Vasara Collection (NSW, PS4, XB1, PSV, PC)

[Klatrymadon]

You can use the original 2-button/auto-Vasara set-up if you prefer. It's in the big list of toggle options in-game, IIRC.

I think I've figured out how to have fun with Timeless mode, now. Choose a character from the sequel, then use your Vasara attack as often as possible, preferably on major targets so that you can immediately recharge your gauge on the blue crystals and use it again. The game is still messy as hell, but a bit of knockabout fun as opposed to a dull slog.

[zakk]

Trying out the steam version, and something I noticed right away in Vasara 1 (This does not apply to Vasara 2):

The arcade pcb uses 2 buttons: shot and bomb. Holding shot uses a melee attack, and if your gauge is full, it automatically uses the Vasara attack the next time you melee.

The steam version uses 3 buttons: shot, bomb, and Vasara attack (I won't count rapid fire as an extra button). If your gauge is full, you can still use the regular melee attack without being forced to use the Vasara attack, saving it for when you really want to use it.

Very interesting change. Unless there's a different version of the Vasara 1 pcb I haven't seen, or perhaps a dip switch setting I don't know about.

btw the default button layout is really stupid. I hope we get a patch soon with a button config.

They really took the easier way with the button config. If you're using a controller set it up as a steam controller and then right-click the game and configure steam controller profiles for it. They shipped steam controller profiles with the game; there you can configure buttons for vasara/timeless/menu. So you CAN remap buttons, just not in-game.

[CStarFlare]

I'd be happy with an arrange that eliminates the endless boss milking in Vasara 1. From my personal play I don't think they ever time out.

Good/bad news - that's just the main game.

This is not true anymore. All bosses will time out.
The only boss that didn't had a time out was the Final Boss, but it has been fixed in the VASARA Collection edition.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1085630/ ... 507217135/

I'm not sure which bosses did not time out but whichever ones they were (your post indicates none of them did, he says only the last boss did)*, they do now. Between this and the button changes it seems like the port of Vasara 1 warrants its own scoreboard.

*edit: score thread mentions milking bosses so I'm guessing the dev poster is incorrect here.

[Jeneki]

Back in the day, the boss I tested for timeout was the helmet tank. I suppose I'd be easy enough check again if I really felt the need to do a deeper test. Honestly I think boss timeouts are a positive change.

[evil_ash_xero]

This is available for download?

EDIT: Yes it is.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

The steam version uses 3 buttons: shot, bomb, and Vasara attack (I won't count rapid fire as an extra button). If your gauge is full, you can still use the regular melee attack without being forced to use the Vasara attack, saving it for when you really want to use it.

I like this. It's akin to a more modern 4 button Shot/Laser/Bomb/Hyper system found in later CAVE games.

The lack of custom controls is disappointing though. So many XB360 ports came out with detailed control mapping options such as Raiden Fighters Aces, Ikaruga, etc, it's disappointing to see a game without it. Even From Software now allows full control remapping on Sekiro, having learned from their Dark Souls days (where if I recall you couldn't remap controls). Releasing a game without control mapping options nowadays is just wrong.

Thankfully this should be relatively easy to implement in a patch, just a matter of if they do or not.

[Ddshot]

Is there no Tate mode then??


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[Klatrymadon]

Yeah, you can choose left or right rotation after selecting "Vasara Classics" from the main menu.

I kinda feel like the two button layouts for Vasara 1 should have separate scoreboards (in-game, not here); having your "vasara attack" set to its own button dramatically alters your scoring opportunities, since you can carry on using normal melee attacks (themselves very lucrative when used properly) while banking the big one for the right moment.

[scrilla4rella]

how's the emulation quality on this? any lag?

[Austin]

I grabbed the Steam version on sale yesterday and put a couple of hours into the first game on it (still need to try Part 2). Definitely an enjoyable game with that melee mechanic. Nice to see it so affordable too. I'll probably double-dip for a console version in the coming weeks.

[MathU]

Well shooting fans what's the verdict: did they cripple it with Steam DRM or is it actually worthy of being called a "PC port"?

[GFoyle]

Got the Switch version and tried it for like 10 mins, only the original games.

- Feels like there is input lag, but not sure it matters much as the ships move really slow in these games. I'm going to get the PS4 version at later date so it's going to be interesting to compare those a bit and see if there is difference or how much it matters for not so skilled player like me...
- No training mode, stage select, save point support. Only original arcade experience, which mean that practice is same as starting from beginning + using continues.

oh, yeah, no button re-mapping either.

I don't know, outside the new mode, it feels even more bare bones than the Zerodiv Psikyo stuff. I kinda feel disappointed that the effort went to the new mode and none of those quality of life improvements were added to the original games. Wasted opportunity from my perspective.

Oh well, I guess I get some fun out of this as I did from the Zerodiv stuff and it's okay for the price. It's just very very far from what M2 does as an example in terms of features and even the Hamster releases have better support (at least those have that one interruption point, which you can use for practicing + better configuration options).

[Ghegs]

Gave it a whirl as well, on Switch - yeah, it is a bit barebones. At least give us button configuration, c'mon. I too felt a touch of input lag in the original games...not a huge lag, but right this side of noticeable. However, I didn't feel it in the new Timeless mode, so maybe the problem is just in the emulator and it can be patched?

Regarding having the separate button Vasara attack in the first game - you can change it to the original way in the game options (press - while playing), but it defaults to the new way. And it looks like the online leaderboards aren't separated by how the player has it set, so that kind of breaks the first game. Second game is unaffected, of course.

[GFoyle]

The lack of button remapping is annoying as hell, I don't get anywhere close to my normal fingering when I use arcade stick to play (always when I'm not playing portable). This is so basic thing to implement, pisses me of that it's not done in a game like this.

[RawlingGunnar]

I too felt a touch of input lag in the original games...not a huge lag, but right this side of noticeable. However, I didn't feel it in the new Timeless mode, so maybe the problem is just in the emulator and it can be patched?

There's definitely input lag across the whole Switch version, even the menus. I didn't feel it in the PS4 version.

[Jonpachi]

I too felt a touch of input lag in the original games...not a huge lag, but right this side of noticeable. However, I didn't feel it in the new Timeless mode, so maybe the problem is just in the emulator and it can be patched?

There's definitely input lag across the whole Switch version, even the menus. I didn't feel it in the PS4 version.

Damn. Maybe that's why it was $5...

[BrianC]

The odd thing is that I noticed massive input lag when I first started playing, but after disconnecting the second controller (I had to charge the pro controller and didn't deactivate it right away) and restarting the game, the input lag was lessened.

[Klatrymadon]

You can definitely remap your buttons in the Steam version, in case anyone missed that. If you go to 'Controls' on the options screen you get the usual image explaining the default layout, but an overlay should also pop up a moment later, allowing you set them however you like for each mode.

Well shooting fans what's the verdict: did they cripple it with Steam DRM or is it actually worthy of being called a "PC port"?

I copy/pasted the folder elsewhere and found that Steam had opened up in the background when I ran the exe, so there's deffo DRM, sadly. It also gave a message saying the program had stopped working, which wasn't true, but presumably would be if you tried to stop Steam from kicking in.

Edit: I'd initially said it was DRM-free in error, but found Steam was starting up on the sly.

[GFoyle]

You can definitely remap your buttons in the Steam version, in case anyone missed that. If you go to 'Controls' on the options screen you get the usual image explaining the default layout, but an overlay should also pop up a moment later, allowing you set them however you like for each mode.

That doesn't work in console version, at least no on Switch. You can only see the layouts (which are clearly switch specific pics in this version) and there is no way to change those, no overlay coming later or anything. I just double checked.

[GFoyle]

The odd thing is that I noticed massive input lag when I first started playing, but after disconnecting the second controller (I had to charge the pro controller and didn't deactivate it right away) and restarting the game, the input lag was lessened.

I'm noticing much less now too (playing docked now, with arcade stick). Maybe there was some bug or something. I think it works now just fine, no problematic input lag from my perspective at least.

[BrianC]

I bought the PS4 version (I used My Nintendo coins to purchase the Switch version) and I noticed the intro runs much smoother, no lag in the menus, and the game seems to run in 1080p (Switch version still looks blurry, even in "sharp" mode, which isn't the case with PS4). Switch version definitely has some lag in the menus, but I'm not 100% sure if it extends to the game.

[RawlingGunnar]

Switch version definitely has some lag in the menus, but I'm not 100% sure if it extends to the game.

It does. I play my Switch almost exclusively on a 1ms monitor and it's deluxe noticeable.

[seiatsu]

I haven't played vasara before now but for $5 (not to mention my general interest in the game that I have since forgotten about) it was a no brainier. Does anyone have any input in terms of mechanics/scoring? Do we mainly want to use melee as much as possible and just pick up medals when they flash?

While playing vasara 2, using regular shot feels kind of slow to kill early on (not to mention the slow ship speed). Also, is there any detriment to using the vasara attack?


As a side note, it'd be nice if the second game gave more info about the character / shot type / hit box like the first game does.

[MathU]

I copy/pasted the folder elsewhere and found that Steam had opened up in the background when I ran the exe, so there's deffo DRM, sadly. It also gave a message saying the program had stopped working, which wasn't true, but presumably would be if you tried to stop Steam from kicking in.

Thanks for checking. Another disappointment, I've always been a fan of these games. Looks like MAME will continue to provide the superior experience.

[zakk]

You can definitely remap your buttons in the Steam version, in case anyone missed that. If you go to 'Controls' on the options screen you get the usual image explaining the default layout, but an overlay should also pop up a moment later, allowing you set them however you like for each mode.

That's just the steam controller setup screen. It doesn't always show up either, I think it requires the controller to be setup in steam. I know with at least one of my sticks it never pops up and I have to go into steam and manually do it.

Either way, it's not really 'in game' rebinding, it's still just relying on Steam's controller functionality to get away with not putting it in as a feature in the game. Sounds like console users are extra screwed here. At least on the PS4 the system will let you reassign buttons arbitrarily. I can't remember if it has per-game profiles, though.

[ali_ihsan21]

Hi all, this is my first post to this forum, I dont want to complain in the first post and also I must say having the game is better than nothing when you think about Vita's support crawling for years.

But still whats this for God's sake? There is no save system, scoreboard and why lack HD graphics? Sky Force have superb graphics.

I know nothing will change but Unity engine have amazing games on Vita and device deserve much more than also price isnt that much different from Switch version just one dollar cheaper.

[BrianC]

Switch version definitely has some lag in the menus, but I'm not 100% sure if it extends to the game.

It does. I play my Switch almost exclusively on a 1ms monitor and it's deluxe noticeable.

It definitely seems to have less lag in handheld mode, though. I'm under the impression that the switch version was rushed. The screen settings have to be reapplied after exiting the game, though the last used settings still show in the menu. This doesn't occur with the PS4 version.

[ali_ihsan21]

Switch version definitely has some lag in the menus, but I'm not 100% sure if it extends to the game.

It does. I play my Switch almost exclusively on a 1ms monitor and it's deluxe noticeable.

It definitely seems to have less lag in handheld mode, though. I'm under the impression that the switch version was rushed. The screen settings have to be reapplied after exiting the game, though the last used settings still show in the menu. This doesn't occur with the PS4 version. Not thrilled that the game uses Unity either.

I was worrying that I have to pass tate mode each time when I quit game since there isnt a save this means it has nothing with the lack of save system on Vita. Maybe they will fix after a patch.

[MachineAres 1CC]

No one has mentioned it yet, but uh...the Vita version doesn't even have the new Timeless mode/game in it at all, it's just the 2 old games together in a package. I guess maybe that's why it's only $7.99 or whatever, but the new mode is nonexistent, the main screen after the push start screen is just to select whether you want to play Vasara 1 or 2.

Good thing is that it DOES have TATE and it works great and auto-rotates the controls for you to play that way as well. So, pluses and minuses, I suppose, but buyer beware for those buying the Vita version and expecting the new mode to be there, you might get burned.

Also picked it up on Xbox as well, and the whole collection just kinda reminds me of why I could never really get into this series much on my previous attempts many years ago. I don't really care for the movement, shot systems, bullet patterns, art style, music/sound, or...much of anything else. Figured I would give it another try since this release is so cheap, but I'm already feeling some buyer's remorse. Oh well.

[BrianC]

No fancy intro or filter soft/sharp options for the Vita either. I initially made a negative comment about Unity, but Cuphead uses Unity and runs well on Switch.