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Gradius V

Stroker Ace

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Graham S

Graham S

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I've been on a mission to learn the ways of the shoot-em-up in the last month or two. I find that any one shoot em up isn't enough for the shit player, as later levels become punishingly difficult, so I flit batween the early sections of them all like a mayfly.

Most of them have been played on a modded Xbox, so that's not a bad place to try them out if you have the kit.

I was enjoying Sexy Parodius last night: it has bags of character. Even more fun was a sequel AllYourBase recommended to me in MAME: gokuparo.zip (Gokujyou paradius).

Most fun I've had has been with all the R-Types (1,2, and leo on MAME, 3 on SNES, Delta on PS1 and Final on PS2). The latter features some much easier difficulty settings (and you keep your powerups when you die on them) so could be recommended to a beginner. It looks great, but it's maybe not the best of the series: there are some dull bits in early levels.

Haven't played Gradius V yet: a little bit underwhelmed with the others in the series as they get quite tricky quite fast and you lose pwerups on death. I enjoyed the GBA version for a while.

As for the vertical shooters I probably enjoyed Ikaruga the most, due to the quality of graphics and sound. It's not representative of the other games in the genre, but if you're not trying to chain you can get through the first couple of levels OK as a beginner.

rRootage (modded Xbox or PC) is a good training ground for bullet dodging.

The other vertical shooters (from the current Japanese lots of bullets to dodge genre) blend into one for me. They get tricky quickly too, but its nice trying the first part of each of them for a while. Donpachi was a bit easier, so not a bad starting place, although the graphics are ropey.

*edit* special mentions for the Raidens and also the very lovely 1942.

Apologies to shooter experts, but I though the perspective of an enthusiastic beginner might be helpful to Laine.

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Stroker Ace

Stroker Ace

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No, what that was was a "joke". Look it up.

Okay.

It says here in my trusty Oxford English Dictionary that a 'joke' is a 'statement or short story told in order to cause amusement'.

Given that I was thoroughly unamused by your 'joke', we can hereby conclude, using ACTUAL SCIENCE that your 'joke' was in fact not a joke, but was in fact 'bollocks'.

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Lovelyman

Lovelyman

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Back on topic....

I got back from France yesterday and have till weds off work. To my joy, Gradius V popped through the letterbox today.

But I took my PS2 RGB cable to France as my Girlfriend's little brother had his PS2 and I'm an RGB snob... And I left it there :D

So before I could play it I trekked up to game, woolies and HMV before going all the way over to the other side of town to the retail park to Currys for an RGB cable before I could play it :(

Anyway. I've had 3 goes now - no continues. got up to the boss on stage 1 first go, second time up to where the trapdoor shuts after the blobs with eyes on stage 2 and third go to what I assume is the stage 2 boss - it appears suddenly after you have killed the little 'destroy the core' thingy.

WOW! This game is amazing. Pure old school, AMAZING graphics and boss design and brilliant twist on the option theme. ;)

Maybe Irem should have contracted R-Type Final to Treasure!

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pledge

pledge

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I am up to the end of level 6 now and I think the levels just get better and better through the game. Level 6's design is just such a great premise.

With the bosses you are never sure when they are going to end. You thinkn you have don well not to lose a life killing and then an even larger more complex one appears.

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Laine

Laine

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Laine, play Bangai-o! It's great!

Is it stupidly cute? I keep meaning to buy a copy when it was £2.99 in Game, but didn't.

I played Paradious this weekend, I really liked it.

I want the even more silly sounding Sexy Paradious though.

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squirtle

squirtle

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Is it stupidly cute? I keep meaning to buy a copy when it was £2.99 in Game, but didn't.

I played Paradious this weekend, I really liked it.

I want the even more silly sounding Sexy Paradious though.

Stupidly cute, yes. Have you seen JCAFarley's avatar? That's part of the game over screen. It's fucking mental as Manson was. It's really funny and just bizarre and when stuff blows up it turns into fruit. It also has one of the best risk/reward structures I've ever seen. The more bullets and enemies of screen the more power you get on your super move. Inspired!

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Dimahoo

Dimahoo

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I dunno. Ikaruga - Gradius, then R-type but TBH, i love the visual assault Gradius gives your Retnas.

Ikaruga is a puzzle-shuemp really. Many levels have you changing shade to move through bullet storms, or fast flipping to avoid being shot.

Gradius is pure candy.

The end of level 2 where the game celebrates the heritage of the series by having motherships from various eras (even one from Salamander) is great. Even the musics remixed.

And those Boss explosions are the best effect Treasure has ever done, and certainly the best representation of a large explosion.

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Guest

Guest

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i really can't wait for this game.

i remember fondly a few years of my youth spent in the arcades playing through (and learning to do it on one 10p) nemesis, then salamander, then vulcan venture. lovely games the lot.

so, this being gradius v, did i miss the fourth instalment?

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Cyhwuhx

Cyhwuhx

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Even the musics remixed.

.::: While some of the boss themes are remixed, I can't recognize anything else. I was especially dissapointed not hearing anything remotely connected to Burning Heat (which because of it's Gradius connection was one of my favourite DDR tracks).

I like the 'intermezzo' theme which was also used in the trailer, but sadly there seems to be only one song of that caliber. The rest is a bit meh.

Still going to get the game though. :unsure:

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Cyhwuhx

Cyhwuhx

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I only need one piece of information:

PAL release - 60hz?

.::: Very good chance. Konami has been doing pretty well in the 60Hz department ime. If Castlevania LoI can have one, then why the fuck wouldn't Gradius V have one.

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Guest

Guest

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I've never played a shmup in my life, and I want one.

What should I start with, bearing in mind if I die a lot i'll get very angry?

I want ESPgaluda or whatever it's called, the box art is lovely.

Reccomend me something please.

I guess this should be a new topic, but i'm having a lazy day.

Thanks!

Id' go for UN Squadron. Get the SNES version on EMU. It's brilliant, varied, and not that hard!

Or why not the first Gradius? It's still a game par excellance!

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Lovelyman

Lovelyman

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Id' go for UN Squadron. Get the SNES version on EMU. It's brilliant, varied, and not that hard!

Or why not the first Gradius? It's still a game par excellance!

UN Squadron is SOODINGLY hard especially for someone not used to shmups.

R-Type is pretty easy until you get to the annoying dots level...

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Lovelyman

Lovelyman

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Oh yeah - How's everyone doing with Gradious V on one credit then?

I'm up to stage 3 and the bit where you get chased by the mini-bosses down the corridors. I tried that bit on stage select this morning and did it quite easily though so I'm expecting to get onto stage 4 tonight, since the spider boss seems a doddle once you get the way the boxes drop.

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Guest

Guest

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UN Squadron is SOODINGLY hard especially for someone not used to shmups.

R-Type is pretty easy until you get to the annoying dots level...

I'm sure it can't be. I've always been really crap at Shoot em ups, and I completed it. I don't even really like Shoot em ups but I loved the game.

I'm sure it's not that hard - and can't you stick it on "easy".

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Lovelyman

Lovelyman

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Oh yeah - How's everyone doing with Gradious V on one credit then?

I'm up to stage 3 and the bit where you get chased by the mini-bosses down the corridors. I tried that bit on stage select this morning and did it quite easily though so I'm expecting to get onto stage 4 tonight, since the spider boss seems a doddle once you get the way the boxes drop.

Nice to see this gem is holding the forum's attention like Driv3r :)

I'm still struggling doing stage 2 without dying. Need more practice...

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