You really need to play Cambria Sword

[Squire Grooktook]

Bought it and gave it a try for about an hour or so.

Not impressed. Too repetitive, slow paced, and unexciting. It reminds me of a Compile shmup, but with all the bad parts of those games multiplied x11, and the charms not nearly as charming.

As much as I want to love the wacky toolbox of unbalanced weapons, the roster isn't as visceral or fun as it should be due to a critical lack of impact/feedback. Sound design is terrible (big impressive looking charge laser that's completely silent, leaving only that awful touhou grazing noise), hitsparks are frequently absent, and the peashooter unwieldiness of many weapons makes them feel more flailingly flacid than empowering.

IMO, I think one is better off just playing MUSHA or Super Aleste instead. The latter is even actually a good game on its hardest setting.

[reckon luck]

^I actually agree with most of these criticisms, which is why I'm looking forward to the dev's next revision of the game, and would love to see the whole thing revamped with an actual production budget.

The flaws aren't stopping me from enjoying the hell out of Cambria Sword, though.

[MachineAres 1CC]

Jesus fuck, what an intro. I've not been so fired up to rescue my friends since The New Zealand Story. edit: or Liquid Kids!

But what about Toilet Kids?

[Ako]

doesn't even have autistic purple cosmetic bullets everywhere so why would I play this

[reckon luck]

I need to say that every time your bro(s) show up is the most stupidly amazing awesome thing... reminds me of Zero in Mega Man X1-3. More shmups need to tell stories like this.

[Shepardus]

doesn't even have autistic purple cosmetic bullets everywhere so why would I play this

If Psikyo-yellow is a good enough substitute, there's Canadia Spinosa

I need to say that every time your bro(s) show up is the most stupidly amazing awesome thing...

I know right? You just have to root for them.

[Herr Schatten]

While the setting is awesone and I really like the over-the-top metal soundtrack, the game is simply too long for me. More than three hours for obe playthrough? No thanks. To me the length of Gradius V already feels like a chore.

[reckon luck]

While the setting is awesone and I really like the over-the-top metal soundtrack, the game is simply too long for me. More than three hours for obe playthrough? No thanks. To me the length of Gradius V already feels like a chore.

Unlock the level select and just play a stage or two at a time. It's what I do!

[KaizaCorp]

Is the stage select unlocked by getting to stage 3, or completing it? I'm pretty sure I've gotten to stage 3 but no unlocks as of yet.

[reckon luck]

Pretty sure I got to stage 4 or 5 before I got the level select screen. When it's unlocked the game starts at the new screen (doesn't go straight into level 1).

Practice mode might be unlocked at the same time - you access it by holding down in the stage 2 selection area as the time runs out.

[Shepardus]

I think I unlocked it by just getting to it. Maybe it requires doing so in one credit? Anyway, here's an empty score file with everything unlocked if you don't want to worry about that.

[reckon luck]

Maybe it requires doing so in one credit?

I doubt that - I burn through continues like the scrub that I am, and I unlocked level select/practice mode before editing my file.

[PerishedFraud ឵឵]

Reviving thread about this great game. I hope the stuff below will help anyone who still plays it. An update is coming soon too, it seems.

Hidden and not-so-obvious stuff and weapon mechanics:

Spoiler

General:

-All bombs give you a few milliseconds of invincibility. Enough to go through a fast bullet or a thin beam.

-Stage 2 boss splits into 4 segments on death. Usually these die easily, but if you let them live, their attacks power up a few times, then they selfdestruct and drop up to four additional 1up/points/bomb orbs. I usually leave two because the final attack cycle is tough with 3 and nigh-impossible with 4.

-In stage 3, when facing off against the two anomalocari, hug the right edge of the screen for a rapid score increase.

-Immediately afterwards, when the top and bottom walls start closing in, shooting the right edge of the screen increases score. I think it has the hug bonus there too. (this might not exist in earlier versions of the game)

-killing "eater" enemies after they collect your life or bomb spawns three orbs.

Primary Weapons:

Primary Weapon 1:
-Collected weapon 1 is not the same as starter weapon 1. It deals more damage and has a better charge attack, but also has the most complex special ability in the game.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-Hold up+left when using the charge attack. Your fired charge shot will have a different animation (no trail) for a while.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-While in this state, releasing the button conjures a damaging aura around you and consumes the charge shot.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-if you start holding the fire button immediately when the aura is conjured, it will eventually be fired at enemies as an orb.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-Sometimes, the orb charges to an additional level and does devastating damage over more of the screen.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-If fired at point-blank, you can have your regular charge attack hit before you summon the orb, performing both.


Primary Weapon 6:
-Just in case you haven't noticed, not shooting when you fire the charge attack has the missile slowly move in instead of splitting. It deals heavy damage on impact and leaves lasting damage in an area. Don't underrestimate its on-hit damage.

Primary Weapon 7:
-The backwards shots don't count for the shot limit. The faster your front shots hit, the faster the weapon's fire rate as a whole.
-Stand still when using the charge attack to send a single, larger thunder forward instead of the regular version.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-Note that the regular backwards one can still hit forwards and is far more damaging.

Primary Weapon 8:
-Using the charge attack immediately as it fills while an existing missile swarm is on the screen does nothing. You can let loose another one near the end of the missiles' spawning, don't have to wait for them to completely run out. Shoot a bit before charging again.

Primary Weapon 9:
-The charge attack orbs fired deal extreme contact damage, more than the effect they leave behind. Try to make them change direction within an enemy's weak point.
-One of the more powerful regular shots in the game, but only the upper/lower attack, not the central shot.

Primary Weapon 10:
-Releasing the fire button while down+left is held does a fireball instead of a wave shot for the charge attack. It deals less damage but hits far easier.

Primary Weapon 12:
-Regular attack orbs deal extreme damage if they move into an enemy before they turn into shots. One of the strongest regular shots in the game, especially if used this way.

Rare Primary Weapon 1:
-Suffers from same issues as weapon 8. You must wait for the minigun to retract before you use another charge attack, lest it does nothing.

Rare Primary Weapon 5:
-The orbs that fly around you for the charge attack actually deal considerable damage.

Rare Primary Weapon 6:
-Same mechanic as regular weapon 6, but the missile can split twice!

Rare Primary Weapon 7
-Hold up+right when you do the charge attack to make it spawn forwards instead of backwards.

Rare Primary Weapon 8:
-At point-blank, this weapon's charge attack is ridiculously powerful. Don't underrestimate it.

Rare Primary Weapon 9:
-Siilar to Weapon 6, the charge attack behaves differently if shot is not held, detonating in an area that seems to reference regular weapon 9's usage in that it's best to position it so it lingers over an enemy.

Rare Primary Weapon 10
-The charge shot, if you weren't aware, hits a certain distance ahead of you with no indicator. It's basically a sniper. Deals more damage the closer enemies are to the center of the shot. The hit only happens if you actually hit an enemy or obstacle.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-The charge shot sometimes deals a critical hit and plays a cooler animation. This does absurd damage.

Rare Primary Weapon 12
-Charge attack fires in the opposite direction of your movement.

Rare Primary Weapon 13:
-Shots do almost no damage unless you hold the fire button.
-Similar to weapon 9's charge attack, try to make them change direction inside an enemy.
-One of the most powerful regular shots in the game.

Blank Primary Weapon - Boxing Glove
-Charge attack can do a critical hit, spawning a bigger glove that does more damage.

Rare Primary Blank Weapon - CRAWs
-Regular shot has four versions. It swaps every time you stop shooting. The fourth is rarest, and spawns one CRAW of each type.
-This weapon's regular shot lingers if you keep holding the button after collecting another weapon or dying. This might be a bug, but it's absolutely broken, especially paired with a good shooter like 9, 12 or rare 13.
-Charge attack can do a critical hit, increasing beam damage and size.

Invisible Primary Weapon
-Hold down+right when you do a charge attack to perform your ultimate move instead of the regular charge attack.


Subweapons:

Subweapon C:
-Don't use this, ever. F is just better.

Subweapon H:
-Mines become orbs that move vertically and along the objects/flooring, dealing heavy damage, if they hit anything.
-Pressing the subweapon button again detonates them into backwards shots.

Subweapon I:
-Don't use this, ever. The bomb provided is still worse than the standard bomb some other subweapons get.

Subweapon K:
-Don't use this unless you need a popcorn clearer. Like I, the bomb isn't worth it. Deals almost no damage.

Subweapon L:
-Can point-blank to rapid fire and thus deal large amounts of damage. Note that the rare version does not have this feature due to how it fires.

Rare Subweapon C:
-Somehow even worse than regular C.

Rare Subweapon D:
-Can spread infinitely if objects or enemies keep contacting each-other. Huge power.

Rare Subweapon E:
-Hold Right when firing to lob the orbs further. Left to make them go up/down more.

Rare Subweapon L:
-Hold left to make shots fire right. Hold right to make shots fire left. Stand still to make them go up/down.

Rare Subweapon M:
-Don't use this. It's absolute shit.

Blank Subweapon - Pulse
-This reflects enemy shots over your blue eyes when tapped. It doesn't let you spam it. Use with caution.

Bombs:

Literal bomb:
-Sometimes performs a better version of itself.
-Best bomb in the game. Clears bullets for ages. Does extreme damage. Better than rare bombs.

Grenade:
-Fires left or right depending on direction held.

Beam:
-Sometimes does nothing. Not sure of circumstances.

Charge Cannon:
-Kills you if overcharged.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-In addition to the stages of damage achieved by regular charging, releasing this weapon right before it would kill you fires out a pixel of doom that moves slowly and deals ridiculous contact damage.

Black Hole:
-Worst bomb.
-Sometimes fires multiple times. Unsure of circumstances (shots on screen?)
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-Might be good if the above mechanic is mastered. Idk.

Missile:
-Stand still and hold the bomb button to eventually call a giant missile from the background.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-This isn't actually worth using save for select bosses, as it can just miss entirely.

Clone:
-Most powerful and versatile bomb in the game, though not the most reliable, so still meh compared to literal bomb.
-Clones absorb enemy shots. Use them as bodyguards.
឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵ ឵឵-I've seen clones spawn powerups and rare weapons on death/retreat. Unsure of conditions.

Simple Tierlist

Spoiler

Best Primary Weapons:
1. Regular 7 - Easy to use, hard to master. Dependable, has utility, hits hard. Better than some rare weapons.
2. Rare 11 - The titular Cambria Sword is one of the better rare weapons, and what it lacks in utility it makes up for in badassery.
3. Rare 4 - Simple and incredibly satisfying to use, and not too flashy. Function over form.
4. Rare 10 - Satisfying regular shot. Incredibly skill-based charged shot that can kill anything. Are you a bad enough dude?
5. Regular 9 - This weapon can handle 90% of all situations in the game, and deals considerable damage.

Primary Weapon Runners-Up:
1. Invisible - You'll play the game 100 times. You'll have this drop once. You won't see it drop.
2. Rare Blank (CRAWs) - I love Thunder Force, but the only truly good thing about this weapon might be a bug.
3. Regular 3 - Best true melee weapon. Kicks ass if you dare use it.

Worst Primary Weapons:
1. Rare 2 - Low damage, a regular shot that only kills popcorn, and a charge shot that does almost nothing.
2. Regular 11 - This weapon requires you to sit right next to an enemy for an extended amount of time. No.
3. Rare 5 - Worse shots than regular 5. Amazing-looking charge shot that makes enemy bullets hard to see and thus kills you.

Best Subweapons:
1. Rare I - Homes in. Deals tons of damage. Beam is a great, albeit generic bomb. Incredibly reliable.
2. Rare A - Mines that deal stupid damage on contact and still shoot the enemy if wasted. Can't go wrong with it. Clone bomb rocks.
3. Rare L - Covers all directions and deals huge damage. Charge cannon bomb is super fun to use.
4. Regular J - Better than melee primary weapons. Covers your flanks and deals absurd damage. Bomb is nothing great though.
5. Rare H - This isn't really a great weapon but it's a drill that penetrates your enemies :] Missile bomb is ok if used normally.

Subweapon Runners-Up:
1. Regular M - Best bomb in the game and a reliable remote-fire weapon.
2. Regular Blank (Pulse) - Let's play Giga Wang
3. Regular L - Strictly worse than Rare L, but still great. Can point-blank for massive damage unlike Rare L.

Worst Subweapons:
1. Rare C - An upgrade that degrades one of the worst subweapons to be even worse, and gives you the worst bomb too.
2. Regular K - Okay, you do get the second-best non-rare bomb, and subweapon looks great. The catch? It deals almost no damage.
3. Rare Blank - It's a strictly worse Rare A that does puny damage? Am I missing something?

[reckon luck]

^great writeup, thanks!

However my understand is the 'update' is just a mini boss rush that will be included with the Pancake Octopus Extra Disc.

[trap15]

Finally got to playing this and man, it's so good. My only real complaint is how many weapons are really only good in specific cases and suck ass in other situations. I can't wait to unlock easy mode so I can see those rare weapons, so far I've only gotten one rare subweapon once (which kicked ass).