Which type of gamelayout do you like in your shmup?

Arvandor · Post by **Arvandor** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:33 am

I generally prefer space shooters, but fantasy is a definate close (very close) second, and war shooters, while my least favorite setting, still has alot of shooters that I love to play ALOT.

J-Manic · Post by **J-Manic** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:58 am

Space shooters, because I love techno in my shmups. And space shmups seem to all have nice techno/synthesizer OSTs. That and I feel that space shmups have the most unique and cool looking weapons, bosses, and level designs.

howmuchkeefe · Post by **howmuchkeefe** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:50 pm

It was a close call between 'Space' and 'Fantasy' for me, but I picked 'Fantasy'. There are so many sweet fantasy titles, and they're generally more colorful and interesting to look at than some of the 'War' and 'Space' shooters I've played.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:37 pm

I like this thread a lot, and feel a duty to bump it once a year.

BIL · Post by **BIL** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:46 pm

Most of the shooters I've played extensively are of the Space variety (Rayforce, Metal Black, Darius Gaiden, Gradius II, Gaiden and V), but I adore earthy, brutally explosive military shooters; the most recent for me being Under Defeat. I love Raiden's overall series aesthetic (pre space stages)... the enormous, volcanic craters that get detonated into the ground by the first bosses' collective demise epitomise what I like. Under Defeat's second boss destruction is another magic moment. More stylised warring games like the DDP series and Garegga have always appealed to me, too.

Veracity · Post by **Veracity** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:02 am

Poll is possibly missing too many options - Aerial loli (is that cute 'em up?) and Abstract (rare, admittedly), at least.

Don't have a really strong preference for any theme, but some are likely to put me off a bit. War (WWII or modern/near-future) is a bit bleh: it's all a bit brown and khaki, and I think I really might be stupid enough to get a bit po-faced about it glorifying war, despite (a) so do at least space shooters, and (b) it really doesn't, anyway, since it's a flipping puzzle game that just happens to use sprites of tanks and helicopters. Contrary to many, I find biomech (Giger/R-Type) pretty tired, more in video games and schlock sci-fi generally than shooters in particular. And Tolkien/Gygax/elf boobs fantasy makes me

. Guess that leaves Space by elimination, of the available choices.

Abstract is nice - wish more devs would exploit that angle. Also have a bit of a weakness for steampunk-ish style, though I don't think I've seen anything that goes really all-out steam and clockwork. Thematic consistency counts for a ton - I'd take Gradius V over 80s platformer ice level/fire level/water level shite every time, which makes me easy prey to lazy recycling of a handful of enemy designs. Then again, Dragon Blaze has an utterly throwaway fantasy setting, clearly themed stages, and is among the best looking games ever. Meh, I dunno.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:34 am

Veracity wrote:Poll is possibly missing too many options - Aerial loli (is that cute 'em up?) and Abstract (rare, admittedly), at least.

Abstract? Interesting. Too bad more shmups don't fit this description. That early Takumi game is a bit abstract, and there's a level in Radiant Silvergun in orange that also comes to mind.

Veracity wrote: Dragon Blaze is among the best looking games ever.

shmups.system11.org

Which type of gamelayout do you like in your shmup?

which do you prefer?