Xbox 360: Mushihimesama Futari 1.5 (November 2009)

[Udderdude]

Question for anyone intimately familiar with BL Original: I see the Achievement for bringing the total counter up to 100k. 100k?!? It seems virtually unreachable to me. How far do you have to go, assuming no-miss and no-bomb, to get it that high?

Yes it is possible, the counter maxes at 999,999 but it's really impossible to get that high.

There are replays on the leaderboard right now that bring the counter up to and above 100,000, so you can even watch how they do it.

Protip: over 50% of the final score is earned in level 5 ..

[emphatic]

I smell the rage of jealousy.

[Damocles]

1.01 IS 1.00. They just un-broke it.

Odd...for some reason I thought 1.00 Original used the scoring system of the first Mushi Original.

[Udderdude]

1.01 IS 1.00. They just un-broke it.

Odd...for some reason I thought 1.00 Original used the scoring system of the first Mushi Original.

You can read a good account of what 1.0 was like from EOJ's review.

http://www.cave-stg.com/reviews/mf.html

[Momijitsuki]

tl;dr: I lost all respect for CAVE because I wasn't satisfied with a ~$15 purchase

Get over it.

What you're clearly failing to comprehend is that the BL PCB costs much, much more than approximately a measly $15 of DLC, and the fact that it's now available to be easily accessible and affordable to anyone with the game is extreme generosity on CAVE's part, despite whether or not you enjoyed it. You're being ridiculously petty, and you are by far in the minority when it comes to dissatisfaction. And if you think BL is more of the same just because it looks the same, you're missing out on the differences in BL's scoring systems, which are quite different than 1.5's system, and therefore the main draw to Black Label to begin with-- and if you didn't already know that, it's your own goddamn fault for not doing your research beforehand. Don't go blaming CAVE for that.

To be fair I did only play it once...and I stopped because I didn't want to 1 CC it before I was able to 1 CC the much more challenging 1.5 version. So yes, I missed out on the difference in scoring. Wow! A scoring mechanic update...AMAZING!!!! Now it makes sense why Cave charged for content that should have been on the disc! Oh thank you Cave! THANK YOU so much for minor code changes that adjust the scoring! Truly this is an amazing update for which I should thank the stars above! You're not as exploitative as EA!

And I DID mention that the only redeeming aspect of this DLC is that it costs less than buying a new PCB. Which makes me seriously wonder about the sanity of some of the users here given that they've dropped hundreds-thousands for "remix" BL PCBs. This update isn't worth $15, let alone what some of you have paid to swap out boards.

Furthermore there is NOTHING "generous" on Cave's part in milking an extra DLC fee out of gamers two weeks after release for content that should be on the disc from day one and was ready before the game went to presses. Given that certifing any DLC content often takes weeks or more this content was given over to MS before Mushi shipped. So there's no reason that Cave had to charge extra for something that was ready from day one. It's just plain exploitative.

Then don't buy it, and don't whine about it, and we'll all be happier. It still doesn't change the fact that you're throwing a fit over something you should have already known about when you bought it. And if it was so 'exploitative', you should have known better than to buy it, especially if all it was to you was just an insignificant change in scoring, which is just an obvious lack of foresight on your part. It's your fault you're out $15, not CAVE's.

And yes, the scoring mechanic changes are the biggest reason why anyone would buy Black Label. Some of us happen to like that sort of thing-- and God Mode for being like Ultra Mode, except playable without having to be an expert at shmups.

You can pour as much of your silly logic into it all, but it doesn't change the fact that you're acting like a whiny little kid about it. It's $15. Get over it.

Totally. I feel you on this. That's why I don't like shmups because they're so stupidly simple anyone could go ahead and make one. So I only play free Touhou games. They're just as good as Cave and they're FREE!

Seriously though, these are not basic programmatic changes anyone could have made, they are changes that needed to be made by a company/person that knows how to make a shooting game fun and knows exactly how and where to make changes to improve a game. If that subtlety of design is lost on you, then go play some free doujin shmups so you don't have to complain about the price.

(Not trying to diss doujin shmups so much as allude to the varying quality of free games out there)

technically Touhou games aren't free

[dmauro]

Oh yeah, forgot about that. I don't really play them except for Shot the Bullet, which I bought even.
<-- bad memory

[Damocles]

You can read a good account of what 1.0 was like from EOJ's review.

http://www.cave-stg.com/reviews/mf.html

Indeed. I checked that out shortly after trying 1.01 to see what the story was. I'm confused because I swear I saw a vid where the counter didn't change color incrementally. I guess I'll have to check my backup hard drive...

EDIT: Found it. The image is pretty crappy, but it doesn't look like the counter ever changes color. It's hard to tell if the player is even trying to score, or just surviving.

[Square King]

Oy, 3 weeks and still no Mushi. Just thought I'd share some pain.

[RuffNEC]

Oy, 3 weeks and still no Mushi. Just thought I'd share some pain.

don't think it helps you but I got it for 3 weeks now and only played it once

[Solarus]

Anyone got any tips for god mode Larsa?

I can do most of her ok (I've been hammering at her in training mode until I can do her flawlessly). I tend to have to bomb once during her first 2 patterns (although sometimes I can get lucky and get through fine), but my big problem is her last pattern in phase 1... Those strings (both straight AND curled) are really really annoying to dodge. I usually end up bombing twice to go through the phase, but considering I want to get to Spiritual Larsa level within the next few months, I know I can't afford this. Is there ANY magical way to avoid those? At first I thought "ok they aim at you and split at the bottom of the screen. Move slightly to either side to dodge" *is dead* Then I thought "ok the pink ones split so you have to move and the purple ones split so you have to stay still" *is dead again*. Then I thought the other way around, and obviously died some more.

The only way I've gotten through that part no miss is by bombing twice to completely bypass it. Considering I want to be able to have spare bombs in case I **** up and I know I'll have to use at least a couple on the last pattern, I don't feel comfortable just using that as my strategy. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[moozooh]

I want to get to Spiritual Larsa level within the next few months

You do know you have to no-miss the entire game up to st5 boss just to see her, right? That's a lot, LOT harder than beating Larsa herself. Even the current 6 billion WR by ZAP doesn't have the fight.

[Solarus]

I want to get to Spiritual Larsa level within the next few months

You do know you have to no-miss the entire game up to st5 boss just to see her, right? That's a lot, LOT harder than beating Larsa herself. Even the current 6 billion WR by ZAP doesn't have the fight.

Yup. Thus the several months of constant play. Right now I'm just practicing the hardest part of the game Score is going to be the furthest thing from my mind as I do this mind you.

[BrightSuzaku]

When is XOP Black coming to Xbox Live Indie Games? ^_~

Wait, it was on there once?! :O

Anyways, uhm senseless nerd rant one page back aside, I'll be getting back to Mushi ASAP, now that my finals are done. Hooray! IT'S HOURS OF HARDCORE SHMUPPING TIME, OHHHH YEAH. :D

[Kiken]

Managed to nail my first Arcade 1.5 Maniac All Clear this evening using Ab Parm (378 million). Once again, to hell with Larsa.. bombs away!

Also, I just notcied that the game's box art is now displaying on my US account's friends list.

[everlust]

*snipped

If you have a DLC pink sticker on the front, you should get your DLC inside the game case (maybe in the instruction booklet.)
No point in holding back on BL - if the stutter is patched by Cave it won't make much difference. It's not enough to ruin the game according to the guys here - but apparently BL isn't a fair representation of the PCB anyway, it's even easier than it should be.
1.5 will teach you a few things about hardcore gaming though.

Thanks for the very prompt reply Skykid. I'll definitely let 1.5 teach me a few things Been awhile since i played a bullet-hell shmup intensively, so i look forward to getting somewhere with this one.

To be honest, I've only experienced the stutter once, and it didn't really interfere with...well, anything.

So yeah, download BL and play some God Mode with me

!!!!!!!! Will instantly buy BL, and perhaps God Mode might be the first mode i try, just to get a glimpse of something i should aim for completing, wonder how Ultra would be to me though.

[SFKhoa]

Wow. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually liking the stutter. Every time it occurs on BL God Mode, it fucking saves my life. More than once on the same run.

[EOJ]

The only thing I find curious is why they added 1.01 into the mix instead of 1.00. Why not feature the original game instead of what is, essentially, MF1.5 on hard mode?

1.01 is 1.0 with two added bomb carriers.

[Damocles]

Which makes the vid (my above post) all the more confusing. Ah well, I'll say it's just crap quality.

[Elixir]

Question for anyone intimately familiar with BL Original: I see the Achievement for bringing the total counter up to 100k. 100k?!? It seems virtually unreachable to me. How far do you have to go, assuming no-miss and no-bomb, to get it that high?

End of Stage 4/Stage 5. It isn't that hard.

[BrightSuzaku]

I ought to try this God Mode thing everyone's raging about. I'm totally crappy at this game, but SO WHAT! The experience is worth trying out, to say in the least. And hey, maybe the stutter could be a little helpful, like SFKhoa said! XD

[adversity1]

I ought to try this God Mode thing everyone's raging about. I'm totally crappy at this game, but SO WHAT! The experience is worth trying out, to say in the least. And hey, maybe the stutter could be a little helpful, like SFKhoa said! XD

If you can get the multiplier up to x30000 you get an achievement fyi. God mode is a lot of fun, people should give it a try for sure.

[BrightSuzaku]

I can't imagine getting it that high.... e_e Well, I'll play and see what I *can* do.

Considering how in 1.5, I can't even make it into Stage 2 without dying once...or twice... or getting the continue dialogue... And yeah, I'm still trying to no-miss Novice. LOL

[Udderdude]

I can't imagine getting it that high.... e_e Well, I'll play and see what I *can* do.

Considering how in 1.5, I can't even make it into Stage 2 without dying once...or twice... or getting the continue dialogue... And yeah, I'm still trying to no-miss Novice. LOL

Yeah, don't want to be mean, but God mode is going to eat you alive.

[EPS21]

Yeah I'm wondering with all the slowdown/stuttering, if I ever had the benefit of playing the PCB of BL it would kick my ass way more than all these modes already do. Although the futari high score thread is already quite saturated with all the modes, the x360 version might be easier enough to warrant separating out the PCB scores imo.

[Acid King]

God damn the bullets in Original get fast. With some smart bombing, I may be able to clear Original mode soon. Played conservatively and made sure to use my bombs after the second stage and managed to make it to Larsa with Normal Reco. Score wasn't good enough to crack the high score board though.

[yyr]

Question for anyone intimately familiar with BL Original: I see the Achievement for bringing the total counter up to 100k. 100k?!? It seems virtually unreachable to me. How far do you have to go, assuming no-miss and no-bomb, to get it that high?

End of Stage 4/Stage 5. It isn't that hard.

I played both stages in Training today, and... well, I see it's far from impossible, but I've got a lot of work to do to get there. Got to St4 boss, didn't last as long in St5. That 1/3 penalty is killer, and the bomb penalty can be even worse at times...gotta get better!

This game really does have something for everybody. Skill-wise, I consider myself a 3 or 4 out of 10 as far as shmups go... this port has things I consider dumb-easy (Novice Original and Maniac), things I consider easy (Novice Ultra and most of Arrange), things I consider difficult but doable (1.5 Original and Maniac), and of course, stuff that's way too hard for me right now, but even most of that seems within my eventual reach. And all--as in 100%--of it is fun.

This was and is the best import purchase I've ever made (and I didn't even get the DLC card). I can't believe that I was looking forward to Espgaluda II so much, and thinking "eh, I guess Futari can tide me over until then." Now it's taking over my life. I'm trying to finish development on my next two games and it's not making things any easier!!

If anyone is reading this and is still on the fence, get off and buy the game already. You won't regret it.

[Special World]

Whenever I see my screen fill up with red 30,000s I feel complete.

[Damocles]

Well...I finally managed the Original 1cc. I couldn't do it with a Seimitsu three years ago, but apparently had no trouble with a friggin 360 analog stick today.

From my observations, Reco and Palm seem equally balanced. Well, Normal Reco and Abnormal Palm at least. Palm makes short work of bosses, but tends to (with me) make the game feel like Dangun Feveron. Reco, on the other hand, can sweep popcorn enemies but isn't as strong against bosses. What surprises me is that this seems to apply in both Original and Maniac. Good stuff.

Also, yay for finally having glasses.

[bcass]

Really can't believe people are playing this with analogue sticks. The 360 dpad really isn't that bad (well, mine isn't). The Mad Catz StreetFigher Fightpads are excellent by the way and can be got quite cheaply now they're back in production. Plus, you can use them with a PC too.

[Elixir]

Asada's currently addressing the stuttering issues which BL has caused for it, and once he finds out what the underlying problem is he'll report back to resolve the issue.