Espgaluda II

[corbie]

Can anyone give me an estimate on what an Espgaluda II kit costs as well as a loose PCB. Also, is this game as brutally difficult as it looks in videos? The Espgaluda series is one of the few shooter series I have little to no experience with. Just curious how the games compare to other Cave shmups.

[Necronopticous]

On a purely functional level, Espgaluda is probably one of the simplest and most accessible Cave games out there. The scoring system is very intuitive and generally goes hand-in-hand with survival play on a basic level. Switching to Kakusei mode dramatically slows down bullet patterns and allows you to cancel them out while also providing the additional safety of an automatic bomb if you get hit. The bomb button can be held down to create a shield or used quickly in a pinch. Aside from a brutal final attack phase from the last boss, it is one of the most penetrable 1CCs under the Cave umbrella. Upper-bracket scoring is a different story, requiring taking advantage of a massively bloated potential end-game bonus that essentially eclipses the actual scoring system. Kind of bullshit.

Espgaluda II is significantly more difficult than the original. There is a new layer to just about every aspect of the game, making it harder to pick up and survive the stages. Scoring has become extremely complex with the addition of the Zesshikai mode. If you have a bit of experience with the scoring of the original game it isn't quite as daunting to figure out, but will still take some studying and a lot of practice. A dissertation could be written on the intricacies of the scoring system in this game. I find this installment to have a lot more lasting appeal and charm than the original, though they are both very fun games.

I would guess that an Espgaluda II pcb would run you about $500 bare, or $600-$650 with a full kit. That estimate may be a bit out of date, though.

[Skykid]

If you enjoyed the original, you'll still be in love with Galuda 2 despite it being more difficult. The zesshikai is fantastic to toy with and score boost, but its use is entirely optional, meaning you can stick with normal kakusei mode and play for score and survival if you prefer - it's a much easier method all round.
The game is more difficult no doubt, but you'll first hit major problems on the stage four boss - prior to that it's not so bad. Conserving bomb energy and gems for tough situations will see you through.
It's not Daioujou difficult but it is tough (you'll get your moneys worth from it, put it that way.)

Importantly though, it's an incredible shmup experience. The amount of action makes the first game seem pedestrian by comparison, and the visuals and audio are some of the best Cave has ever produced. It's a real treat.

I'd say Necro's price estimation sounds about right too - for some reason Galuda's aren't so dear, despite being some of the best Cave has on offer.

[system11]

It may be more difficult (especially the last boss I'm told which I can't quite reach), but from a survival player point of view it has a nearly perfect correlation between risk and reward. You can play it just to enjoy it, and as you feel more comfortable with certain sections you can start to sacrifice some of that safety and learn to pull points from them instead.

[emphatic]

it has a nearly perfect correlation between risk and reward.

In my book it even wins over the "point blank for 5-chip" of Ketsui. I love ESPGALUDA and feel it should be in any shmup fan's collection.

[Runefaust]

it even wins over the "point blank for 5-chip" of Ketsui.

Absolutely not But Espy 2 is a fantastic game anyway. Go get it and you will be happy for a long time.

[emphatic]

it even wins over the "point blank for 5-chip" of Ketsui.

Absolutely not But Espy 2 is a fantastic game anyway. Go get it and you will be happy for a long time.

I was referring to ESPGALUDA and not ESPGALUDA II. Ketsui is much more forgiving point-wise to a casual player though.

[Runefaust]

I knew. I am a casual player

[Dave_K.]

If you enjoyed the original, you'll still be in love with Galuda 2 despite it being more difficult. The zesshikai is fantastic to toy with and score boost, but its use is entirely optional, meaning you can stick with normal kakusei mode and play for score and survival if you prefer - it's a much easier method all round.

I couldn't get far using just normal kakusei mode. Boss patterns are just too long and difficult, requiring you get more extends in the first few stages via zesshikai. I would rate this game as frustrating as DOJ, and think most people on the forum here (who like to "blow shit up") are not going to enjoy it. This one requires a whole lot of strategy before playing.

[kernow]

I'm currently borrowing it and while its very pretty and that, I still prefer the first for its comparative simplicity, plus the music is better. its a very nice game though. I can't score for the life of me however.

[Jockel]

I'm currently borrowing it and while its very pretty and that, I still prefer the first for its comparative simplicity, plus the music is better. its a very nice game though. I can't score for the life of me however.

100% agree

[Skykid]

If you enjoyed the original, you'll still be in love with Galuda 2 despite it being more difficult. The zesshikai is fantastic to toy with and score boost, but its use is entirely optional, meaning you can stick with normal kakusei mode and play for score and survival if you prefer - it's a much easier method all round.

I couldn't get far using just normal kakusei mode. Boss patterns are just too long and difficult, requiring you get more extends in the first few stages via zesshikai. I would rate this game as frustrating as DOJ, and think most people on the forum here (who like to "blow shit up") are not going to enjoy it. This one requires a whole lot of strategy before playing.

Hmm, I don't completely agree with that, although I personally take advantage of the zesshikai in the first three stages. I did learn to get an extend by the end of the first stage using zesshikai, and if you carry on in that way you'll normally have another at the end of stage 2. I tend to find these a bit early compared to most shmups. If you play kakusei, you can get extend 1 + the hidden life on stage three, and if you play safe should expect another by the end of stage 5 - a pretty natural progression.

I don't find DOJ frustrating, just tough. The same with E2 - it's so nice to play I don't mind dying and starting over.

Kern is right, the music is better in the original on the whole, but that certainly doesn't make the soundtrack bad. It's got some highlights, particularly stage 3.

[TLB]

Gal 2 is one of the few CAVE ports I'm actually holding out for; I was planning on eventually getting a bare board until the port was announced.

As for DOJ being frustrating...not really. Nowhere near as frustrating as Ibara, at least >_>

[evil_ash_xero]

For you guys who say that DOJ isn't frustrating....FUCK YOU!

Sorry, just jealousy.

[Momijitsuki]

For you guys who say that DOJ isn't frustrating....FUCK YOU!

Sorry, just jealousy.

*agree*

I'd love to try ESPGaluda II, if not only for Zesshikai mode.

At this point, I'm more excited to play Mushi Futari and Ibara, both of which I will have soon.

[Skykid]

For you guys who say that DOJ isn't frustrating....FUCK YOU!

Sorry, just jealousy.

Don't get me wrong, DOJ is painfully hard - it's just a good kind of pain.

[TLB]

For you guys who say that DOJ isn't frustrating....FUCK YOU!

Sorry, just jealousy. :(

Don't get me wrong, DOJ is painfully hard - it's just a good kind of pain.

Not really that painful...Not like Ibara >_>

Seriously though, it's no different from learning to play DDP. It's just a little bit more intense. Practice mode is your friend, I guess. Put the rank to 3/4 or max.

[kernow]

20.7 mill I suck

I've watched a couple of superplays and it seems you can activate the new mode after you had 250 gems, no gold, I thought you could only do it with both. I guess I should read the discussion thread again.

[Gwyrgyn Blood]

20.7 mill I suck

I've watched a couple of superplays and it seems you can activate the new mode after you had 250 gems, no gold, I thought you could only do it with both. I guess I should read the discussion thread again.

You are correct, you must have gold to use it.

[kernow]

How come in the start of this superplay video I'm watching he just hoards gems for a while to get to just over 250 gems, and 0 gold, and then goes into Zesshikai and cleans up 4million. I don't get it.

http://super-play.co.uk/file.php/432/UN ... viving.avi

[Gwyrgyn Blood]

Link me to a vid of it or tell me which superplay, I'll take a look.

Edit: Whoops okay gimme a minute.

[Gwyrgyn Blood]

He's not entering into Zesshikai at all. Notice you don't get the screen distortion effect or the extra noise, the multiplier caps at 100x, bullets aren't respawning, and he's getting gold from it.

[kernow]

oh right, sorry, silly me. I've never seen them fire that many bullets though when just entering kakusei. Hmm. I guess I'll have to try again later. Cheers.

I still don't get it, the bullets start following him around, does it do this in kakusei also? I never noticed it.

edit: no they don't I'm just being blind. god I suck, apologies.

christ this games confusing - its later on in that level he uses it.

[Skykid]

oh right, sorry, silly me. I've never seen them fire that many bullets though when just entering kakusei. Hmm. I guess I'll have to try again later. Cheers.

I still don't get it, the bullets start following him around, does it do this in kakusei also? I never noticed it.

edit: no they don't I'm just being blind. god I suck, apologies.

christ this games confusing - its later on in that level he uses it.

Yeah, only Zesshikai has bullets following you around, and every time you kill an enemy they increase in number. It's a risk/reward gamble, a brush with death. Dangerous but damn fun.

[kernow]

wow, thats impossible, I can't even get the enemies to produce the same bullet patterns in the start of that video - haha!

it seems you have to shoot them or something before they start producing bullets from the sides, but its only a couple more shots until they die. geh. more practice I guess.

[Gwyrgyn Blood]

After a bit of damage the side guns on those ships pop off and they start shitting out the spirals of bullets. It requires some practice but it's not too hard. Basically all of your points in stage 1 come from them so you need to get them down.

The thing about Zesshikai respawned bullets are that they are completely predictable and controllable. So even though more bullets keep showing up, as long as you herd them the right way or just keep canceling them they're not really much of a threat. The bigger problem is that they can obscure your vision a lot of the time. :I

[kernow]

Thanks for the tip I'll give it a go later.

[RGC]

The real buzz comes from flying through a partially formed Zesshikai bullet cloud, and surviving! None of this ducking and weaving around the projectile hoards nonsense, go right through the fucking middle - let them cleanse you! I really miss this game now.

[Skykid]

The real buzz comes from flying through a partially formed Zesshikai bullet cloud, and surviving! None of this ducking and weaving around the projectile hoards nonsense, go right through the fucking middle - let them cleanse you! I really miss this game now.

Yeah man, that's it! Just be brave and crash through them, kill something and head back into em again. Really fun.

Kern, there are two exploits using those flying craft on stage 1 which involve popping their wings off so they spew bullets (it's two taps of the shot button on each to do this). On the first set you can kakusei, and on the second set (which turn up after the mid boss) you zesshikai to get the first extend.

Or, as Mulletgeezer demonstrated, kakusei the first set, and when the midboss turns up charge your bomb to just under half and let him have it point blank. You'll kill the mid boss so early that about 3 more of those things turn up. If you can pop the wings off and zesshikai that lot you'll be in points heaven.
This is the toughest method I've seen though, I normally stick to the first one.

[kernow]

Thanks, the first method is what I've been trying, getting there but not getting anywhere near an extend on the first level yet. Saw level 4 for the first time last night. I'm tempted to sell the first galuda and get this one, but mmhh. I dunno yet. Both are great.