I'm not yet committed to empty locking, but generally want to increase my knowledge of how scoring works in this game. Currently I'm plateauing at ~9 mil before the boss in Stage 1.
Is there any way I can play the stage portion better? I only know the general stuff of trying to get as many 5s from the big targets (still miss 2-3 on the way), and try not to use the lock to kill big enemies unless you can get a 5. I heard that rationing the multiplier is important but it's so subtle to me right now. Videos haven't really helped because everyone empty locks or do mysterious things with their multipliers.
RQ: Optimizing Ketsui Stage 1 without empty locking or boss scoring
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1000Eyes
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SquidDude
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Re: RQ: Optimizing Ketsui Stage 1 without empty locking or boss scoring
Could you post a video of your current route?
When I was first trying to 1-ALL the game I also avoided empty locking, but was still able to get ~11M going into the boss.
I just took another look at that route and simplified it a bit, might be of use to you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLFsx6Am494
I think as long as you focus on getting consistent 5-chip chains, and copy where replays around your level tend to spend and save multiplier, you should be able to get something around 11M going into the boss with a bit of practice.
The general idea with multiplier in this game is to get as high of a multiplier as you can going into the midboss of a stage by shot killing most enemies, killing the midboss with lock (very important), and then cashing it out slowly by lock killing big enemies in the second half, before blowing it all right before the boss.
Each stage will have exceptions to this though, the big one in stage 1 is that after the midboss there are a ton of low-value zako enemies, and you're much better off 5-chip chaining these with lock than trying to shot kill them.
Also, most of your score in the stage sections is going to come from lock killing high-value enemies, so I wouldn't advise shot killing one even if you totally messed up your chain going into it (you'd probably lose a good couple hundred K, not worth the 10 or so extra chips you'd get from it).
Hope this helps, and GL with it
When I was first trying to 1-ALL the game I also avoided empty locking, but was still able to get ~11M going into the boss.
I just took another look at that route and simplified it a bit, might be of use to you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLFsx6Am494
I think as long as you focus on getting consistent 5-chip chains, and copy where replays around your level tend to spend and save multiplier, you should be able to get something around 11M going into the boss with a bit of practice.
The general idea with multiplier in this game is to get as high of a multiplier as you can going into the midboss of a stage by shot killing most enemies, killing the midboss with lock (very important), and then cashing it out slowly by lock killing big enemies in the second half, before blowing it all right before the boss.
Each stage will have exceptions to this though, the big one in stage 1 is that after the midboss there are a ton of low-value zako enemies, and you're much better off 5-chip chaining these with lock than trying to shot kill them.
Also, most of your score in the stage sections is going to come from lock killing high-value enemies, so I wouldn't advise shot killing one even if you totally messed up your chain going into it (you'd probably lose a good couple hundred K, not worth the 10 or so extra chips you'd get from it).
Hope this helps, and GL with it
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1000Eyes
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2025 2:58 pm
Re: RQ: Optimizing Ketsui Stage 1 without empty locking or boss scoring
I dont know how I missed this. Above and beyond with the video example and captions. I started other games during this time and I figured no one was answering a month in. Glad to be wrong, and much thanks!
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BareKnuckleRoo
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Re: RQ: Optimizing Ketsui Stage 1 without empty locking or boss scoring
FYI, the board doesn't notify you by default of new posts in topics you made so as not to spam your email, but when logged in at the top left, just to the right of the "Post Reply" button is a little wrench icon. If you click that and hit Subscribe Topic, it'll email you a notification when new replies appear in the topic!