There is a moment in Mushihimesama where I started to feel guilty. Not for the act of playing the game or anything but upon hearing Reco the game's protagonist death scream a bit too frequently as I weave her into yet another purple ball of bug plasma. This really struck home though when I paused the game and the music and sound effects stopped but her scream continued, echoing into the void reminding me of my failure.

In case it's not apparent I'm still pretty green to shoot 'em ups though I've been investing time playing them more and more since joining backloggd. I see people here discussing in their reviews completing a 'one CC' run and I laugh at the the very idea of the practice it would take me to do such a thing. You see I normally play a shoot 'em up once, see the credits, take time to think about what I played, what did I like? what didn't I? and then move on. There is something about Mushihimesama though that keeps drawing me to play it again and again. For the first time I feel I almost understand hardcore STG players, at least a little bit.

The immediate thing I need to talk about with the actual game though is the cover art here. It's the thing that made me aware of this games existence. A friend here started playing it before I started delving more into the genre a couple of years ago and my first thought was "what on earth is that?" You only make first impressions once and it's absolutely sublime. Taking a mixture of anime and art nouveau with the curved backdrop, colours and flowing hair. It's like if Alphonse Mucha had become an anime artist and I utterly adore it. The art is one of the stand out elements of this title for both aesthetics and design. Taking influence from studio Ghibli's animated classic Nausica Valley of the Wind, you play the afore mentioned Princess Reco. She is due to be sacrificed to stop the Miasma that threatens her village from the giant Koju insects. On her 15th birthday she takes flight on her Rhinoceros beetle to stop them. The game's theme is entirely about insects bugs and nature, even the game's title Mushihimesama translates roughly to bug princess.

It spans five stages and I love the visuals and details. Lush looking forests, petrified centipede husks with fauna growing out of them, lava stages, crane flies floating on water and not to mention the way the stages are so active in the backgrounds. On one stage you can see this ginormous beetle fortress traveling under the canopy whilst you fight smaller enemies above before appearing as the boss. Another level with a giant beetle attached to a chasm wall that flies up to engage you. It's just a really cool looking title for concept art and in game visuals. Where it's clever though is in it's usage of art and colour in this design. This game is extremely vibrant with hues of green, red, blue, yellow all over but they reserve purple very specifically for enemy fire. Bright purple. Such a small thing but mechanically makes it very easy to understand what it a threat to you and is also very visually striking at the same time. I've played games where I simply couldn't see what was coming at me due to colour blends between backgrounds and fire. This eliminates that issue entirely, just because something is clear though, doesn't mean it is easy to avoid, this is a bullet hell after all.

This is my first real one in fact and I understand a good one for that because it's actually incredibly simple in a lot of ways through how it's been designed as mentioned above. You get one character Reco, but have three firing modes to choose from in how her bullets fire. She gets some basic power ups for her main gun and satellites which can be used either in a spread pattern or more focused fire. Seed bombs can briefly clear the screen of bullets to save you when firing and everything else is positioning and prioritising targets. There isn't a lot to learn at the base level but there is a lot to master. Knowing where to be on a level, taking out a bigger Koju first to control the flow and watching the onscreen bullets fade out or dodging through an absolute torrent of fire and coming out the other side is an absolute rush when it happens. I actually prefer playing it on Manic over normal difficulty despite the increase in bullet density coming my way because the game just feels good to play moment to moment but I am still learning a lot every time I play.

Though I am reviewing the arcade game here I played through once I would recommend getting the Mushihimesama HD release on steam for it's crisper visuals and extras I'll review separately another time. Regardless of version though I'm really glad this actually lived up to both the word of mouth around it and my expectations based on the art, fun music and footage I've seen. This is actually my first Cave game having weirdly played some games that eventually led to their formation prior. It's probably not my favourite shoot 'em up but I must say it's an extremely good one and I look forward to playing more of Cave's works.

Reco's death scream however will continue to haunt me for some time but I am getting better to prevent her suffering.

+ Concept art is gorgeous.
+ In game visuals and art are also gorgeous.
+ Simple clear design but still a challenge.

I'm not a shmup guy. I would love to be able to discuss the merits of something like Mushihimesama's input lag and hitboxes or its Arrange mode's scoring mechanics, but the truth is I do not have the experience required with the bullet hell genre to perceive it as more than just playing the same game over and over again with different coats of paint.

Which ultimately ends up working in my favor, considering all it has to do to make me flinch and move away from the screen like a little giddy kid is vomit an absurd amount of colorful and vibrant impossible to dodge bullets while cheerful and bombastic electronica tracks play in the background. And what a beautiful coat of paint Mushihimesama's bug aesthetic is.

What I love about bullet hell games in general is their ability to, in a span of mere seconds, demonstrate the limitless potential of perserverance, finding skill where you previously thought to be inaccessible as you decode the bullet patterns and your ship simply becomes an extention of your peripheral vision, emptying your head from the needless noise, only to have that burst of primal inspiration shattered by the crushing reality of human fallibility, as consciousness suddenly returns to your body and your eyes glaze over the screen just in time to witness your naive ship lost in a sea of pink little mistakes.

But Mushihimesama so wants you to succeed. Might be hard to at first believe that, but beyond practice mode, the unlimited continues, or the plethora of difficulty and mode options available that let you fine tune the level of masochism you are willing to put yourself up to, Mushihimesama's hitboxes are so generous and its walls of bullets so quick to reveal openings from where to pull hail marys off that it's hard not to get suckered in into thinking that Mushihimesama is something you can conquer. It's the illusion that counts, anyways.

PS: It gets an extra half a star because I've learned that the True Final Boss is so notoriously bullshit that it requires you to glitch out the game to be able to beat it. That's just badass.

Easily one of my favorite shmups. Mechanically, it's fairly simple as far as shmups go; you shoot down enemies while avoiding fire. You got focused shooting and movements, bombs, etc. But there's something different about Mushihimesama that makes it so fun to play, I can't explain it. Weaving through dense bullet patterns while mowing down wave after wave of enemies feels so satisfying.

The soundtrack is great too. My personal favorite mode was Original 1.5 MAX, mostly because of the exclusive gameplay mechanics, but also because it's got the best arrangements of each song. Hearing "Like a Night of Falling Stars" for the first time is not a feeling I'll forget anytime soon. I also want to mention the aesthetic. The whole bug and nature theme it has is really unique, and cool too. Mushi is such a great game in every department.

FUCK Stage 3 though.

I'm pretty selective with my ratings, I feel. Sure, I make myself rather predictable by typically sticking within the 5-7 range, but it's not like I'm throwing out high or low scores out the wazoo. Generally, I focus on the speculation and intake process of what people have been saying about something, and sort my expectations around those, so usually nothing really strikes me out or base myself on gut feeling when I check them out. Shmups aren't really my forte, but I do have experience with a fair number of them to know the dos and don'ts, plus I like throwing myself at the mercy of danmaku "go big or go home" escalations, so I was expecting to at least casually enjoy this.

The first boss reinforced my initial outset since, from the get-go, it already establishes everything CAVE wants to bedazzle you with. Majority of its patterns and enemy positions are simple and easy to fixate on, but the application of these Koujuu buggers (literally!) within their speed is what sets this apart. Spread shots, buckshots, rollers, overlays, if you can name and think of it, chances are Akira Wakabayashi and Co. have thought of it. A lot of the characteristics expressed from these bugs also shine due to Akira focusing strongly on the entomological aspect of these creatures to relay onto the artists, with director and programmer Tsuneki Ikeda also noting that it was a return to roots foundation, along with utilizing this as a benchmark for new hardware. Obviously there's some Nausicaa-distilled vibes lingering beneath and on top of the naturalistic world, but the differing aspects of the forests within Mushi's world also tend to give rise into other foundations as you go along, marking your progress as either the blues of Stage 4 or the washed greens of Stage 2 to name some examples, establishing more of an interpersonal relationship with the player and the bullet mechanics. This also doubles up on the repeat learning of the reliable M Shot, the wide but meek W Shot, or the strict yet powerful S Shot. It takes two to tango after all, even if the denizens prefer blasting you away.

To go further about the remarks Ikeda has given, as well as deepen my point about simplicity thrusting itself unto elegance and sensation, two details he's revealed before are about the stronger focus on the characters Reco and Aki, alongside the principles of establishing the high of navigating around these bullets in the first place. That said, I'm choosing to forgo an in-depth look into the mechanical side of the game, since to reiterate I'm pretty green with shmups and also cause I'm still aiming to improve myself with this, and not to mention I'm more focused on the character angle. Shmups tend to not indulge on this aspect of game design, which is fair, but the way Mushi goes about it is very intriguing. Even disregarding the fervent chaos and hostile bombarding, art CGs shown upon level completion visualize the story between Reco's past venture within a forest, and Aki's help in succoring her life via a bracelet embodying crystalized forces of the Koujuu. Years have past, climate has worsened for her village, and its through her flight with the help of a beetle named Kiniro that she sets off to ascertain what has wrought upon them, subtly embellishing and engrossing herself within this area. I wouldn't classify it as Man Vs. Nature as it first appears, despite the parasitic symbiosis between the humanoids inhabiting the area and how the creatures react to them, but there's a subtext feeling of melancholy. The way Reco learns and overcomes these sorts of ordeals and predicaments within the setting is akin to we, the players, adapt and recognize all these obstacles. In a way, it's fitting the True Final Boss is Like That to be climax of both of these themes, even if the true reason is because they just wanted to fuck around with your expectations and play.

I always figured I'd like Mushihimesama, but there's a lot of special somethins within this gem of an amber-colored set. I've done Arrange, I've dabbled with Maniac and Ultra, and even partook in trying out Ver 1.5 as well, all of which are worth exploring. Related to that, the compositions provided by Manabu Namiki and Masaharu Iwata are top-to-bottom bangers. I already went into enough lengths in justifying my High IQ reading of a simple plot, not to mention I already went on-and-on about the connection and design workings between the player and the system, so I'll just go over my favorite tracks of this: Requiem Of The Sky, Like A Night Of Falling Stars, Levi-Sense, really I just recommend sitting down and soaking it all in regardless of playing the game or for casual listening. We talkin S-Tier OST material, be it the original or various arrangements made for the other modes, and I already went the extra yard and put the OST onto my phone to listen to whenever. This one's for my rotational books for sure.

Between Ikrauga's color system, R-Type's force pod, G-Darius' capture ball, the Rayforce Shot, et cetera, developers in this genre are tripping over themselves to differentiate their titles mechanically in ways that range from ingenious to gimmicky.

Cave has a different approach. There is practically nothing in this game but shooting, dodging, and bombs, but the fundamentals in this game are so balanced, and so satisfying, and so well-engineered that it's like eating at a Michelin star restaurant that only serves bread and butter.

There's a type of design philosophy that I have been trying to define when it comes to shoot 'em ups. A combination of the feeling of a perfect level of speed, combined with excellent enemy placement and bullet patterns that never slow down, with music complimenting the action that creates an incredible feeling of adrenaline with each and every action the player takes; a "high" that lasts for the entire duration of the game, that never ends, until you hit that credits screen, and you're ready to do it all over again, because it was a meditative experience that comes once in a lifetime.

That is Mushihimesama. My favorite shoot 'em up, and one of the best games ever developed. For the love of Ikeda, play this one.

Eu não entendo Mushihimesama.

Dizia Fernando Pessoa que, "[...] Compreender é esquecer de amar." (Livro do Desassossego, trecho 48) e, ah, o quanto sabia, não? Todas as santas vezes que desejamos explicar o porque de amarmos alguma coisa, sempre falhamos. Emoções são sentidas, não faladas, afinal de contas. Talvez seja exatamente por isso que eu evito dizer o motivo de ter amado a obra, mas sim como foi a experiência e, por ventura, como desejo que tenham-nas como tive. "Belo" possivelmente seria a melhor descrição, por mais que seja subjetivo.

Antes de aprofundar em Mushihimesama (lit. Princesa Inseto), o catálogo da CAVE Interactive já havia passado por minhas mãos por diversas vezes, seja com a série DonPachi, ESP Ra.De., Ketsui, Ibara, Akai Katana ou, recentemente, Deathsmiles (quem nunca rejogou coisas por conta do RetroAchievements?). Dentre estes, Ketsui, Daioujou, Akai Katana e Deathsmiles já eram meus queridinhos, mas o danmaku dos insetos colossais ainda era só parte de uma gameplay deveras curta - parcialmente porque o port de PC, antes dos incontáveis patches, era uma tremenda catástrofe. Na verdade, mesmo depois de tantas e tantas atualizações e com um PC bastante potente, continuo tendo problemas com crashing, erros de som e ás vezes o jogo sequer permite a troca de resolução (fullscreen, janela, etc.), o que me afastou. Ignorância à parte, encontrei uma cópia da rerelease "TAITO BEST - Mushihimesama" completinha com manual e o CD praticamente sem riscos, sendo vendida por um preço até que amigável. E foi assim que de fato, fui jogar.

Sendo o mais realista possível, há pouco o que se criticar aqui. E falo isso desde que iniciei a jogatina (mesma época que comecei Psyvariar 2, também do mesmo console). Chega a ser risível mas só é a mais pura definição de "Excelência", mesmo. Visualmente, Kotani (KOF 99', Ibara e o cancelado The Fallen Angels) traz traços apreciáveis, desde a arte da capa, esta que, na versão original (pôster, se assim quiser dizer) é mais influenciado, ao meu ver, das pinturas clássicas de Hokusai, justamente pelo fundo amarelado e o destaque no personagem ao centro, enquanto os kanji de Mushi, Hime e os hiragana de Sa e Ma se encontram no canto direito. Em oposto, o canto esquerdo tem escrito "また必ず逢えるえるよね" (algo como "Com certeza vamos nos encontrar denovo."). Isso também inclui o manual e concept arts in-game que são um deleite. Em trilha sonora, a dupla já histórica há tempos (a parceria dos rapazes vem de longas datas e projetos), Manabu Namiki (um dos meus favoritos desde Batrider) e Masaharu Iwata (Baroque, o já citado Daioujou e até mesmo em Tekken 6) trazem uma das melhores performances em suas carreiras. A personagem principal extremamente carismática, Reko (dublada por Yui Yoshii, que já havia trabalhado em outros STGs e até mesmo em Chocobo Racing de PlayStation 1) transborda emoções em todas suas falas, tudo isso com direção e programação do, para os mais íntimos, IQD-San (Tsuneki Ikeda) que dispensa apresentações desde quando a CAVE ainda era a extinta Toaplan. Dessa staff, não citei nem a metade dos membros, o que demonstra a elite que estamos falando quando se trata do gênero STG.


A gameplay, por sua vez, não deixa nada a desejar toda a roupagem linda que o jogo veste. É polida, frenética. Tem um scoring system divertido e gigantesco (marca clássica da developer), mas peca na ausência de muitos variados power-ups (também marca clássica deles para minha infelicidade, pois tornei-me mal-acostumado com os shmups do PC Engine). O slowdown característico dos danmaku é presente aqui. Uma quantia significativa de bossfights também se fazem presentes, e, veja bem, são fantásticas. As bombas são satisfatórias de usar e, assim que chocam-se nos ninhos das variadas espécimes de insetos, geram diversas "cascas" (é assim como eu vejo, pelo menos) de tamanhos distintos, satisfazendo-nos ainda mais. É, para dizer o mínimo, divertidíssimo. Agora, chega de tecnicalidade, chega de punhetação. Como é o jogo, de verdade?

É um bullet hell vertical shooter, com três dificuldades disponíveis, a seu critério, além de três tipos de disparo, também escolha do jogador. Tudo que o jogo mostra (com exceção dos lindos seres humanos) é bicho, bicho e mais bicho - leia-se, inseto. E cara, como eu tenho coceira só de ver inseto. Me dá nos nervos. Ainda assim, aqui esse incômodo é quase inexistente. Os modelos foram esculpidos pelos gênios Michelangelo e Praxíteles, no ápice dos seus tesões do Ensino Médio (embora o Ensino Médio não existisse exatamente, mas enfim, você entendeu...)
A jogabilidade é gostosa, entretanto, a velocidade do teu besouro altera-se com base no tipo de disparo que escolheu, então experimente outros. Fazer pontos é um regozijo, pois, como disse acima, caem dos inimigos derrotados uma série de cascas (eu juro que faz total sentido, tipo casca de barata e afins) que são sugadas pelo teu besourão. A música, meu caro, ah, a música, cheia de virtudes e excelso.

Como uma noite de estrelas cadentes, descrever o momento é semi-impossível, mas assim que a entrada do stage 4 começou - com a voz macia e gentil da princesa Reko - a trilha sonora se acalmou comparada as faixas anteriores - os inimigos pararam de vir por um curto instante - tudo que eu consegui era sentir, e só isso. Sentir. Nossa nave insetóide movendo-se de forma brusca, Reko praticamente imóvel com seus cabelos movendo pra lá e pra cá de forma fixa e suave, os céus - completamente vazios, esquecidos por Deus - e, lá embaixo, nada além de ninhos de seres dos quais não sei identificar e nem me importo porque eu estou ali para eliminar todos eles, nesta caverna, repleta de estalactites e névoa. Me vi ali, implorando para que aquele breve momento durasse por uma finitude suficiente para que eu estivesse satisfeito - e não tardou muito. Os inimigos começaram a vir, disparando contra mim centenas de obus de cores das quais minha visão daltônica limitadíssima não reconhece e com certeza desviarei com dificuldade, mas nada me atingia. Um ensejo, parecia que tudo aquilo voava contra minha princesa de forma feita para que atingisse, entretanto, nunca com sucesso. Os slowdowns vinham no momento certo, a hitbox da garota, como de praxe no gênero desde pelo menos 1986, iludiam-me e saía ileso. Sempre tinha uma bomba para que anulasse aquele vagalhão titânico de balas e progredisse com sucesso. Foi nesse estágio que lacrimejei. Diante de tanta beleza, foi o mínimo que pude sentenciar esta indesejada existência com um gracejo líquido composto de sais minerais, proteínas, água e outras químicas malditas anotadas pelo Homem.

Não houve dúvida se Mushihimesama era algo que eu amava e eu nem tinha finalizado, ainda. E eu o fiz. Incontáveis vezes a esse ponto, e por um período extensivo, também. Não me interesso com o modo 2 players, não me interesso com a pontuação mais alta, não quero saber quantas horas eu passo aqui, dane-se todas as conquistas inúteis. Enfim, por mais que tudo isso tinha sido dito a respeito da obra, este que vos fala, nunca compreendeu Mushihimesama. Não importo-me se a estória e o roteiro não são complexos. É tudo tão bonito, e é surreal compreender a beleza porque ela não é exata. Pelo contrário, quanto mais vocês tentam racionalizar a beleza, mais vocês se tornam todos iguais e ainda mais odiáveis.

É por isso que eu não esqueci de amar. Porque nunca quis compreender Mushihimesama. Só sentir.

im still pretty new to bullet hell games but theyre a genre of games id really wanna get into more and learn more of. regardless I did the normal, arrange and 1.5 modes, and i really enjoyed them all. I think arrange is probably my preferred way, but I also really enjoy the gameplay style that 1.5 incentivizes with its speed and your absolute destructive capabilities. big fan of the soundtrack, the visuals, really its a pretty great controlled experience and i think ill probably whittle away at it more and more as i get more used to these kinds of games