Could be wrong, but TFIII always seems to get highlighted whenever the TF series is mentioned.
To me, TFIV clearly surpassed it, but I'm interested to know which one you prefer, and why?
ThunderForce III or ThunderForce IV Which you prefer?
ThunderForce III or ThunderForce IV Which you prefer?
Last edited by Nei First on Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Diabollokus
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I'm going with number 4 due to games music, graphics use of paralax scrolling, I find it easier!, boss design and the feeling of wow wow this isn't the last boss! I thought the wall was the last, then the titanium robot but heck the computer core rocked!
Played thunderforce 3 last year, it was good yes, liked the unique water currents that also appear in lords of thunder, but I Just feel no urge to play it like thunderforce 4.
Boss wise both rock but tf3 feels a little darius esq to me.
Try adding a poll see what the general consensus is.
Played thunderforce 3 last year, it was good yes, liked the unique water currents that also appear in lords of thunder, but I Just feel no urge to play it like thunderforce 4.
Boss wise both rock but tf3 feels a little darius esq to me.
Try adding a poll see what the general consensus is.
Vidi Vici Veni
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SheSaidDutch
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Herr Schatten
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That's an easy choice. TFIII is miles ahead of TFIV, IMO.
Sure, the visuals and the music in part IV are much better, but that doesn't automatically equal a better game. The game is just too long for my taste. Especially some of the bosses take ages to kill and they don't have enough different attacks to keep the fight interesting. Had the Tecno Soft guys reduced the absurd amount of hitpoints on some bosses, TFIV would be much more enjoyable. Not to mention the annoying invisible bullets which always seem to get me.
Although a little easy on default difficulty, TFIII is always a blast to play through.
Sure, the visuals and the music in part IV are much better, but that doesn't automatically equal a better game. The game is just too long for my taste. Especially some of the bosses take ages to kill and they don't have enough different attacks to keep the fight interesting. Had the Tecno Soft guys reduced the absurd amount of hitpoints on some bosses, TFIV would be much more enjoyable. Not to mention the annoying invisible bullets which always seem to get me.
Although a little easy on default difficulty, TFIII is always a blast to play through.
Yes! I'm really interested especially in the reasons why some would prefer TFIII to TFIV, keep em coming.
To me TFIV took everything TFIII had, and improved on it greatly. Yeah the hitpoints in TFIV were a bit much, but to me made it more challenging.
Ganelon wrote - "TFIII is probably mentioned more because of its influence on horiz shooters and the fact that it's been "ported" twice"
Yeah I think I see what you mean, are you talking about ThunderForce AC?
To me TFIV took everything TFIII had, and improved on it greatly. Yeah the hitpoints in TFIV were a bit much, but to me made it more challenging.
Ganelon wrote - "TFIII is probably mentioned more because of its influence on horiz shooters and the fact that it's been "ported" twice"
Yeah I think I see what you mean, are you talking about ThunderForce AC?
TFIV by a country mile. Quite possibly Technosoft's best game.
as well as Daser's snake midboss in five seconds flat) while Blade is better for large bosses (like the Rancor on stage 7). If you take more than five minutes on a boss, you're either seriously underpowered, or are using the wrong weapon completely.
Can't say the same for TFIII's weapon balance, since Saber obliterates everything. Saber unbalances TFIII in the same way that Free Range unbalances TFV.
And invisible bullets? If anything, it's the fast moving kamikaze enemies that get on my nerves.
You're using the wrong weapon then. The best thing about TFIV is the weapon balance, in that all the weapons are useful in any given situation. If anything, I've found FreeWay best for bosses with small target points (kills GargoyleDiver in 20 secondsHerr Schatten wrote:Had the Tecno Soft guys reduced the absurd amount of hitpoints on some bosses, TFIV would be much more enjoyable. Not to mention the annoying invisible bullets which always seem to get me.
as well as Daser's snake midboss in five seconds flat) while Blade is better for large bosses (like the Rancor on stage 7). If you take more than five minutes on a boss, you're either seriously underpowered, or are using the wrong weapon completely.Can't say the same for TFIII's weapon balance, since Saber obliterates everything. Saber unbalances TFIII in the same way that Free Range unbalances TFV.
And invisible bullets? If anything, it's the fast moving kamikaze enemies that get on my nerves.
I love them both about equally. TFIII was one of the first shooters I ever owned, so I'd push the bias in that direction out of nostalgia. I agree about some of the TFIV bosses taking too long to kill. I also feel personally that the music in TFIII is better. Also, TFIII has almost no slowdown by comparison. Still, I don't think it's really better -- just a slight preference. TFIV definitely is superior in the difficulty and longevity departments.
TF3 is probably mentioned because of the GORGON FLAMES and yeah, influence. I'm going to start by qualifying my opinion by saying TF3 was the first shooter I ever bought and it's one of the few shooters I'll always have around and even fewer, an old one. What TF3 does better - the opening stages are a little above TF4 in memorable style. Who can forget the GORGON FLAMES and all of the fire pillars and debris flying around in that stage. I think that's a defining moment for the series. And Gargoyle, the pushover that it is. The control feels so smooth it's basically unmatched for side-scrolling shooters. The way the game shoots out Sever with no slowdown feels great. Of course TF4 has its slowdown, which makes it flow not as smoothly. I have never tried the straightened out Saturn version.
TF3 basically feels like quick, technically flawless old school shooting with good style.
Music is about equal. Love both. Graphics could go either way. TF3 starts out really strong and has a cleaner look, while TF4 does more and tends to look rough (in a not unappealing way, but look at those mountains on stage 1 or those close-up planes on Air Raid).
But where TF4 really wins is length and challenge(s). The style is still high, the music is still great (love Ruins theme especially) and there's a hell of a lot more of it. The design is less training wheels. TF3's 7 stages to TF4's 10. And TF3's challenge starts dropping at Ellis and really takes a dive on Cerberus. This game needed to finish strong, and it doesn't. The last two stages are sadly weak. TF4 just keeps getting tougher as it goes on, as it should.
The multi-screen stages just feel more out of control manic in TF4 and the bosses feel the most "alive" of any shooter I've played. The way the boss to Dazer moves around, for instance. Probably because it has multiple screens to move around in. TF4's got BLADE and that sword charge attack thing. Winner. Up the difficulty to Mania in TF3 and it's fairly easy to 1-life it. Maniac in TF4 is much harder, crazier and awesome. Anyone claiming TF3 is harder is playing a joke on the board.
In other words:
TF3 basically feels like quick, technically flawless old school shooting with good style.
Music is about equal. Love both. Graphics could go either way. TF3 starts out really strong and has a cleaner look, while TF4 does more and tends to look rough (in a not unappealing way, but look at those mountains on stage 1 or those close-up planes on Air Raid).
But where TF4 really wins is length and challenge(s). The style is still high, the music is still great (love Ruins theme especially) and there's a hell of a lot more of it. The design is less training wheels. TF3's 7 stages to TF4's 10. And TF3's challenge starts dropping at Ellis and really takes a dive on Cerberus. This game needed to finish strong, and it doesn't. The last two stages are sadly weak. TF4 just keeps getting tougher as it goes on, as it should.
The multi-screen stages just feel more out of control manic in TF4 and the bosses feel the most "alive" of any shooter I've played. The way the boss to Dazer moves around, for instance. Probably because it has multiple screens to move around in. TF4's got BLADE and that sword charge attack thing. Winner. Up the difficulty to Mania in TF3 and it's fairly easy to 1-life it. Maniac in TF4 is much harder, crazier and awesome. Anyone claiming TF3 is harder is playing a joke on the board.
In other words:
Oh yeah, forgot about mentioning this. In TF3 Hunter ruins the game, Sever is too powerful, Wave is near useless. I use everything to great effect in TF4!The best thing about TFIV is the weapon balance, in that all the weapons are useful in any given situation.
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SheSaidDutch
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Even though I prefer TFIV, it's hard for me to outright say that it's "better" than TFIII. They're both such tremendous games. There are still some things that TFIII does better than TFIV. Nicer looking weapons. Less slowdown. Greater sense of "speed", especially in the Gorgon stage. Cooler bosses. There really isn't anything in TFIV that can compare to even the stage 1 Gargoyle boss from TFIII, IMHO.
I also liked the "fight the giant battleship in space" stage better in TF3 than 4.
I also liked the "fight the giant battleship in space" stage better in TF3 than 4.
Last edited by tehkao on Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Shatterhand
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As far as gameplay, I perfer TF IV. Mainly because as Icarus mentoned, TF IV has more of a weapon balance. There's not really a weapon in the game that can overpower the others as far a usefulness, which helps make playing it more involved by letting you figure what weapon is best for certain situations.
Also, perhaps because of the weapon balance thing, I find TF IV to be more challengeing than TF III. On the default setting, I find that TF III can pretty easy to brezze through.
As far a music, TF III wins. Sure TF IV has some classics like "Fighting Back", "Metal Squad", and such but i think TF III is more of a complete package and it has my second favorite Thunder Force song next to TF V's "Rising Blue Lightning" which is the ORN base stage's "Hunger Made Them Desperate".
Also, perhaps because of the weapon balance thing, I find TF IV to be more challengeing than TF III. On the default setting, I find that TF III can pretty easy to brezze through.
As far a music, TF III wins. Sure TF IV has some classics like "Fighting Back", "Metal Squad", and such but i think TF III is more of a complete package and it has my second favorite Thunder Force song next to TF V's "Rising Blue Lightning" which is the ORN base stage's "Hunger Made Them Desperate".
I felt the weapon balance in TF3 wasn't THAT bad. The only one that I barely use was Lancer...since having Hunter made it pretty much useless.
One problem I had with TF3 was that the boss fights were kind of unbalanced. The fact is the later TF3 bosses were extremely unforgiving, but also really weak. Thankfully the boss fights don't last long, or else you'll just get massacred. The boss fights in TF4 required more strategy. In TF3 it was just pray you kill it as fast as you can before u lose all your shields.
One problem I had with TF3 was that the boss fights were kind of unbalanced. The fact is the later TF3 bosses were extremely unforgiving, but also really weak. Thankfully the boss fights don't last long, or else you'll just get massacred. The boss fights in TF4 required more strategy. In TF3 it was just pray you kill it as fast as you can before u lose all your shields.
Claw or "Craw"? I think it's just a matter of engrish. Probably meant to be saber.it290 wrote:'Sever' or 'saber'? I always though it was 'saber'.
As for TFIII vs. TFIV, I gotta go with IV. LightENing Force! It's really nearly a toss up to me otherwise, but I love that name. I probably prefer TFV to either though.
Yeah, I like this better than Thunder Force. I don't like it when people insist on mentioning how it's spelled incorrectly every time they talk about/review the game.neojma wrote:LightENing Force! It's really nearly a toss up to me otherwise, but I love that name.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=lightening
The Gorgon stage maybe, but in general TFIV to me has a greater sense of speed. For some reason the colours of the TFIII bosses and their basic design remind me of Arrow flash/Darius II.tehkao wrote: They're both such tremendous games. There are still some things that TFIII does better than TFIV. Nicer looking weapons. Less slowdown. Greater sense of "speed", especially in the Gorgon stage. Cooler bosses. There really isn't anything in TFIV that can compare to even the stage 1 Gargoyle boss from TFIII, IMHO.
Yeah I agree some of the bossess look cooler in TFIII, but I get a greater satisfaction destroying the bossess in TFIV, the nice explosions I think add to that.
From this thread it sounds like "balancing" issues are one of the common things that seperates the two games.
It depends on which version of IV. IV sucks on Genesis because the slowdown affects the music, making it damn near unplayable to me. I've been wanting to do that 'overclock your Genesis' project just for this game.
Instead I went the lazy route and ordered the Saturn version, which should be here soon. But I read that has the crappy downsampled sound effects sadly typical of Saturn ports so overclocked Genesis will probably win.
Instead I went the lazy route and ordered the Saturn version, which should be here soon. But I read that has the crappy downsampled sound effects sadly typical of Saturn ports so overclocked Genesis will probably win.
One of the main reasons why Blade seems weak is because it's such a large shot. It so big that it's almost inaccurate. When I started out in TFIV, I used to use Blade against GargoyleDiver, and the battle took around 5 minutes to finish. The shot's size makes it impact in places that aren't actually the weakspot of your target, meaning a lot of wasted firing.it290 wrote:Anyway, speaking of weapon balance, the blade weapon in TFIV is too weak. I've been able to take out bosses more quickly using the standard twin shot than with the blade.
Blade is better for large target points, like Rancor in stage 7, the alien core in stage 8, or for attacking the chest parts of Fomalhaut, Daser's boss. FreeWay is far better for other bosses.
If I could, I'd bote for TFV, that's my favorite ThunderForce. Best weapons selection of any of the games. But III is the clear winner between it and IV.
I agree with pretty much everything Herr said, it's the stupid-long levels, especially the bosses, that kill the game for me. And maybe Icarus is right, maybe when I get around to playing the game seriously, I'll get a better understanding of which weapons to use, and the bosses will fall more easily.
But that isn't the ThunderForce I love. What I loved about TFIII and TFV was the pure, balls-to-the-walls action. Dozens, even hundreds of enemies descending on me. Me, dispensing plasma-y death by the bucket-fulls. You had to know what was coming next, but TFIV just takes it too far. The gigantic levels, it seems like you really have to know where to be. The action just doesn't seem to match up.
Sure, enemies are swarming, but what the fuck is the point if I can just scroll up three screens and be safe? Where's the damned clastrophobia? At least in Gradius games where they give you free vertical scrolling, there are gigantic suns spewing fiery dragons to avoid, or something else to avoid. I don't play shmups for wide-open spaces.
But it's the bosses in TFIV that kill it for me. Nice designs, yes, but they just seem pretty dull to fight. The battles take me forever. I've definitely spent 5 minutes wittling away at them. And most of the bosses don't seem to have many patterns. Just two or three attacks, no curve balls. Maybe this problem exists in III and V, but I blew those bastards to kingdom come long before it would become evident.
Then again, it's hard to argue with Rob's conclusion.
I agree with pretty much everything Herr said, it's the stupid-long levels, especially the bosses, that kill the game for me. And maybe Icarus is right, maybe when I get around to playing the game seriously, I'll get a better understanding of which weapons to use, and the bosses will fall more easily.
But that isn't the ThunderForce I love. What I loved about TFIII and TFV was the pure, balls-to-the-walls action. Dozens, even hundreds of enemies descending on me. Me, dispensing plasma-y death by the bucket-fulls. You had to know what was coming next, but TFIV just takes it too far. The gigantic levels, it seems like you really have to know where to be. The action just doesn't seem to match up.
Sure, enemies are swarming, but what the fuck is the point if I can just scroll up three screens and be safe? Where's the damned clastrophobia? At least in Gradius games where they give you free vertical scrolling, there are gigantic suns spewing fiery dragons to avoid, or something else to avoid. I don't play shmups for wide-open spaces.
But it's the bosses in TFIV that kill it for me. Nice designs, yes, but they just seem pretty dull to fight. The battles take me forever. I've definitely spent 5 minutes wittling away at them. And most of the bosses don't seem to have many patterns. Just two or three attacks, no curve balls. Maybe this problem exists in III and V, but I blew those bastards to kingdom come long before it would become evident.
Then again, it's hard to argue with Rob's conclusion.
You obviously haven't played much TF4 in mania mode....Sure, enemies are swarming, but what the fuck is the point if I can just scroll up three screens and be safe?
I really think mania mode is where it's at in TF4. If I had just beaten TF4 in normal, and then stopped playing it, then it would have not left much of an impression on me at all.
The true genius of the game was revealed to me when I started to try to beat it on mania...it took me almost 2 months...and when I finally did it I almost wept.
TF3>TF5>TF4>TF2
That's how it goes with me. TF3 was my introduction to the series back in August of 03, so while I wasn't exactly wowed by the visuals at the time, I was wowed by how awesome the game was in general. It's just an incredibly solid, old-school hori shooter. Those Gorgon Flames rock ass, too.
TF4 is flashy (OMFGIEZ that parallax is gorgeous), but it still has substance. One thing I didn't like too much about it was the wide range of going up and down in it, I much rather prefer the range given in previous Thunder Forces (and in TFV). TF4's a great game -- just not great enough to surpass TF3, or even surpass it's classic status.
That's how it goes with me. TF3 was my introduction to the series back in August of 03, so while I wasn't exactly wowed by the visuals at the time, I was wowed by how awesome the game was in general. It's just an incredibly solid, old-school hori shooter. Those Gorgon Flames rock ass, too.
TF4 is flashy (OMFGIEZ that parallax is gorgeous), but it still has substance. One thing I didn't like too much about it was the wide range of going up and down in it, I much rather prefer the range given in previous Thunder Forces (and in TFV). TF4's a great game -- just not great enough to surpass TF3, or even surpass it's classic status.
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dave4shmups
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I perfer TF III simply because it doesn't start out ridiculously hard. Seriously, in the first stage of TF IV you have enemies coming out of nowhere and slamming into you.
Which is why I am now trying to download that TF IV perfect replay from Icarus's bit torrent site-I wanna see how it's done properly!
Which is why I am now trying to download that TF IV perfect replay from Icarus's bit torrent site-I wanna see how it's done properly!