moogy
From might have forgotten what level design was in this one, but at least they got the combat right.
Doesn't really aspire to the same heights as Firis, but carves out a place for itself with the strength of the narrative. The plot itself is basically a SoL anime, but the characters are depicted with great aplomb, with almost every scene being funny or poignant in some way. I'm not really sure why the writing in this game is so much better than in the previous two in the series, but I'll take it.
Suelle's voice acting is really wonderful.
Suelle's voice acting is really wonderful.
2015
Has a lot of the same problems as the Sen/Cold Steel series, but at least it actually wraps things up in the space of one game.
2021
Just reviewing Deathsmiles I here.
Very accessible shmup with a distinct gothic lolita + Halloween aesthetic. Granular difficulty means you can enjoy it casually or go all the way and prove your mad gaming skillz once and for all. If you want an arcade-style shmup to test the waters of the genre with I would probably recommend this one.
Lowest rank 1-ALL achieved. Maybe I'll do a run with the extra stage some point once I stop being terrified by revenge bullets.
Very accessible shmup with a distinct gothic lolita + Halloween aesthetic. Granular difficulty means you can enjoy it casually or go all the way and prove your mad gaming skillz once and for all. If you want an arcade-style shmup to test the waters of the genre with I would probably recommend this one.
Lowest rank 1-ALL achieved. Maybe I'll do a run with the extra stage some point once I stop being terrified by revenge bullets.
Ys2 is probably my favorite game from the 80s. Embrace the bump
2023
Bunny.
Pretty impressive clone of Sekiro. It's more of a homage than its own game (many boss attacks and motions are taken directly from Sekiro), but it's a free game using entirely royalty free assets so I don't think you can complain too much.
Bunny.
Pretty impressive clone of Sekiro. It's more of a homage than its own game (many boss attacks and motions are taken directly from Sekiro), but it's a free game using entirely royalty free assets so I don't think you can complain too much.
Bunny.
Somewhat repetitive, but manages to do some interesting stuff despite the player character having a very limited set of verbs.
2005
Neat plot and immersive design. Very different from Falcom's other recent games but not in a bad way.
I don't normally like "gimmick" danmaku games, but the item system in this one is cool and allows for much more individualized play than the camera games imo. Everything being doable without using items is also a plus.
Gameplay is weird nonsense but the scenario is actually kami. TenShion for life
Another one I haven't played enough of on Lunatic to really form a solid opinion of the pattern/stage design of. Trances are very silly though.
2024
Already talked about this one on Twitter at length, but the tl;dr is that I really liked how TS took some very tired -- one might say generic -- setting elements and committed so hard to exploring them that he ended up writing a pretty nuanced and original story anyway. Also a big fan of how much the map design contributed to the narrative in this one, he's moved on from zako of the week encounters on giant featureless planes...
2009
Actually has some sort of personality, even if there are a bunch of annoying instant death QTEs. The minigame levels are much more fun than the combat.
2014
Boring.
2012
Based on 1ccing both Original and Maniac modes on Normal. Ultra is beyond my ability.
Honestly not a huge fan of this game even if I can acknowledge it's well-made. Maniac mode is fun enough, but Original mode is a bit of a slog without any exciting patterns to speak of. Also not a big fan of the OST unfortunately.
I don't hate it but it's not something I'm chomping at the bit to play more of.
Honestly not a huge fan of this game even if I can acknowledge it's well-made. Maniac mode is fun enough, but Original mode is a bit of a slog without any exciting patterns to speak of. Also not a big fan of the OST unfortunately.
I don't hate it but it's not something I'm chomping at the bit to play more of.