Xbox 360: Akai Katana Shin (May 2011)

[evil_ash_xero]

Well, for me...I think the game look and sound really cool. Obviously that's not it. The Shin attacks, are really interesting, and never gets old. The dueling with the bosses, is quite awesome too.

But for me, the Shin Katana attacks kind of make the game. So, you'd really need to get a handle on that part, to start enjoying it (or not).

I think the backgrounds and art are nice. I guess it matters what you like.

[Squire Grooktook]

Yeah, I've heard some people say those attacks are really visceral, which is always nice. I get the same feeling from a lot of other shmup attacks though (Doj's hypers, Recca bomb, Dangun's B Bomb, lots of stuff in Alltynex Second, etc.)

[mamboFoxtrot]

Warning: noob opinions incoming

Yeah, AK is a game where the scoring system really defines the whole game. The Phantom is maybe too useful when used purely for survival purposes (scoring or not, mini-bosses might as well not even exist), but honestly the process of scoring is so enjoyable to me that I haven't been able to bring myself to just cheese the game out. I've literally started runs thinking "let's just use the Phantom to sponge hits and quick-kill mini-bosses" and within a few minutes I'm back to scraping death's buttcheeks to save my Phantom energy/Orbs for good scoring spots, flooding the screen with revenge bullets, and then dying and asking myself wtf happened to my original plan lol.

If you like being rewarded for getting close to enemies, you'll probably like the system, as accruing energy (and orbs in Slash mode) is based on proximity, except for the odd case where you'll want to let an enemy live so it shoots lasers at you (the lasers turn into energy/orbs/gold depending on what you kill it with). Type-2 in Slash mode specifically has a weird thing of getting behind enemies to use the back of your shot for maximum Orbs intake. The other interesting thing to me about the execution of scoring is that small differences in positioning/inputs can make small impacts on your score. AC/Climax mode has you watching your movements to corral bullets to where you want them to be, while Slash has the fine aiming of the katanas (if playing type-2) and the consideration of where to kill enemies so that their revenge bullets are in a good position. It has depth, but isn't as all-or-nothing as some others.

Other than that, I guess I can see feeling the stages and some boss patterns are a bit bland. The bullets are slower than usual, and "It's just a bunch of enemies shooting at you" is a complaint that I've seen and can somewhat agree with, but I still enjoy the stages a lot more than DeathSmiles' and have fun with all the Boss attacks starting with stage 2, but that might be more reliant on me not finding consistent routes or safe-spots.

[BPzeBanshee]

You're not thinking with portals.

Aesthetic is part of the appeal but so is driving several gigantic swords into bosses and having the screen turn into gold.

[Squire Grooktook]

...if you like being rewarded for getting close to enemies, you'll probably like the system...The other interesting thing to me about the execution of scoring is that small differences in positioning/inputs can make small impacts on your score... while Slash has the fine aiming of the katanas (if playing type-2) ...

Thanks, that's the kind of analysis I wanted to see. Will give it another shot with that in mind.

[evil_ash_xero]

Deleted for redundancy.

[Jonst]

^ the orbs do cause damage when you fire them out... And you want them to hit as much stuff as possible, they rebound back to you and form the katanas. You can also continue to build up the katanas by using your focus shot held down while in ninja mode...

[Squire Grooktook]

I hope you didn't know all that, and I hope it didn't sound moronic. I'm still figuring the game out, myself. If anyone has some other points, feel free to jump in. I would love to know more about scoring.

It sounded fine. I did know the gist of it already, though.

[evil_ash_xero]

I hope you didn't know all that, and I hope it didn't sound moronic. I'm still figuring the game out, myself. If anyone has some other points, feel free to jump in. I would love to know more about scoring.

It sounded fine. I did know the gist of it already, though.

Oh OK, I'll probably delete that then.

I'll leave it up for a while, just in case there is something you didn't know about. It's actually a pretty tricky game. I have almost no idea what's going on in Origin and Climax.

[jasoncslaughter]

I've actually been working on a YouTube video for the shin mode, which I just posted here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib5LeXx28kk

It's intended as part review, part intro to the game system (I'm a scrubby player, so there are no advanced techniques here). Basically, I just want more people to play the game.

[evil_ash_xero]

I 1CC'd this game, last night.

Should I feel any pride, or since this is one of the easier CAVE shmups...should I be like "that was nothing". It took me a few weeks to get a game plan to beat it. So, it wasn't all cake.

But if you look at my 1CC list, it's not that impressive.

[waiwainl]

Congrats! Of course you should feel proud. Most don't 1CC it in their lifetime.

[evil_ash_xero]

I just know some folks on here have unbelievable 1CCs. So, I didn't know how good I should feel about it.

[Jonst]

Absolutely you should feel good about it! It's a great game and you worked to clear it! It's not hugely common in the 1cc lists. Stick this in the "I did it!" Thread and pat yourself on the back. (It's harder than death smiles!).

[ATTRACTS]

I 1CC'd this game, last night.

Should I feel any pride, or since this is one of the easier CAVE shmups...should I be like "that was nothing". It took me a few weeks to get a game plan to beat it. So, it wasn't all cake.

But if you look at my 1CC list, it's not that impressive.

Don't be ridiculous. Enjoy your achievement

[emphatic]

1CC:ing is just about applying yourself and having time to do so.

[Stevens]

Absolutely you should feel good about it! It's a great game and you worked to clear it! It's not hugely common in the 1cc lists. Stick this in the "I did it!" Thread and pat yourself on the back. (It's harder than death smiles!).

This. Nice work.

[bcass]

Does anyone know if there's an extra extend hidden anywhere in Shin mode? I'm trying to get the all-clear in this and an additional extend would be supremely useful!

[BulletMagnet]

Seems a re-release is coming this year, though no specific platforms have been officially announced yet.

[Necronom]

Great news! The game really deserves a bigger player base.
Slash arrange never gets old, so satisfying
Let's hope for a steam release!

[To Far Away Times]

Akai Katana Slash is one of the CAVE's best games, IMO, and it has the most visually satisfying scoring mechanic in a shmup. Will gladly double dip.

[Some-Mist]

hell yeah! one of my top 25 games
admittedly most of my time sunk into it was 2011-2014 (played it a tiny bit the last couple years) but this will give me a good opportunity to go back and try and beat my score in the hi score thread

[m.sniffles.esq]

Seems a re-release is coming this year, though no specific platforms have been officially announced yet.

PS4, Xbox One, and Switch on 12/15