What SHMUPS are actually "too short"?

[evil_ash_xero]

This is a criticism I see show up in way too many reviews(don't they realize you're supposed to play these in one sitting?), and I usually disagree, but there are a few that I find are too short.

Psyvariar's stages are way too short. I've been playing Giga Wing 2 lately, and it could've benefitted from a stage or two more. Psikyo's game's stages are too short.

Any others you guys think are actually too short?

s/m

[spadgy]

This is a criticism I see show up in way too many reviews(don't they realize you're supposed to play these in one sitting?), and I usually disagree, but there are a few that I find are too short.

Psyvariar's stages are way too short. I've been playing Giga Wing 2 lately, and it could've benefitted from a stage or two more. Psikyo's game's stages are too short.

Any others you guys think are actually too short?

s/m

I love Pysvariar, but kind of agree. However, I think the number of different 'difficulty stages' makes up for it for me.

Frankly, I like 'em short in most cases, and prefer a little too short to a little too long...

[ForceDevice]

Radiant Silvergun. NOT

Seriously now, all one-looped games by Cave are too short for me. Why do they all have to last for only five levels? ._.

Psyvariar 1 and 2 aren't exactly lengthy games either. And many Psikyo games have some extremely short levels here and there.

[Ruldra]

I'd say games with short, intense runs are much better than long ones. Shmups requires a lot of concentration, and playing for too long is very exhausting.

It takes like an hour to clear a loop in Gradius V, and each following loop demands even more concentration from you. At some point you have to stop and rest before going on. Not because it loops indefinitely, but because you simply can't concentrate anymore.

This takes the fun out of the game sometimes.

[markedkiller78]

I’m with Spadgy. I prefer levels to be a little too short rather than little too long. I just plane hate very long levels. APB has a perfect balance of speed & length for me.

I enjoy 5 credits on APB, which equates to roughly 30 – 40 mins, over 2 Credits on Esp Rade which takes me at least 40 mins.

These are 2 of my favourite games so they are easy to compare.

Psyvariaris’ levels are too short imo, but really long levels become a chore and when that happens I just stop playing. There is a fine line.

[FIL]

All doujins.

[evil_ash_xero]

Ah, and I wish Shikigami No Shiro' 2's levels were longer. I JUST started playing that game now, and it's something I noticed. Nice atmosphere.

s/m

[FIL]

Well Shiki II's levels are short but they're split into 2 parts. So its either 10 tiny levels or 5 regular length ones with a break in the middle.

[evil_ash_xero]

I've only made it to the 5th level(I guess). It's the one that two guys in armor with swords as the bosses. Is that only level 5 of 10? If that's the case, that's pretty cool.

s/m

[Ganelon]

Tiny Phalanx

[professor ganson]

I couldn't disagree more: Shiki II and Psikyo level designs are near perfect as far as length goes (and in general). I love intense but short. (Shiki III is perhaps a better example of this than Shiki II.)

For too short, I'd say Platypus PSP is a good example of a game with levels that are too short. The game is plenty long with 30 levels, but the levels are tiny. What's odd, though, is that, as short as they are, they almost feel too long because they are not varied enough. At least this is true in the opening levels.

[Twiddle]

too long is more of a problem than too short

[evil_ash_xero]

I've only made it to the 5th level(I guess). It's the one that has a girl and a guy in armor with swords as the bosses. Is that only level 5 of 10? If that's the case, that's pretty cool.

s/m

I just noticed that this game has the whole 1-1, 1-2 thing going on, which makes my point moot.

I stand by the Psikyo statement, and especially the Psyvariar. Way too short. It's like a snack.

Too long is bad too, but I think we can certainly find a happy middleground.

s/m

[MX7]

Shiki 2 seems too long for me... Every time I try to get into it, the level ends and the action is broken. Think I might try and get back into it.

[Twiddle]

The problem isn't stages, but the total time of a play. I find myself less annoyed with multilooping games if the average loop lasts 15-20 minutes in length. If there isn't a loop, 20-35 minutes is acceptable.

[Macaw]

WTF I WANT AT LEAST 50 HOURS PLAYTIME OR I ASK FOR MY MONEY BACK

[spadgy]

The problem isn't stages, but the total time of a play. I find myself less annoyed with multilooping games if the average loop lasts 15-20 minutes in length. If there isn't a loop, 20-35 minutes is acceptable.

I absolutely agree...

[orange]

i wouldn't have minded an extra level or two at the end of gradius 1

[DefaultGen]

I suck at shooters so this isn't a problem for me

[professor ganson]

I stand by the Psikyo statement... Way too short. It's like a snack.

I guess for a better player with a better memory for patterns, this could make sense. I just don't get it myself, though. In Gunbird 2 there are already too many ways that things can go wrong. Longer stages would just increase the number of ways I might screw things up.

[elfhentaifan]

Idinaloq only has 4 Stages.

[kengou]

The only reason mainstream game reviewers claim that shmups are "too short" is because they credit-feed to the end and then say "ok, I beat it." I've rarely found a shmup that was too short (considering I've only 1cc'd a few easy ones). Some are way too long (Silvergun, Gradius V), but still, if you don't credit-feed, any shmup can last you 20-30 hours before you 1CC it, which coincided perfectly with the average length of most mainstream games. The entire complaint comes from the inexperience of the mainstream game reviewers.

[CIT]

I always thought Thunder Force V could've used one more stage.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The only reason mainstream game reviewers claim that shmups are "too short" is because they credit-feed to the end and then say "ok, I beat it." I've rarely found a shmup that was too short (considering I've only 1cc'd a few easy ones). Some are way too long (Silvergun, Gradius V), but still, if you don't credit-feed, any shmup can last you 20-30 hours before you 1CC it, which coincided perfectly with the average length of most mainstream games. The entire complaint comes from the inexperience of the mainstream game reviewers.

And thus the mainstream game reviewers don't respect the honor and hard work that goes into such a 1CC effort of said shmup game...sure, with enough practice, it can be done. The real question is: how long will it take? If it takes a few weeks or a year or two, so be it...

The hard-core shmupper will dismiss whatever the mainstream game reviewers have to say about "X" shmup game review because the version that he or she will have reviewed will be the domestic version and not the import version. In some cases, the import version is really the only home console release in the first place (in regards to the shmup genre)...

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[spadgy]

The only reason mainstream game reviewers claim that shmups are "too short" is because they credit-feed to the end and then say "ok, I beat it." I've rarely found a shmup that was too short (considering I've only 1cc'd a few easy ones). Some are way too long (Silvergun, Gradius V), but still, if you don't credit-feed, any shmup can last you 20-30 hours before you 1CC it, which coincided perfectly with the average length of most mainstream games. The entire complaint comes from the inexperience of the mainstream game reviewers.

Some mainstream game reviewers know their shmups but in general you're absolutely right!

[FIL]

I'd like to think its not as elitist as that. Its more that they credit feed through it once under the impression that its all the game has to offer when we all know that simply isn't true.

EDIT: that was to pc engine fan x btw, ^_^~

[BIL]

The hard-core shmupper will dismiss whatever the mainstream game reviewers have to say about "X" shmup game review because the version that he or she will have reviewed will be the domestic version and not the import version. In some cases, the import version is really the only home console release in the first place (in regards to the shmup genre)...

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

I've honestly never seen this complaint among shooter players, man. The usual "I credit-fed it in 30 minutes, therefore it's short and easy" whipping boy really has nothing to do with a game's region.

two edits: ignoring drastic refits like the Gunbird / Shikigami cases, and also not to suggest with "whipping boy" that the credit feed=easy mentality should not be criticised.

[Rob]

Psikyo's game's stages are too short.

You don't get Psikyo.

[Ozymandiaz1260]

I guess I don't get Psikyo either I love their games but whenever I play a new one I almost always think that the boss is really just a mid-boss, and then end up surprised when I'm already flying into the next level.

[Shatterhand]

Can you 1cc it? If you can't then shut up.