Deathsmiles 1 AND 2 coming to PS4/Xbone/Switch in 2021

[jehu]

It's out now

If anyone already has this, could you check to see if it's wrapped in Unity? You should be able to on the Switch version by pressing + on the home menu icon, then going to Intellectual Property notices, which will display all third party middleware used in developing the game.

Just curious because it's another multiplatform release, making Unity more likely in this day and age, and that will probably add some extra latency on top.

Beat me to it. It's in the "zerodiv Engine" according to the IP notices. I really looked quick, but saw no mention of Unity.

[Jonpachi]

It's in the "zerodiv Engine" according to the IP notices.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[harborline765]

Thanks for checking!

Not sure if this is a case of 'pick your poison' given ZeroDiv's work on the Psikyo games but it would be perhaps unfair to draw conclusions now given those ports were three years ago. I'm cautiously optimistic, especially considering the pair of games were announced in September 2020, so ZeroDiv may not have been spread so thinly here.

[harborline765]

Doesn't look like scanlines or CRT filters are part of this collection, which is a shame.

Here's the display options screen (timeskip)
https://youtu.be/UtcMKBU1hCA?t=1380

[jehu]

Doesn't look like scanlines or CRT filters are part of this collection, which is a shame.

Here's the display options screen (timeskip)
https://youtu.be/UtcMKBU1hCA?t=1380

Yeah, no - if you're used to the Live Wire ports, that's what's available here. I think that underlying architecture might be why these are playing so well. I'm afraid to make any categorical statements about input lag because I can't test it myself - but I'd be shocked if it's anything higher than 4. Might be less, but I don't have 100% trust in my game sense, so not going to promise anything.

[harborline765]

Doesn't look like scanlines or CRT filters are part of this collection, which is a shame.

Here's the display options screen (timeskip)
https://youtu.be/UtcMKBU1hCA?t=1380

Yeah, no - if you're used to the Live Wire ports, that's what's available here. I think that underlying architecture might be why these are playing so well. I'm afraid to make any categorical statements about input lag because I can't test it myself - but I'd be shocked if it's anything higher than 4. Might be less, but I don't have 100% trust in my game sense, so not going to promise anything.

So it feels as good as the LiveWire ports? That's pretty impressive. Looking forward to getting my physical copy.

[WeedyRainfall]

Super early first impression - doesn't feel laggy

Edit holy shit deathsmiles 2 wtf drugs were they on lolklklklolol

[jehu]

Super early first impression - doesn't feel laggy

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. I want to throw my hands in the air and praise Jezus that these ports came together well, but am worried I'm going to look like a giant fucking idiot when lag tests come back at like 15 frames or something.

[Buffi]

Super early first impression - doesn't feel laggy

Edit holy shit deathsmiles 2 wtf drugs were they on lolklklklolol

What drug has the side effect of making bad games.
Cause its that one.

[brentsg]

So it's not up digitally in Japan? I can only find the DLC.

[jehu]

So it's not up digitally in Japan? I can only find the DLC.

It's up!

[WeedyRainfall]

Super early first impression - doesn't feel laggy

Edit holy shit deathsmiles 2 wtf drugs were they on lolklklklolol

What drug has the side effect of making bad games.
Cause its that one.

Why do you hate christmas

[brentsg]

So it's not up digitally in Japan? I can only find the DLC.

It's up!

Maybe it's region locked? Weird.

If someone could post a web link it would be great.

[jehu]

So it's not up digitally in Japan? I can only find the DLC.

It's up!

Maybe it's region locked? Weird.

If someone could post a web link it would be great.

What platform are you on? If you search by new in whichever store, should be right there.

Also, new DLC OST on DS1 is a keeper I’m happy to report.

[brentsg]

I'm on my Japanese PSN account. From both the web and the console I can only see the DLC. I searched under new.. nothing. I manually searched with various names for the game, publisher, Cave, etc. Nada.

I even tried from a VPN just in case it was regional.

[jehu]

Happily I've had the whole day so far to play this on Switch, and I'm ready to declare it a triumph.

Performance-wise, both Deathsmiles 1 and 2 run wonderfully. If there is a bit of input lag there, I sure am not detecting it - expect the responsiveness of the fantastic LiveWire releases. If you know these games, and know you like them, I'd pick it up without hesitation.

There's also the new DLC content. It's very well done in my opinion. The new character models (only usable in DS1) fit very well into the game. Each have their own familiars and shot-types, and there's been a clear effort to make them distinct from the original DS1 cast. There's also a new OST and an arrange for that OST - and both of them sound great. I'd still give the edge to the original - who can fault Namiki's classic tracks? - but they're a very welcome addition and make the admittedly steep price of admission sting a little less. It's really fantastic to see something meaningfully new added to this package; I would have picked it up anyway, but it's all but essential now if you're a fan of the original.

Super early first impression - doesn't feel laggy

Edit holy shit deathsmiles 2 wtf drugs were they on lolklklklolol

What drug has the side effect of making bad games.
Cause its that one.

Why do you hate christmas

DS2 is bottom-tier for a Cave shooter, but it's just about the best Christmas game ever made, you Santa-hating bigot. You can keep your Christmas Nights into Dreams and your Parasite Eve and your Xmas Lemmings or whatever else you use to fill the holiday-shaped hole in your heart.

But seriously - I found DS2 to be pretty alright coming into it this time with severely downshifted expectations. The jank polygons make it difficult to distinguish aesthetic design decisions from clumsy modeling, but, at its best, the game channels cheap Christmas VHS Claymation Movie vibes and I can get into it. It's far too easy, though, and could use more sophisticated gameplay mechanics - but, for what it is, I do like it. I'll probably go for a clear once a year round this time for as long as I stay interested in STGs.

I'm on my Japanese PSN account. From both the web and the console I can only see the DLC. I searched under new.. nothing. I manually searched with various names for the game, publisher, Cave, etc. Nada.

I even tried from a VPN just in case it was regional.

I have to admit I assumed you were just not looking in the right place, but I went looking and couldn't find it in the JPN PSN store either. Like you said, only the DLC. Tried searching through new releases and tried a whole handful of different search prompts - nothing. I'm not sure what to tell you because I've seen a few PS4 impressions on Twitter already today. Wish I could help, but I don't know what to tell you.

[kog3100_edw]

https://store.playstation.com/en-us/pro ... 0052945049

[WeedyRainfall]

I would be happy to hear opinions from anyone about the dlc ships, i'm on the fence about them

[Jonpachi]

Ok, I'm sold. Ordered a copy! Got it on Switch, as I love a good portable horizontal shmup.

[kibo]

Nothing on the Xbox store !

[NeoStrayCat]

Nothing on the Xbox store !

It's been out on the Xbox store since 4 PM PST. Just Xbox being Xbox taking a while to get newly released stuff up and running. -> https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/ ... d0n6m0qjt2

Other than that, played the Xbox version, works really good, no issues from what I'm seeing. Also, for convenience, I suppose, you can quickly switch between the games if you press either LB/RB (L1/R1) from their respective main menus instead of exiting the game and selecting the other from there. But yeah, at least its also a Christmas miracle that DS2X is finally translated (Not just English, but other languages too.)

[miwa]

Can someone tell me if the final bosses are available in training mode in DS1?
As far as I remember those weren't available in the steam port.

[harborline765]

Some unfavourable impressions about the Deathsmiles II port, apparently it's missing slowdown and it doesn't look as good, graphically, as the original:

https://twitter.com/cavexstg/status/1471282764875907072

Can anyone confirm?

[jehu]

Some unfavourable impressions about the Deathsmiles II port, apparently it's missing slowdown and it doesn't look as good, graphically, as the original:

https://twitter.com/cavexstg/status/1471282764875907072

Can anyone confirm?

Two caveats: I'm on the Switch, not the PS4 - and it's been years since I've played the X360 port, so I'm not comparing with fresh memories of the OG. But...

I really don't see the problem at all - basically blind cleared DS2, got through the end on my second try. A little baffling to me that the complaint is the lack of slowdown (presumably on XII mode, based on the tweet) given in this port you can make the whole game chug for huge stretches of time when you're playing with the blue, spermy bullets. If this is substantially "harder than the original" then it's probably good it got a little harder, because even in this variant the game hardly puts up a fight.

I'm going to need someone to point to some concrete differences because rn it feels like a whole lot of whining.

[Buffi]

Some unfavourable impressions about the Deathsmiles II port, apparently it's missing slowdown and it doesn't look as good, graphically, as the original:

https://twitter.com/cavexstg/status/1471282764875907072

Can anyone confirm?

Two caveats: I'm on the Switch, not the PS4 - and it's been years since I've played the X360 port, so I'm not comparing with fresh memories of the OG. But...

I really don't see the problem at all - basically blind cleared DS2, got through the end on my second try. A little baffling to me that the complaint is the lack of slowdown (presumably on XII mode, based on the tweet) given in this port you can make the whole game chug for huge stretches of time when you're playing with the blue, spermy bullets. If this is substantially "harder than the original" then it's probably good it got a little harder, because even in this variant the game hardly puts up a fight.

I'm going to need someone to point to some concrete differences because rn it feels like a whole lot of whining.

This thread has some info.
http://cave-stg.com/forum/index.php?topic=1808.0

Sounds like MBL port is better than older ports though which is cool!

Regarding difficulty, DS2 has always been a crazy easy game so that's not going to change with slowdown changes really.

[jehu]

Some unfavourable impressions about the Deathsmiles II port, apparently it's missing slowdown and it doesn't look as good, graphically, as the original:

https://twitter.com/cavexstg/status/1471282764875907072

Can anyone confirm?

Two caveats: I'm on the Switch, not the PS4 - and it's been years since I've played the X360 port, so I'm not comparing with fresh memories of the OG. But...

I really don't see the problem at all - basically blind cleared DS2, got through the end on my second try. A little baffling to me that the complaint is the lack of slowdown (presumably on XII mode, based on the tweet) given in this port you can make the whole game chug for huge stretches of time when you're playing with the blue, spermy bullets. If this is substantially "harder than the original" then it's probably good it got a little harder, because even in this variant the game hardly puts up a fight.

I'm going to need someone to point to some concrete differences because rn it feels like a whole lot of whining.

This thread has some info.
http://cave-stg.com/forum/index.php?topic=1808.0

Sounds like MBL port is better than older ports though which is cool!

Regarding difficulty, DS2 has always been a crazy easy game so that's not going to change with slowdown changes really.

Interesting. Really does seem like it might be a PS4 port issue specifically. Like I said, on Switch you can really get it to chug - feels like how I remember it. And looks like how I remember, too. I wonder if the higher resolution is just bringing more attention to the already-existing visual shortcomings.

EDIT: Apparently they're aware of a few bugs and are committed to fixing them. I think they're hyper-aware of the reputation they've built up after Cotton and Psikyo, so it's good to see them being proactive about this: https://city-connection.co.jp/deathsmil ... 0211216002

[harborline765]

Seems like Switch was probably the lead format with this release given the number of issues with the PS4 version (you can't get it the display size setting above 134% for instance).

I'm curious though, maybe the slowdown in Deathsmiles II wasn't actually intentionally programmed and just a symptom of hardware load? If the slowdown on Switch is identical to the original versions (assuming 360 was accurate to arcade to begin with) then we're all good.

Regarding DSII looking like ass (at least on PS4) compared to 360, I wonder what that means. Is it just a symptom of the fairly low quality 3D assets and texture being rendered in a resolution they weren't designed for? At 1080p and definitely at 4K it's just going to be a mass of low poly models and blurry textures. Or is it missing graphical effects that make it look flat and ugly?

[Udderdude]

I'm curious though, maybe the slowdown in Deathsmiles II wasn't actually intentionally programmed and just a symptom of hardware load?

https://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=924
https://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Radeo ... 591.0.html

I really doubt that.

[Sumez]

I'm curious though, maybe the slowdown in Deathsmiles II wasn't actually intentionally programmed and just a symptom of hardware load? If the slowdown on Switch is identical to the original versions (assuming 360 was accurate to arcade to begin with) then we're all good.

Slowdown is never (rarely) programmed in, but when a game does have slowdown, the devs and testers will play the game with that slowdown, and as such the game is designed and balanced around the slowdown being there. For highly competitive games it can make quite a difference.

There are definitely also a few occasions where devs and players disagree on whether the slowdown is "supposed" to be there. It caused quite a debacle when DeathSmiles 1 was first ported to X360, only for Cave to patch the slowdown in later based on player feedback/outrage.

In the case of DS2 I'll agree that game probably doesn't suffer from losing slowdown.

[lovecraft]

Two caveats: I'm on the Switch, not the PS4 - and it's been years since I've played the X360 port, so I'm not comparing with fresh memories of the OG. But...

I really don't see the problem at all - basically blind cleared DS2, got through the end on my second try. A little baffling to me that the complaint is the lack of slowdown (presumably on XII mode, based on the tweet) given in this port you can make the whole game chug for huge stretches of time when you're playing with the blue, spermy bullets. If this is substantially "harder than the original" then it's probably good it got a little harder, because even in this variant the game hardly puts up a fight.

Good news, finally ! I was disappointed by the Cotton Saturn Tribute, but this release appears to be pretty solid, can't wait to receive my copy from Play-Asia.
BTW, I can understand this idea may seem unacceptable to some purists, but is it possible to stretch the image of DS1 to have the game full screen on a 16: 9 TV ?
So there is no scanlines filter, is that confirmed ?