Any of these budget PS2 titles worth the purchase?

[Danbo]

I don't like puzzles, I don't like grazing mechanics at all (at all), I don't like static backgrounds that look like they could have been prerendered and then played back under the action (this 3-1? you kidding me?)

But all I was really saying was that they remind me of Touhou, and that's either a good or a bad thing depending on who you are.

[Kollision]

Less good music? The music in Level 2 is some of my favorite in any game. I'm afraid your remark here betrays very poor taste.

That's something harsh to say about someone's fondness for game music.
I agree with Daxter. Overrated game, and very average (borderline boring in the first stages) music IMO. Musicwise I'll take MM and GW over Shiki 2 anytime (I've yet to play Shiki 1/3).

[professor ganson]

You guys haven't made a single interesting criticism of Shiki 2. You just don't like scoring mechanics that make you think or music that is very Japanese. Fine. Then Shiki 2 is not the game for you. That doesn't mean it's not a good game. DDP DOJ is not the game for me, but I don't think I've ever said anything bad about it. That would be stupid.

[Kollision]

I didn't mean to say it was bad. I just think it's overrated.

Good things I can say about Shikigami No Shiro II are the extremely high challenge level, a few boss confrontations that are really cool (3-1 comes to mind) and intricate yet beautiful bullet patterns. But I'm being honest here, that wasn't enough to get my blood pumping - and I blame the music for that (even with the rearranged soundtrack...).

[third_strike]

Shikigami no Shiro don't have one CAVE logo in tittle screen or Type A/Type B in select character screen but have 3 very good games and worth for get.
The 1st version is the best (this have one wonderful sound track ) I have played this monthly, indeed I played it during one week in last month and saved one good 3,7 billion run in my XBOX. I hope share this run when I get any time for encode it.
Cool!

[Danbo]

You guys haven't made a single interesting criticism of Shiki 2. You just don't like scoring mechanics that make you think or music that is very Japanese. Fine. Then Shiki 2 is not the game for you. That doesn't mean it's not a good game. DDP DOJ is not the game for me, but I don't think I've ever said anything bad about it. That would be stupid.

Quit flying off the handle because someone doesn't have sunshine lasers and flower bullets beaming out of their arse about your favourite game. I'm not objective, everything I said about the game was punctuated with "I think" or "I (don't) like". Objectively speaking, it's one of the more polished shmups available to buy in Western regions and the OP could do a lot worse than Shiki 2. Subjectively speaking, to me (!!) it feels too sparse and just doesn't have the pull to be enjoyable.

Also tons of people would agree that, for instance, DOJ's strict chaining is a really bad thing while they still love the game because they are sane human beings who can handle a criticism of something they had no hand in making.

[professor ganson]

Flying off the handle? I said that you don't have any good criticisms of the game. I'm not emotional about it. I just enjoy talking about Shiki 2 because, as you said, it's one of my favorite games.

If I'm annoyed about anything, it's that it slipped from the top 25 this year. Wasn't it in the top 10 at one point? More discussion of Shiki 2 is a good thing because people seem to have forgotten about it this past year.

[Rozyrg]

I could simply never get into it. I always figured it was because of it's 'tiny people as ships' and 'tiny people as bosses' thing which usually just makes me go . The grazing thing too... blech.

Other than that, it seemed like a cool little shmup. Nice music, nice weapon variety, all that good stuff, just not my cup of tea.

[ZOM]

The grazing thing too... blech.

But... but, that's the COOL part!

[bucklemyshoe]

My biggest issue with Shiki II is enemy placement ...but honestly there isn't a single thing I like about it. I've tried again and again to find something good with the game but just couldn't.

[professor ganson]

My biggest issue with Shiki II is enemy placement ...but honestly there isn't a single thing I like about it. I've tried again and again to find something good with the game but just couldn't.

Enemy placement in the game is largely driven by the scoring system-- the designers made creative use of the scoring system in distributing enemies and bullet patterns. I suppose if you don't get into the scoring, though, then things may seem oddly distributed. Not sure.

[professor ganson]

One more thing: I really can't believe that you couldn't find *anything* to like about the game. How can one not like Kim2's shiki attack? That has to be one of the coolest weapons in any game.

[Dale]

One more thing: I really can't believe that you couldn't find *anything* to like about the game. How can one not like Kim2's shiki attack? That has to be one of the coolest weapons in any game.

I know, the outfits, the level one music, absorbing bullets when the bosses die, gold suction. Let's be real now.

[tsuruki]

The feeling that people buy the mass indentical thing is utterly similar with that when you spend your money for shmup released on ps2.

Why didn't buy more unique shmup?

[professor ganson]

The feeling that people buy the mass indentical thing is utterly similar with that when you spend your money for shmup released on ps2.

Why didn't buy more unique shmup?

What are you getting at, exactly?