PS2 Nightshade rocks!!!....

[dave4shmups]

I was trading in some games at my local GameCrazy, and I picked up PS2 Nightshade, used. What an awesome game!! They recommend that you not use the default control scheme as a beginner, but I personally find the controls VERY responsive and easy to learn.

I sure would love to get PS2 Shinobi, if it's as good as Nightshade! Does it pretty much control the same?

BTW, who the heck are MPEG Sofdec, and ADX? This is the first non-shmup game that I've seen their logos appear on; before that it was just on some DC shmups.

Lastly, while I was at GameCrazy, I did test-play PS1 Mega Man Legends. VERY nice action RPG, IMO. The graphics were great for a PS1 game, and the left and right turning, combined with the shooting in the game, reminded me of Xybots!

[it290]

MPEG Sofdec is just what it sounds like. A software decoder for MPEG files. ADX is a technology to use streaming images and sounds in games... Space Channel 5 would be a good example. Both are used in a whole bunch of Sega games.

[Ganelon]

Yeah, the 2 games control similarly. Shinobi is definitely harder though. Don't find the combo-focused games very interesting though.

You'll be seeing a lot of ADX and Sofdec on the PS2...

[LoneSage]

Shinobi is definitely harder though.

Heh, I hear a lot of people say that, but I must be the only guy who thinks the opposite. In the PS2 Shinobi (one of my favorite 3D action games ever and one of my favorite games of all time), I beat it in 2 days on Normal and just a few more on Hard -- definitely awesome gaming experiences. I honestly had little to no trouble with the camera and controls, and I didn't mind the bland backgrounds until my third playthrough of it.

Glad to see someone enjoying Nightshade, Dave! It is a great game, the opening level on the back of that stealth bomber was killer. The music is great (still retains that techno sound from PS2 Shinobi), unfortunately I was very disappointed to see no original Japanese voice options as there had been in Shinobi The English voice acting in both games sucked, that's one thing I didn't like.

Dave, try to Tate all the bosses! I made a promise to myself to tate every boss when I played Nightshade; sometimes I killed a boss sans-Tateing and forced myself to re-start. It's a great feeling, and just kick-ass awesome to see. In fact, try to Tate every demon in that game, tates are so awesome.

PS2 Shinobi is my fave in the Shinobi series, so be sure to check that out after you beat Nightshade.

[dave4shmups]

What's the difference between a normal kill and a tate?

[benstylus]

for a tate, you kill an enemy after turning it on its side.



no actually, if you kill all the enemies in an area within a short period of time (for bosses, this means you have to wait until their help shows up), you get a special little "cutscene" where you put away your weapon stylishly and everyone dies at once.

They're fun to look at.

And tate-ing a boss gives huge points.

[incognoscente]

Each successive strike in a Tate sequence increases in damage as well. Start with small fries and progressively work your way up the totem pole within a Tate and you can take out large enemies with only one hit. There are times in either game (Shinobi or Nightshade) where this is imperative or nearly so.

[CecilMcW00t]

Nightshade was insane with its 30 enemy tate! O_o

Shinobi maxed out at like 8 IIRC??