Xbox 360: Mushihimesama Futari 1.5 (November 2009)

[CptRansom]

Why am I already sick of playing this game I mean, whenever I actually start playing it, I kind of enjoy it, but whenever I THINK about playing it I can't stomach the thought. I still want to clear Maniac, so I guess I'd better keep on truckin', huh.

So take a break? The game's not going anywhere. Come back to it in a week or two.

[Square King]

So take a break? The game's not going anywhere. Come back to it in a week or two.

That's what I did. Came back and topped my high score twice.

For some reason, I wish stage 2's music was in stage 1.

[TLB]

I've been "breaking" for several weeks. I think I just don't like the game anymore. Maybe after I finish some of the other things I'm working on I'll go back to it for Ultra. Ultra's the only mode I like anymore. I never played it very much.

[dmauro]

So take a break? The game's not going anywhere. Come back to it in a week or two.

That's what I did. Came back and topped my high score twice.

For some reason, I wish stage 2's music was in stage 1.

I wish stage 2 was in stage 1. Stage 1 is what keeps me away from the game. It's one of my least favorite Cave stage 1s.

[Krondelo]

I just find myself getting really mad at myself more than the game. My stubborness ends up making me die stupidly on bosses when I shouldn't. I have been working on clearing 1.5 Original for a few days now and I'm just getting soo mad, firstly, I know I can beat stages 1-4 without dying at all... but yet I find myself being really inconsistent. I made a high score of 140 million and now I am lucky too see 110. I think I need a break too... but I doubt I will.

[MX7]

I just find myself getting really mad at myself more than the game. My stubborness ends up making me die stupidly on bosses when I shouldn't. I have been working on clearing 1.5 Original for a few days now and I'm just getting soo mad, firstly, I know I can beat stages 1-4 without dying at all... but yet I find myself being really inconsistent. I made a high score of 140 million and now I am lucky too see 110. I think I need a break too... but I doubt I will.

Yeah, this game makes me rage hard in this respect. Dying mid way through stage three sucks. memorising when/where the beetles emerge in the final 1/3 of stage 3 takes a lot of the hassle away. It's all about pre-emptively destroying threats.

I can get 190 million on 1.5 original, but the last few times I've played I've scored about 70 to 100 million

Taking a break is good, though. I hardly play from Thursday to Sunday, because I spend those days invariably drunk out of my mind, but it's awesome to come back to on Monday

[orange]

okay is it just me or is the stage 2 boss the hardest one in god mode aside from larsa

stage 1 is easy obv and stage 3 and 4 bosses are just jokes

hardest parts of god mode for me have been stage 2 boss and the latter half of stage 3

[Krondelo]

I just find myself getting really mad at myself more than the game. My stubborness ends up making me die stupidly on bosses when I shouldn't. I have been working on clearing 1.5 Original for a few days now and I'm just getting soo mad, firstly, I know I can beat stages 1-4 without dying at all... but yet I find myself being really inconsistent. I made a high score of 140 million and now I am lucky too see 110. I think I need a break too... but I doubt I will.

Yeah man, when I die I can just feel like a blood vessel in my head that wants to burst lol! Yeah, I just of late memorized stage 3, you are spot on, its all about killing them quickly, I can get through the stage without dying, but I'm on my nerves. Stage 4 seems easier.. at least until the boss.

I'm hoping this will help me get through it

haha, drunk don't work but this doo.

[Aquas]

Okay yeah, I'm gonna get my ass a new X360 controller so I can use my convertor and stick again, soon! I can't replicate my scores on stick very well with the 360 Pad. But... not too bad, still. Once I topple 320mil w/ Palm in original, I think I'll purchase Black Label.

And ey, Krondelo, use the practice mode, it'll help a lot. And I don't know how well weed is gonna help you, I'm gonna guess not a lot.

[Krondelo]

Okay yeah, I'm gonna get my ass a new X360 controller so I can use my convertor and stick again, soon! I can't replicate my scores on stick very well with the 360 Pad. But... not too bad, still. Once I topple 320mil w/ Palm in original, I think I'll purchase Black Label.

And ey, Krondelo, use the practice mode, it'll help a lot. And I don't know how well weed is gonna help you, I'm gonna guess not a lot.

Yeah I use practice mode.. although I tend to overlook it at times. Usually after smoking I find myself much calmer and better at every video game. No lie.

[vld99]

I'm curious, is using a stick over a regular controller (analog stick) helping *that* much with your game? Is it just force of habit or is the difference as dramatic as, say, using a keyboard vs. a mouse to aim in a FPS? Myself I'm pretty satisfied with the controller, if it wasn't for the stuck input problem I'm getting recently as I described earlier, but can't help but wonder how it plays with a stick.

[NR777]

I'm curious, is using a stick over a regular controller (analog stick) helping *that* much with your game? Is it just force of habit or is the difference as dramatic as, say, using a keyboard vs. a mouse to aim in a FPS? Myself I'm pretty satisfied with the controller, if it wasn't for the stuck input problem I'm getting recently as I described earlier, but can't help but wonder how it plays with a stick.

Your results may vary, but my game improved dramatically after purchasing an arcade stick.

[Aquas]

I'm curious, is using a stick over a regular controller (analog stick) helping *that* much with your game? Is it just force of habit or is the difference as dramatic as, say, using a keyboard vs. a mouse to aim in a FPS? Myself I'm pretty satisfied with the controller, if it wasn't for the stuck input problem I'm getting recently as I described earlier, but can't help but wonder how it plays with a stick.

I don't think many serious shmuppers use an analog stick for control. Why don't you try the pad? For me, it does make a difference. But that's only comparing the 360's stock dpad to a stick. If I could have a saturn style pad for all my gaming, then it comes down to preference and what device suits the gameplay style better. When I say that, I refer to some games having you go all over the fuckin' place (where a pad may be more beneficial) compared to a gameplay style like Futari's where most of the movement is tap-dodge and positioning.

[njiska]

I'm curious, is using a stick over a regular controller (analog stick) helping *that* much with your game? Is it just force of habit or is the difference as dramatic as, say, using a keyboard vs. a mouse to aim in a FPS? Myself I'm pretty satisfied with the controller, if it wasn't for the stuck input problem I'm getting recently as I described earlier, but can't help but wonder how it plays with a stick.

I don't think many serious shmuppers use an analog stick for control. Why don't you try the pad? For me, it does make a difference. But that's only comparing the 360's stock dpad to a stick. If I could have a saturn style pad for all my gaming, then it comes down to preference and what device suits the gameplay style better. When I say that, I refer to some games having you go all over the fuckin' place (where a pad may be more beneficial) compared to a gameplay style like Futari's where most of the movement is tap-dodge and positioning.

The analog stick is an ok alternative to the stock 360 pad. It's very smooth and doesn't rub your finger raw, though I realize that's kind of like comparing KY to gravel. Otherwise it's not great and tends to make huge jumps. Something that causes me no end of trouble in the last half of Stage 3.

If you like pads you may find it worthwhile to invest in the SFIV Fightpad. It's considerably more accurate and comfortable than the stock D-Pad and if like me you've never gotten the hang of sticks, it's pretty much your only real option. That being said I'm excitedly looking forward to learning the intricacies of a good arcade stick. Just picked up the SFIV TE for cheap on Amazon.

[sjewkestheloon]

I use the SF4 pad which is better than the stock one but far from ideal. Diagonals don't register 80% of the time and input as 'left then up' making tapping about a bit annoying.

[vld99]

I don't think many serious shmuppers use an analog stick for control. Why don't you try the pad?

Oh I tried a little, couple of showstoppers sprung up rapidly for me though: "left" only seems to register 90% of the time, and the differentiation between straight lines and diagonals seems pretty random (maybe I'm doing it wrong). I guess a custom controller could do a better job but the offering seems pretty limited on 360 and still not having something ideal.

I'm surprised you say not many serious shmuppers use analog sticks though, unless you strictly meant the controller one and not arcade sticks, which I thought was the serious choice for most? I was more curious about thumb vs. hand for analog stick control, especially for precision, small movements, which is sometimes a pain to do with the thumb.

[mrtie]

I don't think many serious shmuppers use an analog stick for control. Why don't you try the pad?

I'm surprised you say not many serious shmuppers use analog sticks though, unless you strictly meant the controller one and not arcade sticks, which I thought was the serious choice for most?

Arcade sticks are not Analog, they are normally 4 switches much in the same way a DPAD is, hence accurate digital inputs.

[Aquas]

What mrtie said. I think analog could be a passable alternative *shrug*. To me, analog control is slippery for the type of gameplay.

I've heard the Xbox 360 controller's d-pad has gone through revision(s)? I got a cock-box just recently so perhaps I have one of the newer models? I find the d-pad usable, but me, I'm double jointed so I've always used the ball of my thumb's joint on a controller's d-pad. That may make a difference in comparing d-pads to arcade sticks. Still, for me the arcade stick is the way to go, especially for games such as Futari and Deathsmiles, Raiden IV too. Gotta feel that stick synergy, oh yeah. A good pad is more suitable for the gameplay Raiden Fighters Aces is about, IMO.

[Special World]

I use the pad for Raiden IV because doubles mode is sooooo good.

[brentsg]

I often use the 360 pad with Futari just out of laziness, but it makes me overshoot everything.

[njiska]

I use the SF4 pad which is better than the stock one but far from ideal. Diagonals don't register 80% of the time and input as 'left then up' making tapping about a bit annoying.

I've noticed that myself, but only when I've got a fighter showing button inputs. During actual play it feels pretty smooth to me. Then again I've mostly used it with games like Raiden IV where I'm taping less and flying more.

[evil_ash_xero]

Here's a good review for Futari from NTSC-UK(why haven't they reviewed DS yet???). I always thought their PS2 shmup reviews were pretty fair. This is one of the very few reviews I have even seen of it by western reviewers, and it's the only one from a moderately well known site.

http://www.ntsc-uk.com/review.php?platf ... samaFutari


Off topic, Could some kind shmupper explain to me exactly where that T-Rex's big hands are coming from once you blow his skin off? His little dino arms are very easy to spot, as are his feet. Am I missing something?

[njiska]

Off topic, Could some kind shmupper explain to me exactly where that T-Rex's big hands are coming from once you blow his skin off? His little dino arms are very easy to spot, as are his feet. Am I missing something?

That's a very good question. Looking at it closely you can see his hands are blown off at the same time as his skin. Playing on Maniac, where the new hands actually do swipes, the appear to be attached to long, almost tentacle-like, protrusions coming from the back part of the creature that is off the screen.

[monouchi]

OMG tentacle T-rex. ...now hes gonna feel more scary the next time I meet him.

The thing that bugs me is the jerky slowdon (BL Maniac 360)...Im cruising between bullets in super slowmo and suddenly they jerk and goes really fast...I die from that alot.

Maybe I should try Arcade ver to see if its the same there?

[brokenhalo]

The thing that bugs me is the jerky slowdon (BL Maniac 360)...Im cruising between bullets in super slowmo and suddenly they jerk and goes really fast...I die from that alot.

i think what you are trying to describe is a fairly common (though annoying) trait of cave games. the way the game handles slowdown enables the game speed to sort of rubberband back to full speed as a pattern exits the playfield. you just need to learn to move farther up the screen as the pattern exits so that you aren't in the middle of a swarm when the slowdown ends.

[ncp]

Black label slows down when you laser (I can only assume this was originally caused by hardware limitations on the PCB). Basically any time after the first stage you can reliably generate constant slowdown by lasering, but it will jerk back to full speed if you stop lasering. This applies to Maniac and God, it probably also applies to Original but I don't play it at all so I don't know.

[njiska]

Black label slows down when you laser (I can only assume this was originally caused by hardware limitations on the PCB). Basically any time after the first stage you can reliably generate constant slowdown by lasering, but it will jerk back to full speed if you stop lasering. This applies to Maniac and God, it probably also applies to Original but I don't play it at all so I don't know.

It does in original as well, somewhat in Stage 2, but consistently in starting in the 3rd Stage.

[vld99]

Arcade sticks are not Analog, they are normally 4 switches much in the same way a DPAD is, hence accurate digital inputs.

Wow, goes to show how little I know about arcade sticks. Thanks for the info! I'll see if I can find a way to try one before buying, or maybe look more seriously into pads. Time to do some research...

EDIT: So I decided to give the 360 pad some more serious training time, and after a bit of practice, I improved my BL Original best score by around 75 million (~544M) on my 2nd credit. I don't know if I'm more amazed at how great it feels now, or at how stupid I was for not doing proper research/practice and using the analog stick. Thanks everyone for helping me see the light!

[8 1/2]

I don't know if I'm more amazed at how great it feels now...

With the 360's D-Pad? Man, you are going to cream when you get your hands on a proper joystick or a Saturn pad. I'm assuming you're a younger gamer that's not used to digital input?

[vld99]

I don't know if I'm more amazed at how great it feels now...

With the 360's D-Pad? Man, you are going to cream when you get your hands on a proper joystick or a Saturn pad. I'm assuming you're a younger gamer that's not used to digital input?

Though I don't know your reference point, I'm 25 so I guess I'm an old gamer? My excuse however is that 85-90% of my gaming experience is playing on PC, and 99% of my recent, relevant shmup experience is playing doujins (e.g. Touhou and a few others) or emulated arcades with the keyboard, so console-wise I'm a complete newbie with shmups. It pretty much started with this game in fact.

I already knew from experience playing/developing games the 360 dpad is crap, this was partly why I decided to go with the analog stick, and also because I (wrongly) thought arcade sticks were analog, which I figured would get me closer to the way it's mean to be played... I also didn't seriously try the dpad, mostly because it felt uncomfortable and wonky, and because analog felt better at first. It was also during the first few days I started playing. So yeah, chalk that up to some severe beginner's mistakes. Now I know better. It feels great now that I don't feel like I'm slipping on ice anymore.

What would you specifically recommend as a better controller for the 360? Is there a Saturn pad converter for instance?