New Neo-Geo shmup -- Last Hope [also for DC]

[ROBOTRON]

What I'd like to ask the developers....can they beat it easily?

I would say no.

I noticed the video released showing the first three stages (YouTube) was done with some type of programmers invincibility code. If you watch it closely, the ship passes through objects, lasers, etc. That tells me they could not make a skilled video to show people their product.

Me and Boagman played it together last night and I don't think he was impressed (although I cannot speak for him). I've changed my opinion a couple times after playing it awhile, giving it an 8/10.

[Jeffrey]

Played it for the first time tonight, for about an hour. Didn't make it past the entire first level, but I will give my impressions.

I liked it. It is an unforgiving checkpoint hori shooter with dark and claustrophobic music. One needs to play very precisely from the beginning to have much of a chance later on (get all the powerups, or there are too many enemies to clear, it is old-school in that a dying ship doesn't leave all its powerups for you to pick up right away). I didn't feel that the deaths were cheap - yes, sometimes enemies come from behind and you can get trapped by bullets above and a wall in front of you that you can't escape, but what that means on repeat plays is that you need to steer very precisely and kill enemies in a certain order to have a better chance. I like this sort of difficulty and problem solving how to get past each obstacle next time. Also, the enemy ships and bullets have a good AI program and change their patterns based on where your ship is. You can't get lazy.

There are clear allusions to R-type and Pulstar, but the mood on this one seemed even darker and hopeless. The bad guys outnumber you, and you can't forget it and are always taking evasive action due to the enemy AI. But if you liked those games you will also like this one. Is it essential? I haven't played enough levels to tell. But it certainly seems like it is in the top half of Dreamcast games.

[Ceph]

So, it's been close to 4 weeks since they took my money and I still don't have it. At least they could have waited with charging the payment until the game was ready to be shipped...

[Tigershark]

I liked this game (see above) but havn't played it since the first hour try out and since G.Darius arrived for the PSX. That tells it's own story me thinks.

[RHE]

Do they themselves find the game difficult, can they beat it easily?

Beating this beast is always challenging. Even for us who created it and gained over a few years of Last Hope playing experience. But as long there's space for improving there's no reason for stop playing it. Dreamcast mode is pretty easy to us besides the boss enemies which are as difficult as on arcade mode or NEO·GEO.

We also have none issues with distinguishing beetwen bullets and explosions or see this as a sticking point. Almost every single enemy in the game shoots its bullets directly to the player's ship position. So you can expect the bullet's arrival before reaching you and then absorbing it with your satellite.

[Ceph]

And when will the limited edition be shipped? I'd really like to play it, too.

[ROBOTRON]

Do they themselves find the game difficult, can they beat it easily?

Beating this beast is always challenging. Even for us who created it and gained over a few years of Last Hope playing experience. But as long there's space for improving there's no reason for stop playing it. Dreamcast mode is pretty easy to us besides the boss enemies which are as difficult as on arcade mode or NEO·GEO.

We also have none issues with distinguishing beetwen bullets and explosions or see this as a sticking point. Almost every single enemy in the game shoots its bullets directly to the player's ship position. So you can expect the bullet's arrival before reaching you and then absorbing it with your satellite.

Last Hope was created in Germany?

[RHE]

And when will the limited edition be shipped?

Hopefully this or next month but it's depending on the CD pressing factory. There's none exact release date yet but waiting will become worthwhile.

That tells me they could not make a skilled video to show people their product.

That mentioned video were recorded under impossible circumstances. Just try to play a game with 5 frames per seconds to get the idea.

Last Hope was created in Germany?

Made in Germany.

[szycag]

Did you have many people doing game testing, or just doing most of that yourselves?

[ROBOTRON]

Made in Germany.

Awesome...thank you for the product. Make more please?

I thought Import shmup = japanese made product.

I learned much today.

[RHE]

Did you have many people doing game testing, or just doing most of that yourselves?

We did that mostly by ourselves.

[szycag]

I put up a review of the game in the reviews section.

[ROBOTRON]

I put up a review of the game in the reviews section.

lol...not very flattering.

I gave the game an 8...funny thing though, I agree with many of your observations, however...I'd rather play Last Hope than most Cave "million bullet" shooters for example, which I find just as frustrating and non-rewarding as you found Last Hope. At least this game has good music to boot...most Cave games do not (In my opinion, no disrespect). Music is a very important factor in a shmup (to me).

I realize what I've just said is blasphemy to most shmup fans here, my apologies. Irem, Konami, Technosoft and Compile shmups are more to my liking...I like very few Cave/Psyko shmups. I've recently enjoyed some Treasure, Raizing and G-Rev shmups too.

To each his own.

[RHE]

I put up a review of the game in the reviews section.

Which level did you reach?

[HeLGeN-X]

That's one heck of a nice looking game for a homebrew!

[XERO]

i am not the greatest player, but this is one hard shooter and if any codes are out there i could use them....

[szycag]

I've been working on the level 2 boss all afternoon. I got past it once with some blind luck but then the third stage kicked my ass all over. I'd appreciate some tips on him, but I can't imagine it being anything more than, stay in the 15% of the screen that you can't get completely stuck in due to that bastard snake. Or, just let the bullets fall into your option! Which is a nice tip except I'm dodging the six or seven cheap shots coming at me from the snake so, erstwhile, sucking up the frontal fire, it's all overhead now. Cheers!

[system11]

Did you have many people doing game testing, or just doing most of that yourselves?

We did that mostly by ourselves.

It shows.

I love horizontal shmups. I love R-Type style games, and I even love European shmups when done well.

I'm sorry, but Last Hope has a collection of niggles and serious flaws that totally ruin it. Kudos for actually making something and getting it published, but really - next time try to make some demos available to people and get feedback before things are finalised. Here are a few suggestions for next time:

* Controls should be reconfigurable. Nobody in the entire world (probably) actually uses the DC pad - this means the control options meant nothing.

* Not enough contrast between background and foreground - made worse by some non-sprite foreground elements. Some simple palette muting could have gone a long way to fixing this. To put it another way - I can't tell what the fuck is going on under all that clashing detail.

* Shrapnel from destroyed ships is too visible, sometimes resembling bullets.

* Arguably a better way to handle the pod rotation would have been opposite-movement positioning (I think Eco Fighters used that? Have to check), with a lock button. Bingo, you're down to 2 buttons for fire control, and it's more intuitive, despite sounding quite the opposite.

Don't take this as random abuse - it's observations from a paying customer who has been playing this stuff for a looong time.

[Reluctant Hero]

Man, I'm starting to wonder if I should cancel my Play-Asia Last Hope LE order.

I salute the developmet team for porting the game to Dreamcast, but my cash is limited right now and I want to make sure I buy games that I'm going to enjoy playing for years down the road.

Last Hope sounds like it'll be good fun for a while, but soon you'll want to break your controller.

----EDIT----

You know, what the hell? I'll my preorder for the LE. Even if I don't end up finding the game to keep me coming back for more (DoDonPachi on Saturn) years down the road, at least I'll have a piece of gaming history.

Last Hope has to be one of the few Homebrew games that finds some commercial success and may be one of the few games the undead Dreamcast has.

[RHE]

I've been working on the level 2 boss all afternoon.

It's pretty disrespectful to the readers to put up a review of a game without have seen the half of it. This would be a preview and doesn't belong into the review section or should be stated as a preview. Writing any reviews of any games without reaching, at least, the last level is just useless.

It shows.

Game testing includes both alpha and beta. Since the alpha phase is much longer, it's completely natural that developers testing their game more than other players.

Controls should be reconfigurable.

This is a undying wish by most players but developers know why they don't give them that freedom. Arcade Stick is supported and features the orignal controle sheme which were used during development.

Not enough contrast between background and foreground - made worse by some non-sprite foreground elements.

Japanese developers tend to do that but this is actually a matter of taste and only slightly gameplay relevant. People who can't distinguish beetwen backgrounds and enemies should get rid off their set up.

Shrapnel from destroyed ships is too visible, sometimes resembling bullets.

We already reduced that in the Dreamcast mode to the minimum but it's a part of the enemy concept we won't omit.

Arguably a better way to handle the pod rotation would have been opposite-movement positioning...with a lock button.

A lock button would be useless since you need the pod in a quite active manner to do quick actions. The satallite will become pretty handy if you get used to it.

Last Hope is a tactical and strategical focused game but a little bit rough around the egdes but most games are. Without the right use of strategy you won't survive. Here's a strategy section on this board, unfournutaly none takes care of it concerning Last Hope.

[Ed Oscuro]

Not enough contrast between background and foreground - made worse by some non-sprite foreground elements.

Japanese developers tend to do that but this is actually a matter of taste and only slightly gameplay relevant. People who can't distinguish beetwen backgrounds and enemies should get rid off their set up.

I think most of what you wrote is pretty reasonable, however, I am confused about this. What do you mean? If the game appears roughly the same on all televisions, wouldn't ones eyes be to blame?

[system11]

Controls should be reconfigurable.

This is a undying wish by most players but developers know why they don't give them that freedom. Arcade Stick is supported and features the orignal controle sheme which were used during development.

Tell that to the devs who produced most of the recent PS2 ports. You obviously know something they don't. For the record I have done a little development myself, many years ago - so I'm calling BS on that response.

Not enough contrast between background and foreground - made worse by some non-sprite foreground elements.

Japanese developers tend to do that but this is actually a matter of taste and only slightly gameplay relevant. People who can't distinguish beetwen backgrounds and enemies should get rid off their set up.

Another BS response. There's no setup issue, this is a visibility issue pure and simple, and it has an incredible effect on the gameplay. YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS. You're blind to it however - because you've probably played the game almost every day during development. You're playing it by memory, like a routine. Your customers are not - and as such we /absolutely need/ to be able to see everything that's going on.

Shrapnel from destroyed ships is too visible, sometimes resembling bullets.

We already reduced that in the Dreamcast mode to the minimum but it's a part of the enemy concept we won't omit.

"Despite it being bad we like it, so it's staying"

This is at the core of the problem. I even hear you elected not to fix a typo in the manual for the LE release, because you just didn't want to. People reading this, don't take that as fact, because it's a rumour. It wouldn't actually surprise me however, your responses indicate that you have absolutely no ability to take on board valid complaints and/or suggestions. Until you develop this ability, your future efforts are doomed to failure. This is one of the few places you'll get non suckup comments and candid feedback - learn from it.

The music is brilliant however - very nice.

[szycag]

I should say that I've been playing this game for about eight hours total so far. This is not a "first impression" review. I just can't progress any further than that, and I have other games to play that I find more fun. In the meantime I think there needs to be an opinion out there on this game besides what people have been passing around in the chat rooms. The asking price is very much for a game that I don't feel was properly tested for retail sale.

If anyone on this board has seen the last level, then they should write a review too. Feel free to delete mine when that one goes up. It was never my intent to flame you guys, because you guys are great artists. The look and the sound of the game is great. But the gameplay problems, like you agreed, are rough around the edges, and it falls through the cracks. I'm still interested in further work from this team as well.

[Ceph]

@RHE

You were probably too close to the project to notice the flaws; it's only natural that you can't be completely objective after spending so much time with it.

All the problems that people keep mentioning (bullets being the same color as explosions*, overly sensitve pod control) could easily have been avoided by getting a few beta testers; there are lots of seasoned players on this board who would have been glad to help you.



*Everyone can see it from the videos that the color is a problem. Why didn't you simply make the enemy bullets pink?

[XERO]

as you all cringe in horror....any codes would be appreciated.

[szycag]

Highly doubtful there are any codes in this game, XERO...

[_Bnu]

I'll take this opportunity to do a shameful plug of my upcoming game, Lost Apes. Another unfinished Amiga game, coming soon for Dreamcast!

Here's a screenshot for you to feast your eyes upon:


It will run in 320x256 on a PAL Am... I mean, Dreamcast! Of course!

[pixelcorps]

ouch!!!

[Ed Oscuro]

I'll take this opportunity to do a shameful plug of my upcoming game, Lost Apes. Another unfinished Amiga game, coming soon for Dreamcast!

[snip ]

It will run in 320x256 on a PAL Am... I mean, Dreamcast! Of course!

Moseses' teeth are on fire. He's burning, but the radio is still playing. Everybody's dancing to that tune.

[ROBOTRON]

Here's a screenshot for you to feast your eyes upon:
image

- rawr!