world, and huge gnarly insect bosses are absolute top notch stuff, much more fun than just "is a spaceship"
Anyway, this is on switch now (though at time of writing, still awaiting an EU release that is "coming soon") and I can't recommend it enough. Good, hot, Shmup action baby.
I will open with this; Final Fantasy IX is my favourite one. But after a long overdue replay of X? It's a much closer race than I realised. To think how close together they were released as well! Utterly spoiled in the early 2000s eh?
I didn't cane all the extra side stuff this playthrough, didn't even bother with Yojimbo, but even as a game you just march through from start to finish it's a masterpiece, and unadulterated top of its field standout. Love it. Adore it.
Being 11 and playing this game, I was a Rikku boy. In the intervening I thought I'd become a Lulu man. But apparently, the one I want most... Is a ride on ze shoopuff
I didn't cane all the extra side stuff this playthrough, didn't even bother with Yojimbo, but even as a game you just march through from start to finish it's a masterpiece, and unadulterated top of its field standout. Love it. Adore it.
Being 11 and playing this game, I was a Rikku boy. In the intervening I thought I'd become a Lulu man. But apparently, the one I want most... Is a ride on ze shoopuff
2017
Everything about this game gives and takes. When you want it to be challenging and hard to identify a safe path it is top class, but it's also fairly ugly as far as Shmups go. The soundtrack is surprisingly quite fun metal fare, but the remaining sound design is fairly weak and is often drowned out by said rippin soundtrack. When you're sometimes relying on certain sounds to know how you are doing whilst focused on a small area, it becomes a real pain in the arse. I think the enemy design is quite bland, but ultimately that's not particularly what I go to Shmups for. In all, it's a lot of fun, especially for a reasonable price! I just hope Cave and Treasure can get some of their classic games on the switch for the EU shop soon (yes I know I can set up an international account)