Really this just feels like the full version of the Xmas level in Boogie Wings...and that's a good thing! I do love the fact there is more than one shmup to point to when it comes time to talk about Christmas themed shmups. Def nowhere near as good as the OG Deathsmiles nor anywhere near CAVEs best output...but seasonality does matter
I am doing a giveaway too if anyone is into Dreamcast
professor ganson wrote:Anyone else thinking of revisiting this game for the holidays? I don’t think I’ve played it since the console release, so it should feel fresh.
Nah. In the words of Temecos, "Meeeeeeehhhhhh!"
Formerly known as 8 1/2. I return on my second credit!
I had a blast playing Deathsmiles 2 on the new PS4 release. It’s not as good as most Cave shooters but still better than the majority out there, and the humorous Christmas theme is a pleasant change of pace.
DS2 is a decent game if you want to play for score but it gets way more credit for its Christmas theme than it deserves. It's as Christmas themed as it is mansion themed - Christmas is in the promotional artwork and the final boss, and the only signs of winter are the overworld map and the opening stage. It's a real wasted opportunity and the generic stage design is a large part of why it is so visually unappealing.
I used to suspect they chose the theme late in development and didn't really have time to retrofit earlier levels. But the final stage was added after release and is still a worse fuckup than the ruins (ruins were generic, the final stage actually has some character but it's completely disconnected from the supposed theme of the game), and the IIX update added another generic ruin stage and an odd theme park/industrial park stage. It's hard to avoid the conclusion that the game's designers didn't really intend for it to be a Christmas themed game.
