shmups.system11.org

Demo

April 28th, jp only (thus far)
It says the demo will be "the entire first chapter of the game". Meaning if it's in Japanese, and doesn't include the "score attack" mode (which it probably won't), I won't have a lot of use for it.

Although, there's probably a good chance NISA will put up an English demo as well.

Demo's up now. Found a 言語 (language) setting in the options, it is multilanguage and the opening logos show both Izunagi Games and NIS.

I can confirm it's running on Unity, which means G.rev joins many other esteemed shmup developers in ditching their home-grown technology in favour of popular middleware.

Input latency isn't bad compared with its peers on the same engine, but it's there, and equivalent across PS5 (DualSense) and Switch (handheld mode) it's targeting 60fps (on Switch and PS5) but on Switch there's some stuttering every time alpha effects are on screen. On PS5 it doesn't drop frames.

Overall it certainly doesn't look anywhere near as polished as their last home game (Kokuga). Neither is it as inspired, but I only played the brief first opening sequence shmup section.

The programming just isn't good in general though, showing similar characteristics we see with other poorly programmed Unity titles, mostly with data streaming and load times. On PS5 there's load times to open the backlog during the visual novel segments, which is really quite the achievement as I've never seen anything like that from a visual novel or adventure game, especially on significantly less powerful hardware.

I can confirm it's running on Unity, which means G.rev joins many other esteemed shmup developers in ditching their home-grown technology in favour of popular middleware.

Well to be fair, g.rev was probably forced into that decision since half the game isn't their doing.

But thank you for the heads up! I already pre-ordered, but I'll probably d/l the demo just to squelch some nagging curiosity. Like I said, after playing 13 Sentinels, thus making clear what the whole concept is even supposed to be, I'm not expecting some classic. I know the only reason g.rev is even credited (unlike their other freelance jobs) is to drum up some interest in people like us. Still, as a general fan of their work, there is a curiosity. Even if the expectations aren't the highest.

Hell, in 13 Sentinels all the non-visual novel sections are wireframe with unanimated icons, so at least this isn't that...

EDIT: The demo defaulted to English for me

EDIT #2: So it crashed after I completed the STG section, but I think the demo ended there away. Thoughts

- I played on 'Normal' and I got through all three stages on the first go. It certainly got pretty hairy in a few places, but nothing too tough. Which I believe is 100% the intention. They want to get your heart rate up, but don't want to punish you. Still, if I was to play in score attack (not available in the demo), I'd probably take it up a notch. But as an 'action' section to a vn/point and click adventure, it's perfect.

- I remain a little unclear n the controls. They state 'a' is rapid-fire, while 'b' is single/charge shot. However, both seemed to be operating as rapid, and I had no charge shot (that I could tell). Perhaps the initial ship doesn't have a charge shot?

- Gameplay looks and feels like Strania without the multiple weapon gimmick. Very slick/polished, but perhaps a little bland.

- Some MAJOR slowdown that seems intentional (as it mostly seemed to occur after I took a hit). But it seriously grinds down to seemingly 10fps. I appreciate a little slowdown to help me get my bearings, but not THAT slow.

- Demo's last auto-save is right before the STG stage begins, meaning you can play it over and over. That's the good news. The bad news is, there's a TON of dialog you have to sit through again before the action actually starts

- About that dialog... Story/voice acting/writing is mostly okay. WAY too many "No, I didn't" "Yes, you did" "No, I didn't" circular conversations that go on and on and on (and on) without adding any new information. But thus is the nature of the beast. The biggest problem is actually the villain--who at one point the script describes as "annoying"--and boy, oh boy did the actress take that ball and run with it. Lots of random yelling, use of 'zany' voices (including an oft-used 'baby' voice that's REALLY grating), and other 'kooky' theatrics. Much like, if you took Jim Carry, added the volume of Al Pacino, then made the result a Japanese woman. It's bad. I ended up muting the volume whenever she showed up (which sucked, because the music is actually pretty good)

So... Should you download the demo a grind through like three hours of occasionally really irritating vn/point and click adventure in order to play three stages of a new g.rev STG? I wouldn't recommend it, unless you actually have some interest in the vn portion to begin with. Like I said, it's okay. And the shooter stuff is quality and serves it's purpose within it, but it's really not worth messing with until there's a lot more of it.

EDIT #3: That crash was a happy accident. I played the STG stages again and the demo ended for real I wasn't able to take the difficultly up to "Hell" (which the game warns you about when you initially select) but I did notice this time around there's a ton of conditional waves/attacks

Don't know if this means anything but Famitsu rated this 8/8/8/8 [32/40]

After playing the demo on switch I have to admit that I enjoyed the Visual Novel/Point & Click segments more than I'd expected.
The available Shmup sections (on highest difficulty) were also fun, will definitely get this once it's out. Still undecided if for Switch or PS4 though...

Yeah, I have the physical US version pre-ordered, but after playing the demo, I just went ahead and pre-ordered the jp digital version so I don't have to wait until july. The point and click stuff was entertaining enough, and I thought the STG stuff was really fun and well done, so I want more asap.

Plus, I can always be a collector slimeball when the physical US arrives and not break the shrink-wrap. I've notived g.Rev titles have this tendency to raise in price a bit...

So this was released today, and I guess Ill have to be the one to break the bad news:

There is a STG only 'Score Attack' mode, but it's not unlocked until you finish the first chapter of the vn/point and click adventure (which takes 3-4 hours). And even then, only the first stage (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) and one ship are available. You must finish all seven chapters to unlock all seven stages/ships

That's a big oof, but it's also kind of one I expected, sadly (though I was suspecting it would be more like "finish the VN to unlock Arcade mode," rather than the piecemeal setup they appear to have here). Still planning to pick it up, since I was actually interested in seeing how they merged the VN/point-and-click gameplay with the shmup gameplay, but I can definitely see that decision warding off some folks on here.

I think that’s because the game is mostly on the “point-and-click” part…

That's a big oof, but it's also kind of one I expected, sadly

Personally, it surprised me as they really made it sound in all the pre-release press that there would be a STG mode completely independent of the vn stuff (and made it sound as if STG players wouldn't have to deal with the vn stuff at all)

Plus, the demo fibbed in that when you tried to select the STG only score attack mode, it simply stated it wasn't available in the demo version. When in actuality, it wouldn't be unlocked at that point, regardless if it was the demo or full version.

Only somewhat related aside, I only had to load my demo save to unlock the score attack, as I finished the first chapter of vn in the demo. So I played through the one stage available to me in score attack, and I cleared the stage in a very unremarkable fashion. Yet, I still ranked in the top ten on the leaderboard (much to my surprise). I'm guessing there aren't too many shmup headz tearing through the vn...

So how long does the main game take if it’s seven chapters? Hours? Days?

So how long does the main game take if it’s seven chapters? Hours? Days?

I'll find out, I suppose...

I mean, completion of the first chapter took four hours. However, that included a ton of preamble. So, I'm guessing the following chapters won't be as lengthy.

Personally, I'm going to play it as a commuter game, as it will compromise the age old bus dilemma of whether to read or whether to play a game (plus, any bumps, shakes, and/or jostles won't fuck anything up). While playing the action sequences docked. So if you're looking for a speedy answer to your question, you'd be better off looking elsewhere.

Well, considering it's supposed to be more of an adventure game as opposed to a shoot 'em up, I suppose it'll take me a while to finish this.

Do you know if all difficulties are available once score attack is unlocked?

Do you know if all difficulties are available once score attack is unlocked?

They are.
Also, I noticed that after score attack is unlocked, new chapter's stages/ships become available as soon as you begin the chapter, not upon completion (I'm guessing so you can practice the stage's STG section outside of the main game)

I really, really wanted to like this game, but it's makin' me truly miserable.

Sniffles has already done a good job summing up a lot of the problems, but I'll reiterate.

Everything on the 'virtual novel' side of things is dismal. Mashed potatoes are more psychologically interesting than these characters. And, for your sake, I hope you still struggle with addition and subtraction - because testing your basic math skills is the game's idea of a compelling puzzle.

The shooting can be fun, but each segment is interrupted multiple times by incredibly inane, unwelcome quiz-show-style questionnaires. And God forbid you fail an STG sequence, you have to start from the very beginning, and sit through all the dialogue and oh-boy-so-fun quizzes again.

I don't think I can physically bring myself to unlock all the STG stages and characters.

I concur, shit is incredibly rough.
The worst part is, they seem to know how tedious and repetitive it is, and how badly you want to skip through it because--as mentioned--they quiz you on it!

I know it probably won't do anything, but I shot a quick e-mail to Izanagi (and CCed NIS), asking them to reconsider the unlocking qualifiers for the Score Attack mode for the western release, as it really won't do anything but irritate the fanbase they hoped to attract by touting g.rev's work, and ultimately lessen sales (NIS already responded and said it was up to Izanagi, which I pretty much figured). So MAYBE they'll see the light in the next month or so...

But until then, the only thing that gives me any hope is that there seems to be seven stages but only five teams (four if you exclude the joke team). So I'm hoping the last couple rounds will do SOMETHING to break the repetition (and hopefully do whatever that is swiftly. Both of which I doubt...)

The demo for this is now available in the US; I had a go at it on PS4 and, while I'm not exactly a connoisseur, to me it felt particularly cheap, as the VN sections tended to lag and stutter while scrolling through dialogue. Only played the intro shmup section, so I can't pass much judgement on those parts (and score attack is unavailable in the demo), but it decidedly didn't hook me enough to bother with the rest of the game to expand my opinion. Too bad, as the genre blend is certainly different, but at least at a glance neither side of the equation struck me as particularly compelling.

If I recall, the intro shmup section is only like 30 seconds long, and more of of a "look, you're going to be doing this later. If that scares you, bail now" type thing than even a real level (you can't even replay that part in the score attack section)

The unfortunate part is, the shmup portions are really well done and lot of fun. It just becomes such a slog to unlock any meaningful portion of them (score attack doesn't even chain together the levels you have unlocked, it's either one level, or the entire seven. No in-between)

So currently, it's just making me feel kind of bad for g.rev. While I know it's just one of several sub-contracting gigs they had/have. It's just kind of a bummer to see them put such obvious care into their work, only to have it buried.

Anyway, as stated, I am enjoying replaying the levels via the score attack. So, I'll continue the grim march, albeit slowly. Sorry, I haven't been able to offer more than "really well done and lot of fun". But, I've been looking at snapshots rather than any sort of big picture. And unfortunately, that picture's going to take awhile.

The shmup parts seem legit, but the VN parts are fucking abysmal
If they just released a button combination to unlock the shmup levels for score attack I’d buy the game
But… this shit is torture.

I appreciate them working a decent shmup into another genre and trying something new
Maybe in an attempt to keep shmups relevant?
But not like this… not like this.

So, not only is it like Danganronpa or Zero Escape, it's also like Deadman Wonderland or The Running Man, is it not?

sounds like it's only worth playing if you decently like playing VNs? if the story is less tolerable than the first danganronpa I don't know if I could do it, I'm not expecting anything as entertaining as zero escape either

So I believe I've unlocked all the ships (unless the joke contestants do get a secret ship), and the corresponding four stages. There's still three more chapters to go, so I really have no idea what they consist of (the games makes you unlock all seven chapters before allowing you to play the 'full' score attack). I can guess it will probably be some sort of boss rush.

As for the "is the vn better or words than 'x' or 'y'?" questions. I can't really say, as the only other vn I've played is 13 Sentinels, and this is definitely worse than that. But then again, 13 Sentinels seems to be pretty atypical. Yurukill is very repetitive (every chapter cycles through exactly the same story beats), drawn out (character engage in the same circular augments over and over without adding any new information), simplistic (I'm not one who tries to outguess the plot twists, but it's very hard not to see these coming. Especially, since they happen at exactly the same point as in the chapter before), and generally overwrought and melodramatic. None are the jokes very funny either. Those last two points are exacerbated by the fact that the voice actors seem to be directed to go as over-the-top as possible, at all times.

Now--with all that said--I was talking to my friend who lives in Tokyo and is much more familiar with the vn genre than I, and he said the above could apply to pretty much 95% of the vn titles currently on the market. So there's that.

As I stated earlier, when it comes down to it, the game's biggest sin is the fact it seems to know how tedious it all is, so it quizzes you on the story minutia in order to progress, making it very hard to just skip through everything. Like it believes if it forces you to pay attention, it will eventually win you over. When all it really does is make you hate it more because it then seems cruel on top of everything else.

*sigh*

But for the good shit. g.rev did a good fucking job, considering. Everything has the detailed graphics and cinematic lighting they're known for at this point. The ship designs are varied in both their look (and it's cool they try to reflect the character who's piloting them. The CEO's son has a ship that's sleek and almost gothic, while the pop star's is pink with retro-chic curves), and their firepower. I played all four levels on "normal" and "hell" difficulties, and they do their job. "Normal" gives a good heart rate booster to your average vn player, while "hell" is for people who actually play shooters. Both have plenty of conditionals to not let things get too boring or punishing, and the levels get tougher sequentially. Stage 4 is pretty goddamn legit even on "normal".

Bosses run the gamut from big strange ships, to big strange robots, to big strange... eyeball monsters? Unfortunately, popcorns don't vary a whole lot, and I wish there was more of them. It sometimes feels too in a hurry to get back to the big strange boss. But I guess I understand, I'm playing the sideshow, even if it's the whole show for me.

Anyway, while the game calls "B" the "charge shot" it's not. It freezes any moving shot (either reactive or auto) in place. You also move much slower while using it. The ships are:

Stage One: Pretty standard. You can play the demo for 30 seconds if you want to see

Stage Two: Option that moves opposite of you (ala Rolling Gunner) g.Rev is nice enough to give you one of their patented 'maze' stages so you can play with this one

Stage Three: Two side shots that auto-swing in-and-out about 45 degrees like a sprinkler

Stage Four: Four options that move opposite of you but only on the X axis (no in front or behind) So you can concentrate fire, or go s u p e r w i d e (ala Shooter 1up). g.Rev is nice enough to give you one of their patented 'speeding down narrow tunnels' stages so you can play with this one

Okay, I'm sick of typing but I'll answer whatever questions if I know the awnser

Update!
(because I know you all won't be able to sleep without knowing everything )

Stage 5 is probably the nuttiest thus far. g.Rev indulges their love of train levels three-fold. Many mid-bosses and lots of pin-point dodging. And finally !!

Two thumbs up!

Note: I finally have discovered the right shoulder button auto-advances the dialogue. I can now get through vn parts while eating, and can now blow through portions while having lunch. Will this speed things along? Probably.

You're a true soldier for seeing all this out.

I'm sensing feint signs of enjoyment - is it getting better?

Shit, no!
I mean, the shooter segments are getting harder and fucking crazier, but those were always good, they're just getting really good.
The rest is the same, however. THANKFULLY, I discovered the right shoulder button thing, so they're at least not as painful. I can just have it running while I do something else, and I don't have to press 'A' every 15 seconds (although the Switch's display often goes to sleep because it's going so long without an input). But content-wise, it's just as tedious as ever.

I played the demo for 1.5 hours. Either my tolerance for VNs has gone down (played Chaos;Head in 2012, 999 in 2013, Steins;Gate 0 in 2017, and a bit of Zero Escape and Chaos;Child during that time), or this intro just sucks. I'm so bored, and can't stand the premise, dialogue, or the characters.

This game is a hard pass unless they ever update the game to fully unlock the G.rev levels from the beginning). I played with R1 auto advance on the whole time, even played around with O to skip. VN part just sucks.

As stated, that's entirely up to Izanagi. Meaning it will probably never happen ("hey, let's create a way for people to skip everything that we did, and only play the stuff made by the sub-contractor")

Okay, back with stage 6!

And we've reached the corner cutting section of the program with a 'greatest hits' stage. All three sections have the same unscrolling background and three you've faced before. But hey! The background music has vocals now!

Anyway, the old bosses do have some new attacks, most of which are balls hard. Yes, this is the first stage your humble play-tester could not best on his first go at 'Normal' (I even got all three extra lives for the first time!). The final boss in it's final form took the last of my lives with about 20% health remaining* (and I still ranked in the top ten!). So I've yet to even attempt it on 'Hell'

I hang my head in shame. But I'll be back, Yurukill! (how else will I finally be able to unlock stage seven and finally be able to stop doing this??)

Hear that?



I'M FUCKING COMING FOR YOU, BINKO!!!

*Update: Apply that sentence to my next five attempts. Keep washing up at pretty much the same point every time. Part of the problem is the 6.2 boss is so goddamn easy, the 6.3 boss is going all fucking out. And by the time the conditional attacks drop in intensity, I have like one life left. So I'm at that old conundrum, do I sacrifice a couple lives to the 6.2 boss in hoping it helps me in long run by lowering rank? Or keep all my precious lives and try to 'get gud'?

Thanks sniffles for all the write-ups! I actually really need a brainless lunch-time game right now, so I'm low-key excited to have this coming in next week. I feel fairly dumb paying so much for it. It's releasing at $50 USD, but I suppose they know their audience is super limited so they may as well milk who they can while they can.

I feel fairly dumb paying so much for it. It's releasing at $50 USD

Well--if it makes you feel any better--you can take comfort in the fact that I was dumb enough to spend $60 for it due to the yen conversion.