Shmups from 2022

[Eyvah_Ehyeh]

I take it that there won't be a 20th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time this year, so I'm just curious what shmups that were released in 2022 that you enjoyed. For me personally, I think 2022 has been the best shmup year EVER. I mean we have Gunvein, which, just WOW, and also has a roguelite mode which I enjoy. Then we have Operation STEEL, which is one of those games that doesn't look good on paper, but just has me coming back for more - I love me some euro trash! The Void Rains Upon Her Heart is a shmup that has just SO much well-produced variety. and is really more of an experience than a classical shmup, but I absolutely adore it and its commitment to the procedural/roguelite experience. Sophstar is another fantastic entry, that if it weren't for the stiff competition could be my shmup of the year, for sure. But then, finally, we also got Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo, the 2.0-version, and boy is this my favorite shmup of the year!

So yeah, lots of new favorites for me, this year. I will look out for a sale on "Like Dreamer", because I haven't played it, but I've enjoyed the prequel "Cosmo Dreamer" quite a bit. Any more cool shmups I should check out during the steam winter sale at the end of the year from 2022?

[Jonpachi]

Agreed, it was a great year for new games. Some of the highlights of games that either came out this year, or that I discovered/played for the first time in 2022:

- Cotton Rock 'n Roll
- Space Moth
- Z-Warp
- Pocky and Rocky Reshrined
- Mecha Ritz
- Sophstar

[Leander]

I take it that there won't be a 20th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time this year, so I'm just curious what shmups that were released in 2022 that you enjoyed. For me personally, I think 2022 has been the best shmup year EVER. I mean we have Gunvein, which, just WOW, and also has a roguelite mode which I enjoy. Then we have Operation STEEL, which is one of those games that doesn't look good on paper, but just has me coming back for more - I love me some euro trash! The Void Rains Upon Her Heart is a shmup that has just SO much well-produced variety. and is really more of an experience than a classical shmup, but I absolutely adore it and its commitment to the procedural/roguelite experience. Sophstar is another fantastic entry, that if it weren't for the stiff competition could be my shmup of the year, for sure. But then, finally, we also got Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo, the 2.0-version, and boy is this my favorite shmup of the year!

So yeah, lots of new favorites for me, this year. I will look out for a sale on "Like Dreamer", because I haven't played it, but I've enjoyed the prequel "Cosmo Dreamer" quite a bit. Any more cool shmups I should check out during the steam winter sale at the end of the year from 2022?

Thanks for calling out Operation STEEL - glad you enjoyed it but I hope it doesn't feel too Euro (even if there are a few elements such as mid-level shops.)

A few more you didn't mention are Drainus, Andro Dunos II, Sol Cresta, NeverAwake, Dead End City, TerraFlame and Moon Dancer. Loads of great re-releases too - we really did have great pickings this year.

[Eyvah_Ehyeh]

Hey, Leander. Nah I mean I love the concept of the euro shmup - upgrades, shops, procedural shenanigans - but very few games feel well-designed enough for me to enjoy in the long run that incorporate that kind of design. Operation Steel is one of the few, andconsidering that Gunvein as well tried to make this type of gameplay with its roguelike mode, and The Void Rains Upon Her Heart does as well, and Mecha Ritz has a rank system that almost makes it feel like it has procedurally generated content, I'm looking forward to the future for these types of games.

[clippa]

Like Dreamer
Gunvein
Z-Warp
Dead End City
Tukiyono
Nekotosakana
Sophstar
Andro Dunos II
Operation STEEL

have been my favourites this year.

[Steven]

I think the only new ones that I played this year were Andro Dunos II, Cotton Rock 'n' Roll, and GRAND CROSS: ReNOVATION, which I think only about 3 or 4 other people on here at max played. I still have no idea what happened in that crazy game.

Well, unless you want to count P-47 Aces Kai. I did play that and it was pretty awesome.

[m.sniffles.esq]

I've give a shout out to Yurukill, the VN portions were pretty tortuous, but g.Rev did a good job with the shooter sections (despite one unfortunate level/boss). I've actually been having a good time score chasing on the "hell" difficultly. Too bad unlocking all the levels for the score attack is such a goddamn chore...

Also, I'll give a honorable mention to Tempest 4k which was new to the Switch, if not it's entire existence. And another for the Cotton remake, which is a new title (in the way Sonic Mania was new), and actually impressed me more than "Rock and Roll"

I can't really offer a take as to how 2022 was for shooters in general, as there's still a bunch I've yet to check out. I was waiting for the Dreamcast version of Andro Dunos II, but it doesn't seem like it's actually going to happen. Everything about Dead End City intrigued me, I just need to get over how goddamn ugly it is. And NeverAwake looks great, but it's recommended specs elude me.

[jehu]

2022 was a year of ACA for me.

Gunnail, Thunder Dragon 2, Dragon Spirit, Dragon Saber, Fighting Hawk, Gun Frontier, Metal Black, Legend of Valkyrie, Dangerous Seed, Rabio Lepus, Ordyne, Assault - and that's just (some of) the STGs.

"I'm so glad Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing" indeed.

Began the year playing the hell out of Toaplan games. Burnt myself out a little, but I'm feeling ready to jump back in whenever M2's newest comes out.

Also, year's not over - looking forward to Akai Katana dropping in what, like 2 hours? The Deathsmiles collection was such a treat last year. Glad we're getting a Cave holiday repeat.

I've give a shout out to Yurukill, the VN portions were pretty tortuous, but g.Rev did a good job with the shooter sections (despite one unfortunate level/boss).

Sniffles, thanked you at the time, but - in the spirit of the season - god bless you once again for those Yurukill playthrough updates earlier this year. I couldn't bring myself to finish the VN, but lived vicariously through you.

[Steven]

looking forward to Akai Katana dropping in what, like 2 hours?

Oh shit you're right! I forgot about that! It's 2214 right now, so assuming it launches at 0000, there you go.

Edit: lol it turned 2215 as soon as I hit submit. Close enough...

Now since I didn't mention it earlier, Hishou Same! Same! Same! was my #2 most played Switch game and my #1 most played PS4 game this year according to those end-of-year things that Sony and Nintendo do, so while those games were originally released before I was born, the collection is a 2022 release, so I suppose it counts.

[m.sniffles.esq]

Sniffles, thanked you at the time, but - in the spirit of the season - god bless you once again for those Yurukill playthrough updates earlier this year. I couldn't bring myself to finish the VN, but lived vicariously through you.


No problem. I know at the time I was like "I'm never touching this fucking thing again" but after the fatigue of the VN portions subsided, I did go back to (and enjoy) some levels on score attack. It's nothing fancy from the gameplay standpoint (it is certainly fancy from a graphical standpoint), but the meat and potatoes 'blow the shit out of popcorns then fight a big, crazy boss' old school design with new school slickness is welcome and comforting (actually, having something 'old-school' without giant fucking pixels was more welcome than I even realized). Player ship design is cool, and the individual gimmicks make you want to try out every ship on each level.

Still... It's pretty hard to recommend when unlocking each of those levels is so thoroughly unpleasant.

EDIT:

Just remembered that Radirgy Swag finally got dumped in the west in '22, so I'll give a shout out to that too (even though I'd been playing it for a couple years at that point)

[velo]

I'm hooked on Z-Warp myself. I enjoyed Null Drifter and Void Gore and it's cool to see that flavor fleshed out from a pseudo-roguelite into a traditional static 5-level structure.

[Eyvah_Ehyeh]

Whoa, Akai Katana? Kinda wasn't expecting any more cave ports to PC! Maybe this one was easier to port than say make an HD version of Futari? I really enjoyed the HD version of Mushihimesama and Dodonnpachi Resurrection and for me the ultimate cave dream would be HD versions of Ketsui, DOJ, and Futari for PC.

[BurlyHeart]

I think Sophstar may be one of my favorite shmups ever. I suck, but loving it and getting a little better each play through.

I really enjoyed Dead End City too. Andros Dunos II is bought but unplayed as yet.

Some good suggestions of games I didn't know about. Most have been added to my wishlist.

[To Far Away Times]

I haven't played a shmup that released in 2022 that I think is a must play.

Gunvein is decent, I need to spend more time with it. I didn't fall in love with it like I did with NG Dev's previous game, Razion EX. But I like memo heavy hori's better than bullet hells.

Cotton Rock N Roll is really good, but technically it's a late 2021 release and I first played it in 2021. The US home port was in 2022 so maybe it should count?

But the best shmup I played in 2022, regardless of when it actually came out, was ZeroRanger. Incredible game. Easily a Top 25 game, just a matter of how high up on the list it should go.

[Buffi]

Enjoyed P-47 Aces MK.II/Kai enough to clear Kai mode with all ships (and Wide mode with one).

Gunvein was surprisingly good as well!

So that's two good games this year at least, which isn't too bad.

[Immryr]

Hazelnut Hex is a good one which hasn't been mentioned yet

[sunnshiner]

Hazelnut Hex is a good one which hasn't been mentioned yet

+1

Gunvein for me as well and I discovered Graze Counter this year too.

[EmperorIng]

I got Rock n' Roll last year so it was GOTY 2021 for me as far as shmups go. If you haven't yet played the japanese or localized game you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. It's excellent and it's a tragedy that I don't see more people presumably in the shmup scene talking about how great it is and pushing its fun and addictive score system.

From what I've played my favorite has been Pocky and Rocky Reshrined. Just overflowing with love for the original and some great new ideas and setpieces.

I haven't tried them (yet) but I want to go play Hazelnut Hex and Gunvein (which I've bought) - I just have been too focused scoring Giga Wing 2 at the moment.

[To Far Away Times]

I got Rock n' Roll last year so it was GOTY 2021 for me as far as shmups go. If you haven't yet played the japanese or localized game you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. It's excellent and it's a tragedy that I don't see more people presumably in the shmup scene talking about how great it is and pushing its fun and addictive score system.

Yeah, Cotton Rock N Roll is fantastic. The number of characters, and how differently they play from eachother, really puts it over the top. It's not just a wide shot/narrow shot type of thing, many of the characters have entirely different game mechanics, yet the game feels great to play across multiple characters. It's extremely well done.

And the scoring system shines because there is no cap on lives and the score required for an extend is fairly low, so you feel really rewarded for taking those scoring risks and there is always a survial benefit to interacting with the scoring systems.

[m.sniffles.esq]

Oh, and I guess the Moon Cresta sequel came out in '22 (it's name is escaping me)

It was okay. It's whole stacking gimmick was awkwardly implemented, but the game itself wasn't bad.

I guess all in all the year was heartening in that new shooters were being released on a pretty regular basis. But with that said, the majority of them seemed to lack budget, polish, and most importantly (and unfortunately) enjoyment.

In other words, there was no Sisters Royale this year