Eschatos [+JSS & Cardinal Sins] on Switch and PS4 (Nov 18th)

[DMC]

prophetic - try browsing the "new" category otherwise.

[Firehawke]

I'd be interested in picking this up as I have a flipgrip, but there's really no reason the Switch should struggle with this game at 3:4.

Guess that means I should wait to see if they patch it.

[prophetic]

prophetic - try browsing the "new" category otherwise.

It's not there. BIL is right; it's not out yet.

[harborline765]

I'd be interested in picking this up as I have a flipgrip, but there's really no reason the Switch should struggle with this game at 3:4.

Guess that means I should wait to see if they patch it.

It only happens 0.1% of the time but you’ll notice it when it does happen. Which is early on in the first set of stages, and a few more times in the next group of stages and so on.

I had screen size set to 500% (filling to horizontal width of a Tate Switch) for what it’s worth. I don’t know if that increases rendering but it seems to.

[Emuser]

Thanks, Emuser!

To Far Away Times, no save states. Cardinal sins has trial mode, normal mode, and marathon mode. JS has easy, normal, hard. I guess it is the same as on Steam.

Played my first few runs of JS, and pretty impressed! Seems like fun scoring system, and large variety of enemy attack patterns.

I stand corrected, it's level 20 where leaderboard replays are unlocked. I'm now working on noting what every level unlocks after resetting my save and starting over at level 1 since the Option Level Unlocks don't seem to be listed anywhere.

[Emuser]

I finished noting what unlocks at each Option Level and is listed out here for anyone that is interested in that information:

GD: Eschatos Option Level Unlocks

[DMC]

Thanks for the list! Appreciated. Gives a little extra incentive, these unlockables.

[harborline765]

Noticed this got an update to 1.02. Perhaps they've fixed the rare occasions of stutter when there's a lot of alpha on screen in handheld Tate mode? Would check but I can't lose the suspend I have on my current game.

[Jonpachi]

I keep losing all my save data. Every time I boot the game I have to put in screen and button settings again, and then it even unlocks all the trophies again. Not a big headache, but kinda shitty.

[harborline765]

Just tested the latest patch, the performance drops in handheld mode Tate are still there. Shame as the control response is very crisp.

[CRP]

out next week (13/1) on switch eu shop. glad i waited

[soupbones]

This out on PSN yet? Not seeing it in the US shop.

Is it out in JPN?

[Ms. Tea]

The PS4 version comes out later. It's not out in Japan either.

[steveovig]

This might have been covered somewhere here but what is the best strategy for the two main modes of this game for points? Original mode seems to be that I need to just get the enemies as quickly as possible and not miss any to get my multiplier up, is that correct? Is there a benefit to getting the screen clearing power-ups because it just seems like they take my multiplier down sometimes. I know the manual mentioned the bullets convert to points.

With Advanced mode, I think it's similar, right, except I collect the power-ups this time. Is there any benefit to cancelling bullets in either mode, as well?

[Sturmvogel Prime]

PS4 Release date confirmed for April 7.
That's some good news for those who are looking to complete Qute's shmup catalog on their PlayStation.
https://www.gematsu.com/2022/03/eschato ... es-april-7

[Steven]

Too bad there's no physical version. Then again, 1st Press Games or whatever the hell their name is taking so damn long to ship the physical PS4 Ginga Force and Natsuki that I gave up, bought them and Eschatos on PC, which I should have done in the first place, and played them all there instead. At least maybe my descendants will get some decent shooters in the mail in like 140 years or whatever when 1st Press Games finally ships them.

[BIL]

Anyone tried out the PS4 version? Would usually just hop in (particularly given Ginga Force and Natsuki Chronicles turned out great), but it's when you get complacent that they bum you into next week.

[Samildanach]

Anyone tried out the PS4 version? Would usually just hop in (particularly given Ginga Force and Natsuki Chronicles turned out great), but it's when you get complacent that they bum you into next week.

I've had a quick go and it felt sublimely smooth and responsive to my (very) amateur eye. This was on PS4 Pro mind, but I would be surprised if the base model was any different.

Gods it is such a great game also. Perhaps one of the best examples of the genre one could show to a non-shmupper/heretic to convert them imo.

[BIL]

Cheers bud! Sounds good, and indeed, the more platforms for this game the better! TBH I'd gladly pick it up for JSS alone, so getting another killer STG is even more of a no-brainer (still haven't tried out Cardinal Sins, but it's certainly not unwelcome either).

[velo]

Just tested the latest patch, the performance drops in handheld mode Tate are still there. Shame as the control response is very crisp.

There was another Switch patch. I could be imagining things but it seems a little better in handheld... still wheezes a little during that initial cityscape corkscrew in level 1, but I could have sworn it was way worse before.

[BIL]

Can confirm the PS4 version runs great on base/slim models; smooth performance and sharp control response in all three games. And indeed, what a genre joie de vivre Eschatos still brings. Wonderful to see this again.

[SPM]

Okay so I've been loving this on Switch but every game has some issues not mentioned in this thread yet:

In Eschatos something does not seem right about the F-bombs. Are they time-based or also depend on something else? Because the first F doesn't always appear at the same time in this port (Original-Hard). Sometimes I get it even before area01 ends... I timed two runs and they spawned 4 seconds apart (27s in and 31s). EDIT: I think the port is fine on Switch, it can't be just time (or can, but it'd have to be some "weird" in-game time), because checking some Steam clears on YT I've seen different times until the first F appears: 27s (Aquas), 32s (Ratikal) and 38s (Jaimers).

In CS, after you scan the secret at the bottom right corner in stage 3, the SFX get muted (but it's fixed by pausing the game). Not terrible, but annoying. And online leaderboards are somehow mixed up, with "Normal" boards showing "Trial" scores under certain circumstances*. No one plays that mode, but still...

Spoiler

*if you get a new PB in Normal but had a better score in Trial, the Normal leaderboards will show your Trial score instead (and probably the other way around as well! The game may just register your overall best score whenever you get a PB, regardless of the mode played). That's what happened to me. I had 123M in Trial and got 115M in Normal, but the boards showed 123M. Later on I got 142M in Trial but the Normal boards still show 123M (and I guess it would update to 142 if I got a new PB in Normal between those numbers)

And RSS apparently is/was a bit broken (Idk about the PS4).

Aargh I was happier when I played games more casually and didn't notice anything!! XD

[Vexorg]

Might have to buy this one for a third time, although I've found that aside from some minor menu issues on startup the Steam version runs very well on Steam Deck.

[colour_thief]

JSS on Switch has not been patched in any way. The audio thing you noticed isn't limited to CS though. The WonderSwan has limited audio channels and on real hardware the audio cuts off other audio all the time. Even in JSS it happens. I prefer full audio and every previous port had full audio, not sure why it's done this way on Switch.

So far I've noticed Switch has:

• Area 31 Normal completely nerfed of difficulty and scoring potential
• Extra slowdown to further reduce difficulty, most noticeable in Area 30
• Audio cuts out when too many sfx are playing
• There's an option to turn frame blending off (this one is a good thing lol)

Best port hands down is Steam fwiw. Still lots of fun to be had learning the game in Switch though I suppose, the only dealbreaker for me is Area 31 it completely ruins the climax of the game.

[pulsemod]

got the PS4 version of the game recently. the leaderboards are pretty empty on all modes, not too surprising! haven't played JSS enough to be able to tell if it's also messed up like the switch version, though I remember reading that the slowdown in the 360 port was all manually programmed. if it's the same on the PC then I wonder why it would be different on Switch or PS4, unless maybe M-KAI wasn't involved with these versions

[Steven]

I really should play all 3 of these games more. I just wish that Judgement Silversword had more music. Still quite an impressive game when you consider that it was made by 1 dude in like a month.

Speaking of M-Kai, I saw an interview where he said something about the Eschatos bombs making the game harder or something like that. Does anyone know anything about that? I never really noticed a difference.

[BrianC]

I'm glad the Steam port of JSS can be played at the original 75 FPS framerate. One advantage of playing it on MiSTer too, though I couldn't find a way to play CS on it since it's a WonderWitch game.

[SPM]

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[Jonpachi]

I used to say "Ey-Shot-Toes" but now I understand it's more like "Es-Kah-Toes" and I hate it.

There was fun Spanish-y pronunciation going on there originally in my head, but now I just think of indigenous Alaskan's lower extremities.

[consoleretro]

Teaser from Strictly Limited Games on twitter:

This weekend...

Three games, one collection. Sin, judgement and the end of times.

So not First Press after Ginga Force and Natsuki Chronicles and shipping in 2025....