What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
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BareKnuckleRoo
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Zaarock wrote:Earth Defense Force 5. Even better than 4 so far. I think I'll do first playthroughs with Fencer again, looks like there's enough new mechanics to keep it fresh.
Can't wait until it shows up for PC too. Hopefully not too long to wait.
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kaicooper
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by kaicooper »

Heart of Darkness
i enjoyed it more then FLASHBACK
this game is waaay underrated..yes its hard but comon..cheakpoints there already and its easy to progress
i wish there's a true Remaster or somthing similar ..
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Ghegs »

Heart of Darkness is pretty sweet.

I got the Switch release of Flashback some time ago. Back as a kid I played the PC version lots, but never got beyond Death Tower (I think?). Now when I played it I went right through Death Tower and to Earth, but got bored/frustrated there. I loved the first first stage in the jungle and the Blade Runner-esque second stage is cool as well, but after that the focus shifts heavily towards combat, which is rarely a strong suite in cinematic platformers.

Speaking of the genre, I played through Deadlight: Director's Cut some weeks ago and loved that all the way through. It's on sale over at GOG at the moment, too. Made me want to play the game in Nightmare mode (one-life, permadeath), but then I got distracted by something.

I really wish we'd see a good re-release of the OG Prince of Persia. Give us options between graphic sets (pyjama prince ftw), maybe throw in the SNES version of PoP and The Shadow and The Flame in there as well, and that's a solid package.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Marc »

Funny, I hated Deadlight on 360. Started well, but from what I remember it ended up forcing the player into a lot of trial and error situations.
I've got PoP on 360 but unsure if I've ever even booted it up - anyone know if that version is decent?

Gonna give EDF5 a miss, I've tried repeatedly to understand the appeal of these games (GDF/EDF360/EDF4 PS4) but although fun in short blasts it always ends up feeling ultra repetitive to me.

I have a want list a mile long now... Monster Boy, Toki, Switch Smash, Tetris Effect, Tempest 4k, SNK collection.... and I still can't stop playing Isaac.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Ghegs »

Marc wrote:Funny, I hated Deadlight on 360. Started well, but from what I remember it ended up forcing the player into a lot of trial and error situations.
I've got PoP on 360 but unsure if I've ever even booted it up - anyone know if that version is decent?
I never played the original Deadlight, but I remember reading the Director's Cut fixes some things and makes controlling the character easier. I didn't feel like there was a lot of trial and error, though certainly a little bit when you're trying to figure out a puzzle while zombies are trying to gnaw at your squishy parts. But I never got stuck for more than a few minutes.

PoP 360 did something weird with the combat that I just couldn't come to grips with.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by kaicooper »

Heart of Darkness
such a great underrated game..
=====

Gris
this game is EPIC..

edit: just beat it now..WONDERFUL game
not everyone cup of tea..if you enjoyed Journey/ABZU..then this's for you
and much better and longer too
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Marc »

Atomic Robo-Kid (PS4): Does this count as a shmup maybe? Anyway, it's annoying whatever it's classed as. Sprites are too big for the play area, collision detection is wonky and it's full of point-blanking enemies, yet I can't help kind of liking it. There's a goofy charm about the main character and the odd graphic style in general, and it just hangs together even where it really shouldn't. I've no idea how it handles progression - is the third stage of each area just completely random? I don't like those stupid battle screens either, made it to the second one and turning it off in frustration after loosing a few lives there. From memory, Mr Heli does this type of thing much better (I thought there's been some announcement about Irem games coming to the ACA series?), but I plan on giving this a bit more time later.

EDF 4(?) PS4: Every so often I make another attempt to get into these games since the series seems to be so highly thought of among people with like-minded gaming interests. I think it may just have done. I'd left my save on Stage 12 or 13, after the usual boredom set in. From the first minute I switched it on last night, I had a stage where I had to bring down huge motherships by shooting the cores while they dropped off ants, a beach invasion with hordes of goofy-looking robots, and a four-legged death machine dropping off the previously-huge robots while it destroyed entire blocks with its feet. I still feel a lot of the game consists of running backwards and firing hopefully into a screen full of absolute chaos, but the sheer spectacle of the entire thing kept me ridiculously entertained last night.
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munchiaz
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by munchiaz »

Playing through the PC port of Killer 7. This is my first time playing. Currently on the last leg of the game. Its pretty great. Also, playing Smash bros ultimate. Learning Ritcher, and how to play at a somewhat competitive level.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by WelshMegalodon »

Ultima III: Exodus

I've played around with multiple versions. The Atari 8-bit port would probably be my favorite of the contemporary releases (loading times are shortest in this version, and the music sounds better than it does on the C64), but I also feel that the IBM PC-compatible release deserves a better reputation than it has. For one, the CGA colors aren't nearly as bad as people make them out to be - PCem correctly emulates the composite color blending used in this port (mainline DOSBox only has it for some games), and with it working as it should, it doesn't look all that much worse than the Apple ][ version:
Spoiler
Image
Image
In between the original floppy release and the HDD-installable version that's more easily... acquired these days, the encounter rate was lowered drastically, making it more difficult to gain experience and gold without starving to death than it is in the other versions, but as it turns out,
Spoiler
even the people playing the other versions just slaughtered defenseless clerics in Yew for easy gold and XP in the early game anyway,
so it doesn't make a difference. If anything, this and the lack of loading times actually make the IBM PC port the fastest of these.

On that note, much has been made about the lack of a frame limiter in this game. It seems to be slightly too fast even on a 4.77 MHz machine, at least in PCem, but not so much as to be unplayable.
Last edited by WelshMegalodon on Fri Dec 21, 2018 6:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by FinalBaton »

^^^^^^^^^^^
Very intersting stuff Welsh. I have been thinking about trying some of the early Ultima games so this is relevant to my interests. I'm always on the lookout for info on how those games fare on each platform

I'm taking notes of this post, keep 'em coming.

(do you have observations on some other Ultima games as well? I think I did see you write about some of them. If you do then I'll search the site and dig 'em up.

I think that the NES fares pretty good on one or two of those game right? Isn't Ultima V pretty polished for an NES rpg? Anyway, I'm itching to try some retro PCs too, specifically with that series. Definitely want to experience one on the Apple II and also make use of CGA composite mode on DOS. I'd like to try composite mode in DOSBOX and displayed on a NTSC crt)
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by WelshMegalodon »

I'm closer to a dabbler than an expert, but as has been said elsewhere, all three of the Ultima ports on the NES have been significantly compromised in one way or another. III and IV are essentially watered-down JRPG remakes, and V is, well...
Spoiler
The Ultima Codex wrote:...[T]he NES port of Ultima V was seen by many as a technical disaster. Combined with elements that had to be removed from the game because of technical limitations (limitations that wouldn't have applied if the original tile-based system had been used), the changes [made to this port] made reviews generally see this port as totally inferior to the original.
The Ultima Codex wrote:The shortcomings include:

The game is very slow compared to the original, making it difficult to progress at a reasonable rate.

There is no way to name the Avatar, and no option for a female Avatar.

Particularly when viewed on a TV, it is difficult to discern what the various on-screen objects are.

After the title screen and the character creation, there is only one song throughout the entire game (the same error as in the Amiga port), and there are no sound effects.

Because of the single-scale map, Britannia had to be shrunken and deformed to fit everything in. It just isn't that obvious during gameplay because of the limited viewing window and the game's slow pace.

This in turn means that the number of NPCs was drastically reduced, and they also now have much less to say. Additionally, the content that was left was altered significantly, mixed with story changes(f.e. instead of being in the Yew prison, Greymarch is now running around in Trinsic).

The controls are surprisingly complicated for a two-button controller, and each command has a slight delay before execution.

The maximum size of the party was reduced from six to four (since you start with three members, this means you can only have one extra).

Technical limitation example: all swamps are instead represented by poison energy fields.

Horseriding was eliminated by claiming that hungry people have eaten nearly all the horses, similar to the C64-Port of Ultima VI, where the Gargoyles are blamed with this.

The intro is vastly reduced, with much plot and background information missing.

The ending sequence is altered much as the intro, and much content was altered; the Avatar is present with Lord British at Blackthorn's exile (thus the part on Earth is missing) and drama is lost by the last sentence being Lord British inviting the Avatar to a feast.

The conversations system presents a menu of available keywords characters may know about, which may not normally always be known in the original game (learning about them was part of the unfolding quest, via previous conversations and readings, and keywords were entered with a keyboard, not selected from a menu).
As far as recommendations go, I'd have to echo what I've seen elsewhere and point you to the IBM PC remake of I (in PCem or a comparable XT emulator, not DOSBox), the Master System port of IV (as I've said before), and the fanmade Gold release of III that cuts out the loading times (although turning on the SIO patches in Altirra will do the same thing for the Atari 8-bit port.) From V onwards you want either PCem or your favorite DOSBox fork, although the 8-bit computer ports do have nice music.

The Apple ][ versions of III-V do have nice Mockingboard sound, but one should note that III is tougher on the Apple since party members only start out with 100 health and food, rather than 150 (though you should give it a spin anyway), and playing the other two involves quite a bit of disk swapping. Which leaves The First Age of Darkness as the one you'd want to play on that machine. (MAME's Apple //e emulation is very good these days. It's what I use for all of my Apple ][ gaming.)
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Squire Grooktook »

I finished System Shock 2 (had played it quite a bit a few years ago but never finished), then did a quickie second playthrough of it. First clear (took 12 hours roughly) I was standard marine shooty man, second I went melee/psi and ran around at mach speed as an invisible space wizard hitting dudes with a lightsaber (7 hours).

Fantastic game. I picked it up again because I wanted something horror oriented, and although I can't say it scared me (not sure if a video game can at this point) the combination of tense and methodical gameplay, and frequently morbid atmosphere satisfied me completely.

Love the soundtrack, which ranges from exhilarating to nightmare inducing. It goes quite well to what I enjoyed about the game: it constantly fluctuates between action and horror. Sometimes you have tons of ammo and weapons and can enjoy the (surprisingly great, love the randomized fireballs and dodgeable melee on enemies) combat, and other times you have to sneak and inch along in suspense under the weight of dwindling resources and oppressive conditions.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by copy-paster »

I just got 1CC of Contra: Shattered Soldier this day.

Great game, this is probably harder than Hard Corps when it comes to 1CC. Took me over two months to "learning" the game plus 1cc. If only this game had more run and gun section this will be my favorite Contra game. What's next, getting all stages with S Ranks and see the extra congratulatory message after clearing the game without using retry?

Love the soundtrack too, something that I want to buy the cd itself.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by BIL »

The game itself doesn't acknowledge how many retries you used for an S-Rank clear - you get the same congrats message either way. Which just makes it even more hardcore, ofc! I recommend it. :cool:
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by copy-paster »

BIL wrote:The game itself doesn't acknowledge how many retries you used for an S-Rank clear - you get the same congrats message either way. Which just makes it even more hardcore, ofc! I recommend it. :cool:
Probably I could do that with retry someday though. I'm afraid Rolling Dash Lance, Jellyfish, and final boss will end my progress.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by BIL »

It's been an ungodly length of time since I played SS, but RBL and Jellyfish instantly come to mind as the big RNG run-killers. Was always relieved when the former didn't show up, haha. I remember it being so deceptively easy to get tagged by a ricochet.

The TLB's bouncing gumballs too, ofc. Distinct memories of locking aim to the upper-right while scampering under those. That and the nasty delay on his diving horizontal fire blasts. Jeeze this is taking me back!

IIRC (a big "if"), you can obviate most of the TLB's attacks by (spoilered safespot):
Spoiler
camping at the very far-left edge of the plane.
Saw someone use that technique in a machinegun-only run, never got to try it out myself. Bit lame-looking tbh. :lol:
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by MovingTarget »

Well i've not been here in a while ^^

Just got back into shmups after a long break and felt like saying hi. Other than DDP ressurection im also playing IL-2 Sturmovik BoS
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by garrz32 »

Forza Horizon 4.

Looks amazing, great fun to play for a while but that's about it. Won't be putting anymore of my time into as it's all looks and no substance.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by kaicooper »

after i beat GRIS
now im playing DUSK...this game is aaaahh
imagine Doom and Blood had threesome with Blood..
this's DUSK..its fantastic and challenging with great music
the atmosphere here is top notch
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Ed Oscuro »

Amid Evil is for Heretic ambience sort of what Dusk is for Blood / Quake. (Dusk is definitely more of a Blood + Quake hybrid imo.)

I like these games, though there is something about them that feels a bit incomplete most of the time. They don't have the professional full level of polish you get from Blood or Quake, but they are very close already. Officially both are still being developed; Amid Evil development is very active, and Dusk might get more polish later.

p.s. Did you find the secret item in the sky station level of Dusk? It's only good for one use, make it last :)
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by kaicooper »

Ed Oscuro wrote:Amid Evil is for Heretic ambience sort of what Dusk is for Blood / Quake. (Dusk is definitely more of a Blood + Quake hybrid imo.)

I like these games, though there is something about them that feels a bit incomplete most of the time. They don't have the professional full level of polish you get from Blood or Quake, but they are very close already. Officially both are still being developed; Amid Evil development is very active, and Dusk might get more polish later.

p.s. Did you find the secret item in the sky station level of Dusk? It's only good for one use, make it last :)
Amid Evil seems fantastic already but i'll wait till full release just like i did with DUSK
both same publishers btw..
im still in last level Episode I..trying to find all secrets ..all levels have only one secret or more?
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by z0mbie90 »

kaicooper wrote:
Ed Oscuro wrote:Amid Evil is for Heretic ambience sort of what Dusk is for Blood / Quake. (Dusk is definitely more of a Blood + Quake hybrid imo.)

I like these games, though there is something about them that feels a bit incomplete most of the time. They don't have the professional full level of polish you get from Blood or Quake, but they are very close already. Officially both are still being developed; Amid Evil development is very active, and Dusk might get more polish later.

p.s. Did you find the secret item in the sky station level of Dusk? It's only good for one use, make it last :)
Amid Evil seems fantastic already but i'll wait till full release just like i did with DUSK
both same publishers btw..
im still in last level Episode I..trying to find all secrets ..all levels have only one secret or more?
DUSK is amazing, haven't had time to start Episode 3 yet, but hopefully over christmas I will find some time. I would say it feels more like BLOOD with a bit of Quake speed thrown at it, just amazing.
I'm looking forward to Amid Evil aswell, but just like you Kaicooper I will probably wait for the full release, with DUSK I was lucky having a nice friend gifting it to me.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by kaicooper »

Ed Oscuro wrote:
p.s. Did you find the secret item in the sky station level of Dusk? It's only good for one use, make it last :)
i donno if its the place or no..but do u mean the wall climbing tool?
also there's a funny secret up in the tower says DO FLIP lol
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Ed Oscuro »

Neither of those. When you are in the level with the outside of the sky laboratory, if you go all the way around the structures to the side farthest from the starting point in the level, there is a little crystal that causes a monster fight others. Of course it's easy to provoke infighting in this game I think, but it's still fun to have.

At least many (perhaps all) weapons are homages to previous games. The Hunting Rifle is a reference to Redneck Rampage, and the rare sword seems to be a Zelda series reference, as it does more power when you are at full health. There are lots of fun things in DUSK like that.


ALSO! Heads up everybody - Ubisoft is giving away copies of the retro 4X (I think it is?) strategy game "Anno 1602" on its uPlay service. Sign up, download client, click "get game," enjoy. Offer expires today at 6PM, UTC -5. uPlay has offered many giveaways of cool games in the past; I've got a fairly good sized collection on it despite having bought maybe just one game.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Mischief Maker »

Space Pirates and Zombies 2

I can't believe this game did so poorly compared to its runaway-success prequel. SPAZ 2 is the superior game in every way.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Durandal »

kaicooper wrote:
Ed Oscuro wrote:
p.s. Did you find the secret item in the sky station level of Dusk? It's only good for one use, make it last :)
i donno if its the place or no..but do u mean the wall climbing tool?
also there's a funny secret up in the tower says DO FLIP lol
There's even more uses for that. You can use it to pick off all the enemies in the final temple from above relatively safely.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by kaicooper »

i just reached that SKY level..crazy stuff
but man that COMOOOON KILL ME NOOOW... COMOOON eheheheheh the best Easter Egg
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Corwill »

Warframe
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Blinge »

Etrian Odyssey II - Reaching the top of 4th Stratum. I do get bogged down in the sidequests oftentimes, but i do like entering the labyrinth again with a slightly different purpose. That's the good function of a sidequest in a dungeon crawler like this.

Nier.
Eh, it's comfy, to borrow Squire's term.

Rogue Legacy - got all chevs.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by gbaplayer »

Started Kingdom Hearts recently. Great game and im nearly through the first installment.
I´m really excited to play through the whole series until Kingdom Hearts 3 arrives.
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