Why does Guwange have no friends?

freddiebamboo · Post by **freddiebamboo** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:10 pm

How come out of all the cave games, Guwange is the least popular?

I find it strange because no one ever seems to bad mouth the game, in fact, people generally are enthusiastic about it.

A quick look at the hiscore boards though shows us that hardly anyone actually plays it. Even ketsui gets more attention and yet only a small percentage of board members have access to this game. Dangun seems to generate more negtative reactions from people but still manages to get more of a following than Guwange.

Why is this? I cannot think of a good reason!

Dandy J · Post by **Dandy J** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:13 pm

Cause it's wierd.

Ord · Post by **Ord** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:24 pm

I know it's seems that i'm pushing my own site, but i've just put a review of guwange there that you might want to check out. I've been playing the board constantly this past week, for the review and just for sheer unadultarated pleasure.

I really love Guwange, and along with Espgaluda, think it's one of Caves finest work.

Maybe it's because of the life bar, or that you character is on foot, in which people complain about getting stuck in the scenery. Who knows.

Fine game though. Damn fine.

**Off topic** - fantastic avatar freddiebamboo. Doc Doom is my fave comicbook villian! I hope they do him justice in the new movie.

Berty · Post by **Berty** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:27 pm

I think that Guwange is at least in the top 3 for cave shmups, I just haven't decided which one yet. (personal choice, i dont feel like arguing over this

)

I think that it a fantastic game that is easilly accessible to non-shmup-o's. Its art style, although still typically fantasy based was a welcome change at the time. Although i no-longer have access to an arcade board, i play it alot in mame.

EDIT>

I just wish that someone would port this game already!

poieo · Post by **poieo** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:49 pm

Major competition for Guwange died off after the current record holder maxed out the score. No one can really top that, so no one bothers trying.

As for why there isn't much Guwange playing on sites like this, who knows. Personally, i can only play the game for fun since i really can't be bothered with either memorizing the Japanese characters for the score or constantly looking it up on that one webpage.

freddiebamboo · Post by **freddiebamboo** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 3:59 pm

The score is a fair point, it does add an element of hassel to the game.

I still find it strange though that everyone looks forward to a new cave game coming out when many have probably yet to concentrate on guwange.

I'm also shocked to hear that someone maxed the score on this. Seems very unlike cave to allow something like that to happen

chtimi-CLA · Post by **chtimi-CLA** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:53 pm

it's my favourite cave shmup with dangun.

sure someone maxed it, but come on, it's yusemi-swy.
i'm pretty certain everyone here has a fair margin of progression before they max out.
as for reading the score, how hard is it to learn the 10 digits? plus 0=0, 1 to 3 = corresponding number of bars, so you only have 4-9 to learn, it's not the sea to drink if i may use a gallicism.

some people dislike the game-long chains, but they're easier to maintain than in any other cave game if you know the mechanics (except for a few points that you have to learn)

what i like the most about it is the design, everything seems coherent, the enemies, the music, etc. the bosses are the most imaginative and memorable i've seen in a shmup (the stage 5 ninja, the spider-cat, stage 6 boss fest..).
as usual with cave it doesn't have any real flaw, but this one has something special, like it was a special project of cave. it a shame there will probably never be a sequel.

Tomtom · Post by **Tomtom** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 5:42 pm

Theonly thing I don't like about it is the chaining. I think it just takes that concept way too far. However, the game itself is gorgeous, fun, and hard as hell.

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 5:57 pm

haven't played it myself. but when i finally get my arcade "shit" together, it will be one of the first i buy. it is absolutely beautiful for one thing (from screens, still haven't seen it move

). and it sounds super fun.

and you're running on the ground (someone mentioned)! this is why i own Elemental Master and still want Undead Line (X68000 please!).

i would participate with the high-scores, but i want my first play to be on arcade hardware, so emulation is way out.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 6:39 pm

I like the game. But I'm not a big fan of chaining in my shmups.

The main reason I don't play it is because I can't read the damned score. And I like playing for score. Lame excuse, but it's the real reason.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:02 pm

C'mon, folks. A little kanji will do you some good!

raiden · Post by **raiden** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:39 pm

the Kanji are not my problem. I just find the game very hard to adapt to, because basically you have to control 2 characters simultaneously AND deal with bullet patterns that change at least a little each time you play. That´s just total overload for my brain, each time I play it I´m exhausted after 15 minutes, but playing so shortly isn´t sufficient to learn the game, so I don´t get any better either. I think the concept is absolutely ingenious, yet I can´t cope with it practically. Loving the game´s style should help, but it doesn´t solve the problem.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:43 pm

I love the game and play it pretty regularly in MAME when I'm in the mood, but I don't bother posting any scores simply because I'm pretty bad at it...doesn't mean I don't like or play the game though. I do need to learn which kanji stands for which numbers, though...

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 8:08 pm

I played it quite a bit while I was in Hong Kong over the summer, although I couldn't really get the chaining down. Interestingly it's the Cave game I am 2nd best at, as in.... I can reach stage 4..! :\
But it's not my favourite, that title goes to Ketsui, and 2nd probably goes to Dodonpachi.

Also, the crappy thing was, this was a HUGE namco-licensed arcade (they have tokens with namco and Pac-man and stuff on them, I brought back a handful) but Guwange was on a cabinet running freaking MAME. That's just soooo wrong..!

NoboruWataya · Post by **NoboruWataya** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:14 pm

Guwange is definately one of not only my faovorite shmups, but my favorite games as well. It is IMO the best Cave game that I have played. In a way it reminds me of Super Metroid, the atmosphere and play mechanics jell absolutely perfectly to create a completely emersive experience.

Unfortunately I have'nt played it since the old board went down. I had a good score going, something like 8.3 mil with a 13,000 chain, but that got lost and I have not had time to pick it up since. One day I would love to one credit this beast, but the last boss fight is completely overwhelming.

Great game, one of the best out there. Would be the first board I'd buy, if i had the ability to play PCBs.

Nuke · Post by **Nuke** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:14 pm

It's a good game, but it almost borders on being a borderline shmup and I find it's gameplay to be one of the weekest of all of Caves efforts.
It's quite beautiful tough and has a realy great soundtrack.

dboeren · Post by **dboeren** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:28 pm

I love Guwange! It's got an atmosphere unlike anything else, anyone who claims that shooters don't have any theme needs to play this!

I really like the spirit idea, it gives new ways to play. I am not that good at the chaining, so I generally play for survival instead of score. I guess I am just not into memorization in shmups. I like to play a game like I'm playing jazz music, just improvising most of the time, reacting to the game and coming up with new patterns each time.

There are a few areas in the game where the scenery becomes claustrophobic and I don't like that too much because then there's only one way to go. I'm thinking for example of the 3rd level where you're approaching the cat boss moving left along a narrow strip at the bottom of the screen.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 10:03 pm

Guwange is my fav Cave game. It's the only one that I play and never feel too frustrated. It's the only shmup I can manage to turn on my 'fuck off' mood, and just play it for fun.

I don't play it a LOT because.. well, I have dozens of shmups to play on console, and I don't like to play on PC. If the game had a console release, I would play it a lot more.

And I can't read the score either, hehe

Berty · Post by **Berty** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:41 am

From what i am reading it seems that people that really like guwange over all other cave shmups, don't really like/prefer cave shmups in general?

My position is that; although i like cave shmups, nothing really stand out to me like guwange does.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 4:06 am

Well, yes, that's my case. I don't enjoy most stuff from Cave too much

But I enjoy Guwange a lot

Darkcomet72 · Post by **Darkcomet72** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 5:56 am

Actually, I'm not too fond of Guwange.

Sure, the Atmosphere is nice, It has some(some...) good music, but the gameplay for me is extremely hard to adapt to. It does have great level and boss design, but I just can't see myself dodging all those bullet patterns only moving left and right.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 6:17 am

Graphically, this game IS beautiful. And I love the soundtrack.

The spider-cat thing boss is awesome.

DantesInferno · Post by **DantesInferno** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 6:23 am

I love Guwange. I think ESPRaDe, Ketsui and Guwange are by far Cave's best work. I think the whole idea and atmosphere of Guwange is what makes it great. It's beautiful to look at and play, but most of all it's different...Cave needs to take a look back at these games and see the amazing stuff they could do..Ibara withstanding.

TVG · Post by **TVG** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 11:12 pm

one thing i was always curious about, is the voiceover for the first boss of guwange the same as baiken from guilty gear X?

sure seems so.

EddyMRA · Post by **EddyMRA** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:57 am

The vagrant wrote:one thing i was always curious about, is the voiceover for the first boss of guwange the same as baiken from guilty gear X?

sure seems so.

The boss says, 己のが不運を呪うがよい
"Ore-no-ga fuun-o norou-ga yoi!"

Babelfish translates it as: "Oneself curses misfortune, but it is good!"

TVG · Post by **TVG** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:48 am

err, sorry, i meant voice actor, seiyuu.

Berty · Post by **Berty** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 9:36 am

[quote="Alluro
The boss says, 己のが不運を呪うがよい
"Ore-no-ga fuun-o norou-ga yoi!"

Babelfish translates it as: "Oneself curses misfortune, but it is good!"[/quote]

Man, i wish that i had a dollar for everytime someone has said that to me on the street.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 11:50 am

Alluro wrote:
The vagrant wrote:one thing i was always curious about, is the voiceover for the first boss of guwange the same as baiken from guilty gear X?

sure seems so.
The boss says, 己のが不運を呪うがよい
"Ore-no-ga fuun-o norou-ga yoi!"

Babelfish translates it as: "Oneself curses misfortune, but it is good!"

He actually says 己が不運を呪うがよい ono-ga fuun-o noro-u-ga yo-i oneself-POSS misfortune-ACC curse-ATTR-NOM good-FIN 'It is good to curse one's misfortune'. 'Ore' means "I (male)", not 'oneself' (which is 'Ono' in this phrase), and the construction Ore-no-ga I-GEN-NOM/POSS is ungrammatical.

Sorry, but I'm a linguist, so I am compelled to point out things like this.

BTW I love Guwange. I've been playing it a lot recently. It's the only Cave game I've played thus far that I really love. I haven't played Ketsui though...

pixeljunkie · Post by **pixeljunkie** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:43 pm

it has enough friends....the PCB is a bitch to get still....so as far as I'm concerned its popular enough.