Why shmups are such a niche genre

[MathU]

Is it me or are many of the review sites starting to get their act together when it comes to reviewing shmups?

It's just you.

[EricDaNerd]

Is it me or are many of the review sites starting to get their act together when it comes to reviewing shmups?

Yep...It's just you.

[ryu]

wow, I've only gotten into shmups quite recently, and even can tell these are awful.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Yup, awful.

[Exarion]

Some of them are getting better, or at least getting someone competent on their team. Back on the story of our Touhou newbie, good news. It turns out that he was playing on normal rather than easy, and has now made it to stage 4 normal on one credit.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Some are getting better

Thats what i ment, From the latest reviews of DS ive read i would say that many of them are quite positive. Although only time will tell if future releases will get the same treatment or if DS is just another ikuruga with reviewers going back to slagging off most other shmups. Still im optomistic (or atleast trying to be)

[gs68]

I've found that of the "challenge gamer"-type fanbases I've been in (shmups, Bemani, Maximum Tune, etc.), the western Tetris: The Grand Master fanbase is the most beginner-friendly I've come across. Unless you're a huge whiner, expert players will be willing to help you out if your best performance is a 5 in TGM1, or hell, even if your only experience with Tetris is the much more casual versions (versions with 1 rotation button, the NES and Game Boy versions). If only the shmup fanbase was more like that; then we'd have less terrified noobs like the guy Exarion is talking about.

Then again TGM's fanbase is only friendly because TGM is even more niche than shmups. If it was up to the shmup fanbase in size then we'd start seeing elitist TGM players.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Then again TGM's fanbase is only friendly because TGM is even more niche than shmups. If it was up to the shmup fanbase in size then we'd start seeing elitist TGM players.

Personally i think most of the times when ppl get pissed off is for repeated threads, especially if lots get posted all at the same time. Those "what shmups should i play" or "joysticks vs pads" forum newcommers post. Still anyone whos new to the forum wouldnt of known better if they hadnt done any lurking or checked out a couple of pages of threads and those who get flamed would get a impression that we are all a set of elitist twats. Maybe its something a mod could address in the forum rules and guidelines sticky thread.

As for the "im better then thou" elitism on this forum, imo most of it seems tounge in cheek and just boys been boys or just heated debate. Still some reading such comments could see it as over the top elitism.

[Exarion]

Some are getting better

Thats what i ment, From the latest reviews of DS ive read i would say that many of them are quite positive. Although only time will tell if future releases will get the same treatment or if DS is just another ikuruga with reviewers going back to slagging off most other shmups. Still im optomistic (or atleast trying to be)

Sorry, I stand corrected. This one review is so awful that it manages to counteract everything that has been done correctly by the other reviewers. This is WORSE than what we're used to. The reviewer could not even figure out how to destory an enemy direct above or below her without the lock shot. I doubt she even read the manual given the amount of errors present in the review. She then ends it by implicitly calling everyone who likes the game a pedophile. This review is by far the worst i've ever read.

[Octopod]

Some are getting better

Thats what i ment, From the latest reviews of DS ive read i would say that many of them are quite positive. Although only time will tell if future releases will get the same treatment or if DS is just another ikuruga with reviewers going back to slagging off most other shmups. Still im optomistic (or atleast trying to be)

Sorry, I stand corrected. This one review is so awful that it manages to counteract everything that has been done correctly by the other reviewers. This is WORSE than what we're used to. The reviewer could not even figure out how to destory an enemy direct above or below her without the lock shot. I doubt she even read the manual given the amount of errors present in the review. She then ends it by implicitly calling everyone who likes the game a pedophile. This review is by far the worst i've ever read.

That was the worst review I have ever read in my life.

[BIL]

Cheat device website in shitty review of shooter shocker!

[ShmupSamurai]

Dear god....

This reviewer should be banned from playing videogames of ANY kind.

my brain hurts just GLANCING at it!

[CptRansom]

SHE'S A GAMER GIRL HURRRRRRRRRRR SO OF COURSE SHE WILL BE REVIEWING DEATHSMILES BECAUSE IT HAS GIRLS IN IT

Judging from her picture, I'm sure she has tons of "hardcore" experience... blowing her fraternity boyfriend and his three BROS while they chug brewskis and play Call of Duty Number 15: The Sequel to The Followup. Then she tells GameShark everything she overheard while Dude #2 was balls-deep in her mouth, and they figure she's qualified to review "shooters", so they hand her Deathsmiles.

[Obiwanshinobi]

SHE'S A GAMER GIRL HURRRRRRRRRRR SO OF COURSE SHE WILL BE REVIEWING DEATHSMILES BECAUSE IT HAS GIRLS IN IT

Judging from her picture, I'm sure she has tons of "hardcore" experience... blowing her fraternity boyfriend and his three BROS while they chug brewskis and play Call of Duty Number 15: The Sequel to The Followup. Then she tells GameShark everything she overheard while Dude #2 was balls-deep in her mouth, and they figure she's qualified to review "shooters", so they hand her Deathsmiles.

Post a picture of you on here. Let us have some picture reading fun based on your fantasies.

[CptRansom]

lolwut

[TrevHead (TVR)]

This section of that review sums it all up for me

From the beginning of the game to end the end, you will never find a weapon upgrade that allows you to shoot anything else besides a sideways stream of bullets. No spinning twin laser, no multi-directional shotgun or wide-range flamethrower.

I had a quick look at the best games of 2010 article where each reviewer listed their top 5 games of this year. Just about every reviewers top 5 was pritty much the same with most of them a Story based FPS or TOS like Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2 or Alan Wake, (although Mario Galaxy 2 was popular ill give them that)

That chick who wrote the DS review was the very last person in the list with her fav game been Hard Rain. My guess is that editor found this odd Jap game in the mailbag and gave it to the office tea lady as an after thought.

[EricDaNerd]

Some are getting better

Thats what i ment, From the latest reviews of DS ive read i would say that many of them are quite positive. Although only time will tell if future releases will get the same treatment or if DS is just another ikuruga with reviewers going back to slagging off most other shmups. Still im optomistic (or atleast trying to be)

Sorry, I stand corrected. This one review is so awful that it manages to counteract everything that has been done correctly by the other reviewers. This is WORSE than what we're used to. The reviewer could not even figure out how to destory an enemy direct above or below her without the lock shot. I doubt she even read the manual given the amount of errors present in the review. She then ends it by implicitly calling everyone who likes the game a pedophile. This review is by far the worst i've ever read.

I would imagine you went looking for a review this bad...either way, you sir, have found the mother of all bad shmup reviews. IGN will likely hire her tomorrow I suppose and she'll be doing live interviews with game developers on X-Play by next week. Incredible.

[indutrial]

I had a quick look at the best games of 2010 article where each reviewer listed their top 5 games of this year. Just about every reviewers top 5 was pritty much the same with most of them a Story based FPS or TOS like Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2 or Alan Wake, (although Mario Galaxy 2 was popular ill give them that)

Why are they wasting time writing that shit when 2010 isn't even over yet? It sounds like your typical crop of modern "hardcore" game reviewers, obsessed with immersion-based "gaming experiences" and uninterested in challenge or 1'cc's, etc....

[AraraSPAMWitch]

Sorry, I stand corrected. This one review is so awful that it manages to counteract everything that has been done correctly by the other reviewers. This is WORSE than what we're used to. The reviewer could not even figure out how to destory an enemy direct above or below her without the lock shot. I doubt she even read the manual given the amount of errors present in the review. She then ends it by implicitly calling everyone who likes the game a pedophile. This review is by far the worst i've ever read.

THIS IS WHY WOMEN SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO PLAY VIDEOGAMES


sorry ladies, crt's are for MEN ONLY

[Octopod]

Sorry, I stand corrected. This one review is so awful that it manages to counteract everything that has been done correctly by the other reviewers. This is WORSE than what we're used to. The reviewer could not even figure out how to destory an enemy direct above or below her without the lock shot. I doubt she even read the manual given the amount of errors present in the review. She then ends it by implicitly calling everyone who likes the game a pedophile. This review is by far the worst i've ever read.

THIS IS WHY WOMEN SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO PLAY VIDEOGAMES


sorry ladies, crt's are for MEN ONLY

That dude needs to get laid or something.

[Obiwanshinobi]

To be fair most internet dwellers, not just women, seem too numptyfied to even enjoy games, let alone talk about games. Even one person dual playing Ikaruga isn't impressive anymore BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO DODGE. Mankind is overrated.

[iluvmonsterz]

To be fair most internet dwellers, not just women, seem too numptyfied to even enjoy games, let alone talk about games. Even one person dual playing Ikaruga isn't impressive anymore BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO DODGE. Mankind is overrated.

youre a bitter bitter man obiwan...and i think i kinda like it...

[Exarion]

Enough misogyny, there have been some good reviews of DeathSmiles written by female reviewers, and bad reviews by male reviewers. Like this one, though it isn't as bad as that abomination of a review gameshark posted. This one game the game a lower score than gameshark did. The have also been enough good reviews to come out to now say that independant/smaller reviewers have gotten their act together while the "mainstream" ones have not changed.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

I lolled at the reviewers remarks about DS graphics, that DS is ugly looking, and that most other games look better then it. Does he have eyes?

[Square King]

That dude needs to get laid or something.

Nah, just fucked. What a cockfarmer.

[Udderdude]

THIS IS WHY WOMEN SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO PLAY VIDEOGAMES

sorry ladies, crt's are for MEN ONLY

We all know you aren't ironically blowing Icyclam's horn. You should just hang around over there, and forget this site exists. After all, we're all retards over here.

[indutrial]

I lolled at the reviewers remarks about DS graphics, that DS is ugly looking, and that most other games look better then it. Does he have eyes?

Also, why can't any American X-Box fan write anything about a new shmup without lighting a candle in homage of Ikaruga? Does Death Smiles just have too many bright colors and too many zany-looking monsters for the 360's audience?

[Ebbo]

Also, why can't any American X-Box fan write anything about a new shmup without lighting a candle in homage of Ikaruga?

"Hmm, I wonder how I could pretend to actually know something about these 'SHMUPs'... Maybe I should mention that game which name I can't really pronounce."

[AraraSPAMWitch]

we're all retards over here

truer words were never spoken

[Kollision]

Also, why can't any American X-Box fan write anything about a new shmup without lighting a candle in homage of Ikaruga?

I mentioned the exact same thing a while ago in another thread.
It makes me sick.