Söldner-X 2: Final Prototype: PS3

[MadScientist]

Final boss was a little disappointing. Reminded me of a boss from Turrican though.

Which reminds me, I was curious what Manfred Trenz might be up to these days and found he has his own development studio called Denaris Entertainment Software - their 'projects' page is thoroughly depressing though;

http://www.denarisoftware.com/HTML/Denaris1.html

...then after all the shovelware there's a listing for 'Katakis 2', except it says they don't have enough time to work on it right now since they're too busy churning out shovelware (or words to that effect). Oh well.

[soniq-man]

For German speaking players (or if you care to try anyway): You can visit the M!Games web site and win one of three signed soundtrack CDs here:

http://www.maniac.de/content/s%C3%B6ldn ... ewinnspiel

Alternatively, you can visit Gameswelt, watch the "Insert Coin" show with interview and review (score "Sehr Gut") and also win one of three CDs. The video is here:
(starts at 13:34 and ends with signed soundtrack CD give-away at 23:34):

http://www.gameswelt.tv/13758/insert-co ... tml?mode=2

Good luck!

[Square King]

Final boss was a little disappointing. Reminded me of a boss from Turrican though.

Which reminds me, I was curious what Manfred Trenz might be up to these days and found he has his own development studio called Denaris Entertainment Software - their 'projects' page is thoroughly depressing though;

http://www.denarisoftware.com/HTML/Denaris1.html

...then after all the shovelware there's a listing for 'Katakis 2', except it says they don't have enough time to work on it right now since they're too busy churning out shovelware (or words to that effect). Oh well.

I am all over Pferd & Pony - Mein Gestüt.

[ROBOTRON]

Found the last ship, beat some challenges, now I'm going after score.

[ex.machina]

Found the last ship, beat some challenges, now I'm going after score.

Did you unlock all difficulties yet? I find extra hard quite challenging to get a 1cc run in. Played a bit Death Smiles 2 this week but I think I should move back on to SX2 again.

[ROBOTRON]

Found the last ship, beat some challenges, now I'm going after score.

Did you unlock all difficulties yet? I find extra hard quite challenging to get a 1cc run in. Played a bit Death Smiles 2 this week but I think I should move back on to SX2 again.

I think so.

[bob]

Hi,

I haven't played Söldner 1 because I didn't like the chaining system.
A bad chaining system can ruin a shooter for me. But thats another topic

I played Söldner X 2 now some times and I have to say that I really enjoy playing it.
Normally I like vert shooters more, but Söldner 2 is a great horizontal scorlling shooter!

The chaining system is not hard to keep going and I like how you gain powerups through the system.
While others may think, that it has not a great enough impact on the score I still like it.
(The main reason is, because it doesn't ruin the game for me. And be honest: Collecting rings is always fun )

The level design, enemy- and bullet-patterns are good. And it's fun to play the challenges and unlock stuff.

Others have said that it is an easy shooter. I think this is true for 1cc'ing it but not for making good scores.
I think this is a good way to reach casual player by giving them the satisfaction of completing the game, while the more advanced players can have a more difficult experience while trying to make a good score.

Don't know if the hardcore shmuppers will find it too easy... but for me it is a VERY enjoyable experience.

Hope to see you on the Söldner x 2 leaderboards

[silvergunner]

yes,the game becomes very challenging if you play on a high rank,even on normal difficult mode!
I like SX2,it´s a great horizontal shmup indeed with tons of features to discover.

[Kobayashi]

I want to see rates (0 to 10) for Soldner X-2 here...

[ex.machina]

I want to see rates (0 to 10) for Soldner X-2 here...

http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/973238- ... index.html
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platfor ... lprototype
http://www.gamestats.com/objects/032/032045/

I'd give 8 or 9/10. Big improvement on the first Soldner-X game. Hopefully it will be successful enough to justify another sequel.

[bob]

I'd say 8 to 9 / 10

I hope some more people tell their scores.
Would like to know how the rest of the community thinks about this game.

[Zeether]

Really wish this was ported to PC.

[Observer]

Really wish this was ported to PC.

Well, seeing that recent announcement of the E3 about Valve offering Steam+PS3 support one can dream it might eventually be brought to PC (the "never say never"), especially since the original Söldner X recently got a patch too so it's not totally forgotten. Hell, I can't forget it since the LE edition is always staring at me over a shelf next to my monitor.

[Kollision]

So I received this email today about an "expansion pack" to the game called "The Last Chapter", which "will add three new stages with a new story ending and soundtrack, as well as additional challenges and trophies to the original game. A more challenging difficulty mode will also be introduced to the game at the same time. - to be released in the fourth quarter of 2010."

Though I'm not very fond of expansions/patching, this one is very welcome.

http://www.eastasiasoft.com/index.php/p ... the-making

[bob]

Wow! That came out of nowhere (at least for me).

I haven't even unlocked stage 7 yet!
And their is already an expansion. Looking forward to it!

Thanks for the news!

[ROBOTRON]

Wow! That came out of nowhere (at least for me).

I haven't even unlocked stage 7 yet!
And their is already an expansion. Looking forward to it!

Thanks for the news!

Seconded.

[stryc9]

Massive improvement over the first Soldner X. Actual bullet patterns this time, weapons seem more balanced, you can actually destroy almost everything without letting it fly past, just feels a lot more like Sidequest knows what their doing this time. I'm really surprised at people on this forum for liking the first game- it was garbage. Different story with X2 though, props to the developer for having the guts to commision a sequel. I'll give it a 7/10 (competition is stiff).

[Kobayashi]

Excellent shmup. 9.3/10 in my opinion.

Me playing Soldner X-2: Final Prototype:
http://www.youtube.com/user/KobayashiBR ... 3B658B3F38

[The Coop]

I would also like the throw my hat into the ring for a PC port. The first game obviously did well enough to garner a sequel, so why cut out half of where that first game was available?

Between download services like Steam, and hard copies, I'm sure it would do well in the PC market if it's better than the first game. And damn it, I want to play it without having to spend several hundred dollars to do so.

[LtC]

So I received this email today about an "expansion pack" to the game called "The Last Chapter", which "will add three new stages with a new story ending and soundtrack, as well as additional challenges and trophies to the original game. A more challenging difficulty mode will also be introduced to the game at the same time. - to be released in the fourth quarter of 2010."

Though I'm not very fond of expansions/patching, this one is very welcome.

http://www.eastasiasoft.com/index.php/p ... the-making

The Expansion pack is coming next month. There is trailer up on the game's website (http://www.soldner-x.com/sx2/)

Seems like they'll be adding 3 new stages making the game 10 stages long. Looking forward to this myself, the game might be a euroshmup but it's one helluva good euroshmup. The scoring system and rank system are very good in the game.

They also patched the game today, added a new difficulty and some other stuff.

[drunkninja24]

Looking forward to this myself, the game might be a euroshmup but it's one helluva good euroshmup.

Yeah, if euroshmups were more like this, they wouldn't have nearly as bad a rep as they do.

[Kobayashi]

Soldner X-2 - The Last Chapter (Expansion Pack) Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvtusatczF0

Coming on November...

[LtC]

The expansion is out now.

The huge battleship (stage 9) is pretty awesome and the final boss really surprised me in the end. There's also a secret stage but I don't know if/how you can access it besides the challenges.

I wonder how long a full run of the game will take now that it's 10 stages long.

[Kollision]

Thanks for the heads-up.
Gonna download it tonight!

[Kobayashi]

I´m downloading too...

Edit:
I finished the three new stages and really liked it.

If I thought a great game before, now it's even better.

[stryc9]

Yeah I forgot about this. I've got it on download now,sounds like a run is going to take ages after this! Still, awesome game.

[Phoenix]

Still doubting to buy this. It is a shame there is no demo. I thinjk it would sell alot more with a good demo.

I am a true vertical shmupoldy, i just cannot believe i would like it.

[Shocky]

Great.. I buy the game, the expansion, and start playing. After four or was it five stages (easy 1cc on first try), the end credits roll already, and seems like I have to start collecting those stupid hidden keys just to unlock the other 5 stages?? Or am I missing something here?

[LtC]

Great.. I buy the game, the expansion, and start playing. After four or was it five stages (easy 1cc on first try), the end credits roll already, and seems like I have to start collecting those stupid hidden keys just to unlock the other 5 stages?? Or am I missing something here?

Yeah you have to find few per stage to get into stage 7 I think. Once you find them you don't have to bother with them again though

And yep the game isn't very hard as long as you're not playing for score (keeping high rank)

[Shocky]

Great.. I buy the game, the expansion, and start playing. After four or was it five stages (easy 1cc on first try), the end credits roll already, and seems like I have to start collecting those stupid hidden keys just to unlock the other 5 stages?? Or am I missing something here?

Yeah you have to find few per stage to get into stage 7 I think. Once you find them you don't have to bother with them again though

And yep the game isn't very hard as long as you're not playing for score (keeping high rank)

Ok. I'm all for hidden bonus items, but NOT when they affect the game this way. Nothing to kill a good fighting spirit like the game forcibly ending halfway because I didn't find some secret key four stages ago. And are they even hidden in deductable spots? Both in this and Söldner-X: Himmelstürmer I just notice that they appear when I'm shooting at thin air. Feels like a pathetically desperate and artificial means of extending the total playing time.