Psykio games - love/hate

FRO · Post by **FRO** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 7:42 pm

Is there anyone else here who has a love/hate relationship w/ Psykio shmups? Every time I sit down to play one I get sucked in and have this weird desire to continue playing...however, I end up getting pissed off at the game because of the endless fast bullet swarms & cheap deaths and credit feed just so I can beat the snot out of the boss that killed me 3 times. Does anyone else have this problem?

For instance, on Gunbird 2 (normal difficulty), I can get through the 1st 2 stages okay, but once I get into level 3 I get spanked. If I credit feed I can get to the Cave, but I get absolutely destroyed there. In Strikers 1945 II I can get through about the 1st 3 stages okay (on normal) but after that I just get my butt handed to me. Most every other Psykio shooter I play is the same way.

raiden · Post by **raiden** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:23 pm

the name is "Psikyo". And no, I don´t have the feeling you describe. Usually, I´m just awed by the level design.

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:29 pm

i don't find Psikyo games to be "cheap." i suck at them (don't think i've gotten past level 4 boss on any of them that i own) but after i've lost my credit, i can see where i went wrong. some top quality games to me.

i own: Gunbird (sat), Gunbird 2 (dc), Strikers 1945 (sat), used to have Strikers 1945 II (ps).

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:30 pm

I can relate to your feelings about Gunbird 2.

I simply LOVE the game and it's music/gameplay/graphics!
One thing I do NOT like about it is getting my ass kicked everytime I play it.
I don't blaim the game though as it is all because of my personal incompetence!

MovingTarget · Post by **MovingTarget** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:36 pm

Maybe your just giving up too easily?

sffan · Post by **sffan** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:07 pm

My skill level is about the same as yours in Gunbird 2 and Strikers 2, but I don't think the games are unfair in any way. They just get really hard, which is what arcade games are supposed to do.

MadSteelDarkness · Post by **MadSteelDarkness** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:08 pm

Heh, I have a really like/love relationship with all of their games (except Sol Divide), although I'm absolute crap at them. They never feel cheap though, as I always know exactly what I ran into.

For a week, Dragon Blaze has been handing my ass to me a few times a day, and I've been loving every minute. I'm starting to get the hang of the "Dragon Shot" thing and am doing a bit better though, but only a bit...

black mariah · Post by **black mariah** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:17 pm

Or maybe Psikyo shmups in general are just blowful. None of them feel anywhere near as polished as Raizing or Cave stuff does. The continued reuse of the same icons/bullets/etc in every damn game reeks of laziness, and there really aren't any play mechanics that differentiate one of their shmups from another. Strikers plays almost exactly like Gunbird which plays almost exactly like fuckin' AERO FIGHTERS. It doesn't have anything to do with the difficulty. I suck at all shmups, so that's a moot point.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:20 pm

black mariah wrote:Or maybe Psikyo shmups in general are just blowful. None of them feel anywhere near as polished as Raizing or Cave stuff does. The continued reuse

Just stop.

TVG · Post by **TVG** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:21 pm

i think psikyo games, and in particular gunbird 2, are very very "unfair" or "cheap" or "whorish" as you may want to call them.
but thats a big part of their charm, they arent supposed to be fair nor to take it easy on you, and if you cant stand it, you play something else

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:28 pm

I too get squashed at level 3 in Gunbird 2, and I'm very lucky to get to a 3rd level in Dragon Blaze so far (only played it a handful of times).
So what is it that makes these games so difficult, exactly, if the deaths are NOT cheap? Do these games count as manic shmups? The term 'manic' has always confused me a bit.

Anarchos · Post by **Anarchos** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:30 pm

I can relate to what you're saying even though they are my favourite developers. The trick is getting used to the fast shots and learning where they come, more so than i Caves shmups where it doesn't matter where you are, you die anyway.

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:39 pm

black mariah wrote: The continued reuse of the sameicons/bullets

I agree on this point. psikyo games all look rather similar with Explosions etc
thats MO.

MovingTarget · Post by **MovingTarget** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:39 pm

manic = chaotic

manic = massive swarms of bullets

Thats in my opinion anywy

crithit5000 · Post by **crithit5000** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:48 pm

I feel better about my abilities now (Hurray, I can usually make it to level 4 in a Psikyo game!)...

I don't find Psikyo's games to be 'cheap' really. I've grown to accept the fact that the difficulty level ramps up at the third level and that the bullet patterns tend to get obscene. But even when I die, I still realize that it was my fault and not some poor programming (Now that's a better definition of cheap).

adam76 · Post by **adam76** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:48 pm

Super Laydock wrote:I can relate to your feelings about Gunbird 2.

I simply LOVE the game and it's music/gameplay/graphics!
One thing I do NOT like about it is getting my ass kicked everytime I play it.

I hear your Gunbird 2 pain and i second it!

I'm no great shakes at shooters but this game just beats me up everytime i stick it on. I've tried blaming the DC pad, bad light and even anyone unfortunate enough to be sitting in the vicinity at the time but theres no getting away from the fact that this games just too damn hard for me! I get to 1-4 but thats as far as i get before being trapped in a corner(my most common psikyo death by the way

) by a hail of bullets. The funny thing is, that out of the whole psikyo cannon, only Gunbird 2 gives me this level of grief. I can get to stage 1-7 in both strikers1945 and Gunbird and 1-6 in Sengoku Blaede but i feel that i've got scope for improvement in all of them. With GB2 i just don't feel like i make any progress at all. All that happens is i die another lazy death, lose 'me rag and launch into another "how all psikyo games are all the bloody same" rant. Then i go put strikers on...

TWITCHDOCTOR · Post by **TWITCHDOCTOR** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:49 pm

Nope, I've been a Psikyo fan since Strikers 1945 first came out.
Well, I guess you could say a "love/hate" because I consider Sol-Divide to pretty much SUCK! While I enjoy all the others.

Gunbird 2 is a really tough one. I can get to stage 5, but I haven't really been playing much lately. I'm sure I can improve with some dedicated play.
Strikers45 I can get to stage 8, all the others either around there, but I can at least get to stage 5 on a bad day.

Psikyo is one of my favorite developers...then again, I have many favorites.

BTW: I play em "full blast"...meaning grabbing all powerups and shooting everything on site. This WILL make the game more challenging. Try playing while only grabbing two powerups, as the game will adjust itself to match your current firepower level.
Personally, most of the time, I really cannot see the difference though.
Some bullets will be slower when powered down.
If you have to "power down", just bump into anything other than a bullet, as planes won't kill you.
(You're thinking, Wow! Sounds easier already! I LOVE IT!!!)

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:02 pm

Psikyo are really one company who's shmups I don't get tired off, even though almost all of them (save a few like the Zero Gunner series) that I don't get tired off. IMO, they do a VERY good job of balancing old-school blast-em-up gameplay with bullet hell gameplay.

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:39 pm

Rob wrote: Just stop.

I second that.

Ex_Mosquito · Post by **Ex_Mosquito** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:41 pm

Psikyo are one of my fav game developers. No gimmick scoring systems just pure gameplay. Am i the only one who prefer Psikyo over Cave?

Nemo · Post by **Nemo** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:41 pm

The only way someone can truly hate Psikyo games is if they suck at them. Unlike a lot of games with overly-complex or burdesome scoring systems, Psikyo games are instantly acessible because the main objective is to simply stay alive. Most of their games are pretty balanced as well, so none of them are "impossible" and if you put forth continued effort you should make continued progress.

OmegaFlareX · Post by **OmegaFlareX** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:49 pm

black mariah wrote:None of them feel anywhere near as polished as Raizing or Cave stuff does.

Who gives a fuck? They're fun to play, that's all that matters.

Unlike some other shmups in my library, I know I can 1CC Strikers 1, because I always die with 3 or 4 bombs in stock. I'm going to go play it now.

LoneSage · Post by **LoneSage** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:50 pm

I don't have a love-hate relationship with Psikyo -- just a love one.

black mariah · Post by **black mariah** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 12:18 am

Rob and CMoon: I'll stop as soon as one of you licks my balls. Deal?

The fact is that Psikyo games are dead generic shooters that haven't changed much in formula since before the company was even founded. It's less like Psikyo's been making new games and more like they've been slowly implementing new features into the same one.

Gunbird 2 is an excellent Aero Fighters expansion pack.

OmegaFlareX wrote: Who gives a fuck? They're fun to play, that's all that matters.

I give a fuck because lack of polish means lack of interesting gameplay. It's like Psikyo haven't realized that this is not 1991 and they can go beyond "move and shoot".

The Bullet Dodger · Post by **The Bullet Dodger** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 12:39 am

Psikyo shmups, to me, are just straight up no holds barred, no nonsense shmups. And that is truly why most people out there find them to be just plain cheap. You ever notice in most of them, after you beat a level, you just go right to the next?

No fansy cut scenes or anything; just move on to the next level and test your dodging abilities. Psikyo shmups will always be some of my favorites for this reason alone. They're simple, adrenaline rushed, fast paced and unforgiving. I love 'em.

TWITCHDOCTOR · Post by **TWITCHDOCTOR** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 12:50 am

black mariah wrote:Rob and CMoon: I'll stop as soon as one of you licks my balls. Deal?

The fact is that Psikyo games are dead generic shooters that haven't changed much in formula since before the company was even founded. It's less like Psikyo's been making new games and more like they've been slowly implementing new features into the same one.

Gunbird 2 is an excellent Aero Fighters expansion pack.

OmegaFlareX wrote: Who gives a fuck? They're fun to play, that's all that matters.
I give a fuck because lack of polish means lack of interesting gameplay. It's like Psikyo haven't realized that this is not 1991 and they can go beyond "move and shoot".

Thats pretty funny Blacky, but don't you think its a bit harsh?
I mean, "Lick my Balls" and all.
Dude, I have a neighbor you need to meet!!!

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 12:55 am

black mariah wrote: I give a **** because lack of polish means lack of interesting gameplay. It's like Psikyo haven't realized that this is not 1991 and they can go beyond "move and shoot".

Since when did old school style equal lack of polish (rethorical)? It's impossible to sum up all old school games in one sentance. Many older games have plenty of strategy beyond moving and shooting. R-Type I and II have their force pod, Gaiares has the stealing weapons, Twinbee has the bells, Gradius has the power up bar, etc.

BTW, I love Psyiko games becuase of their simiplicity and fun gameplay. Not every Psyiko game is the same either. Zero Gunner 2, Dragon Blaze, and Sol Divide are great examples of this, though it's general opinion that Sol Divide isn't very good.

black mariah · Post by **black mariah** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:07 am

BrianC wrote: Since when did old school style equal lack of polish (rethorical)? It's impossible to sum up all old school games in one sentance. Even many older games have plenty of strategy beyond moving and shooting. R-Type I and II have their force pod, Gaiares has the stealing weapons, Twinbee has the bells, Gradius has the power up bar, etc.

The early 90's were generic Raiden knockoff heaven, remember? Move. Shoot. Get Bored. Play Sonic. All the games you mentioned (save Gaiares) are older than that. And horizontal... hori fan, I'm guessing?

It annoys me that Psikyo is held in such high regard when they've basically made the same damn game a dozen times.

TWITCHDOCTOR wrote: Thats pretty funny Blacky, but don't you think its a bit harsh?
I mean, "Lick my Balls" and all.
Dude, I have a neighbor you need to meet!!!

Methinks the good doctor is on to something. I haven't seen a forum with this little sense of humour... and I post on Slashdot.

TWITCHDOCTOR · Post by **TWITCHDOCTOR** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:12 am

Actually, its very funny!
Read my "Should have played R-Type..." thread in the Off Topic section to get the whole joke...sadly, its all on you.

BTW: My post wasen't a joke, but with all this "Lick my Balls" type talk, well it triggered a bad memory.

black mariah · Post by **black mariah** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:30 am

TWITCHDOCTOR wrote: BTW: My post wasen't a joke, but with all this "Lick my Balls" type talk, well it triggered a bad memory.

Just remember... if you're pitching you aren't gay. You're just playing pretend.

Although that reply was probably better suited to the thread you're referring to.