Deathsmiles IIX (Xbox 360) - GoD US/Can/Mex, Platinum JP

[professor ganson]

Thanks for the replies. I really liked the first one and it sounds like it doesn't suck, so I'll have to get it.

[twalden]

Did they clear the leaderboards? I played arcade mode today for the first time today since the patch and my crappy score was in the top 30.

[JUTMAN22]

Thanks for the replies. I really liked the first one and it sounds like it doesn't suck, so I'll have to get it.

Its as good as the 1st one imho .... though I do find myself regretting buying the LE .............. also its no Ketsui

[dan76]

For me, it's no where near as good as the first game. Arcade mode is good, very solid and enjoyable scoring system. The other modes I really don't like (but I don't really like any of the extra modes on all these Cave ports) - Arrange is a mess, and x-mode is boring, but at least you get a couple of other levels to play through (using lockshot every 2 seconds...). So because the arcade mode was skimped over I don't think it's must have - it's a game of "if only's" (if only you could have full screen 4:3, if only you had replays, if only you could enter your initials, if only it was in 2D! - I keep repeating myself on this thread so I'll stop now).

Actually, thinking about how much fun the final stage is with Lei, get it.

[MachineAres 1CC]

Its as good as the 1st one imho .... though I do find myself regretting buying the LE .............. also its no Ketsui

I'm not going to say its quite as good as the first one, but pretty close, and I'm the opposite, I'm so glad I bought the LE, because I've been wanting the soundtrack for literally over a year, and for some reason, CAVE waited until the console release to release an actual OST.

[TaygetaVendetta]

DLC for Deathsmiles IIX is mentioned in this post?

[StarCreator]

I just asked a friend to tell me what they said in that post.

His response:

[15:40] he whole thing basically
[15:40] says nothing
[15:40] at all

[Cuilan]

From what I understand, they were toying with the idea of releasing DLC costumes for the main characters at some point (similar to Otomedius G), but eventually abandoned the idea. They're still not 100% sure about it one way or the other though.

[CStarFlare]

maybe they'll offer score initials and proper bullet patterns as dlc

[SkylineR32]

Did they clear the leaderboards? I played arcade mode today for the first time today since the patch and my crappy score was in the top 30.

Cave had stated that the boards would be wiped as part of the patch.

As for the game, I've stopped playing briefly but while the first will always be so special to me, I'd almost say the sequel is the better game.

And it craps all over Ketsui IMO.

[Strider77]

this game is doo-doo-ey

[Cuilan]

...but while the first will always be so special to me, I'd almost say the sequel is the better game.

And it craps all over Ketsui IMO.

Yeah, I feel about the same.

[8 1/2]

...but while the first will always be so special to me, I'd almost say the sequel is the better game.

And it craps all over Ketsui IMO.

Yeah, I feel about the same.

Really? Sigh. I guess casual gamers exist in all mediums, even shmups.

[Cuilan]

...but while the first will always be so special to me, I'd almost say the sequel is the better game.

And it craps all over Ketsui IMO.

Yeah, I feel about the same.

Really? Sigh. I guess casual gamers exist in all mediums, even shmups.

Sorry broseph, but I just don't find Ketsui's scoring system nearly as much fun by comparison. But if it makes you feel any better, I think the port's X mode is alright (I would have felt ripped off were it not for that mode, honestly). Anyways, while you have your fun at the top of the shmups ivory tower, I'll have some fun here in the basement playing some more Deathsmiles 2.

[bcass]

I'm a bit late to this as I wasn't going to buy it at first, but it's so cheap now it would have been rude not to. Anyway, can someone point me to some strats for X Mode and Arrange Mode? There's nothing in the Cave-STG thread and nothing here either. Thanks in advance.

Oh, one more thing, that I'm pretty sure I saw mentioned earlier in the thread but can't find now - why is there a black border top/bottom of the screen? The vertical scretch option won't display the image beyond the borders. I'm using RGB Scart on a widescreen CRT.

[dan76]

Oh, one more thing, that I'm pretty sure I saw mentioned earlier in the thread but can't find now - why is there a black border top/bottom of the screen? The vertical scretch option won't display the image beyond the borders. I'm using RGB Scart on a widescreen CRT.

Why? Well who knows why... They made the port for 16:9 tv's... I think the arcade mode is an afterthought. Also, I can't understand why putting the xbox into 16:9 on a 4:3 tv doesn't solve this as it should stretch the image tall.

I really hope cave revert to their previous ports in the area of screen size/resolution, so that full screen 4:3 is an option. Imagine playing a vert with borders at the sides AND top and bottom...

[bcass]

Weird. My CRT is 16:9 and the 360 is set to 16:9 aspect ratio, yet the game still displays borders (in all game modes) even though the game box advertises the new modes as being 16:9!

Also, in shots shown at the 2010 Shooting Festa where this was first shown, the wide-screen TVs are full-screen, with no borders:

[8 1/2]

IIX mode should definitely display in full widescreen with no borders. That's very odd you're getting the black bars. Arcade mode is a mess f'reals though.

[emphatic]

Weird. My CRT is 16:9 and the 360 is set to 16:9 aspect ratio, yet the game still displays borders (in all game modes) even though the game box advertises the new modes as being 16:9!

Well, does your TV really have a 16:9 resolution, or does it want an anamorphic signal from the video source (DVD age tech)? I used to have a 16:9 CRT and unless your set has hdmi I suspect yours display at 480i or 576i.

[bcass]

It's an old Panasonic Quintrix set. Not sure of the model number though. I'll try and find the manual. I don't have this problem with any other games though.

*edit* by God, the Arrange music is absolutely attrocious. If you were thinking of buying the DLC card off ebay - Don't do it!

[2dvertical]

I'm a bit late to this as I wasn't going to buy it at first, but it's so cheap now it would have been rude not to. Anyway, can someone point me to some strats for X Mode and Arrange Mode? There's nothing in the Cave-STG thread and nothing here either. Thanks in advance.

Oh, one more thing, that I'm pretty sure I saw mentioned earlier in the thread but can't find now - why is there a black border top/bottom of the screen? The vertical scretch option won't display the image beyond the borders. I'm using RGB Scart on a widescreen CRT.

May I ask where you found this game "so cheap" ?

Does anyone foresee this hitting a platinum release?

[bcass]

May I ask where you found this game "so cheap" ?

£35 (new) off eBay (incl. p&p).

[apple arcade]

LE on sale for 89.90 (40$ off original price)

Buy Death Smiles IIX [First Print Limited Edition] (Xbox360™) at Play-Asia.com>

(aff link)

[Skykid]

...but while the first will always be so special to me, I'd almost say the sequel is the better game.

And it craps all over Ketsui IMO.

Yeah, I feel about the same.

Wtf planet are guys on?

In case anybody didn't read the above properly, Deathsmiles 2 craps all over Ketsui shocker.

On a serious note (although that was pretty serious) I don't rate the original Deathsmiles up there with Cave's best anyway. If anything it's a very good game, but not up to the standard of their finest. The scoring system is deep, but becomes frustrating and dare I say it, fairly woolly. Actually using the lock on shot to kill certain enemies on top of shot switching feels a little too hacked together to me, especially as it diminishes your crowns. And chaining together crown replenishments at the end of going into fever mode is a strategic pain in the ass - it's actually too much forward planning for a shmup of this type.
In fact, I much preferred the game until I started playing for score. Give me a dose of Ketsui or DDP any day. Man shmups.

That said, DS2 actually ironed out some of the annoyances of the original game, it's just a case of getting past the visuals.
Regardless: Progear = still Cave's best hori by a long shot.

[SuperPang]

Regardless: Progear = still Cave's best hori by a long shot.

I wouldn't be so sure of that any more

[Skykid]

Regardless: Progear = still Cave's best hori by a long shot.

I wouldn't be so sure of that any more

Yeah, perhaps not by a long shot now Akai Katana is out, but I'll reserve judgment til I play the thing.

[CStarFlare]

Actually using the lock on shot to kill certain enemies on top of shot switching feels a little too hacked together to me, especially as it diminishes your crowns.

You're doing it wrong.

You do something similar to the trick in Ketsui where you hit A but actually kill the enemy for your laser hits them to get more boxes without losing your multiplier. Let your option fire at the enemy and then hold AB right before they croak. If you're not firing your lock shot you don't lose counter, but the game gives items based on whatever firing combination you're using whether or not it's the killshot. (this also applies to bomb kills)

[Skykid]

Actually using the lock on shot to kill certain enemies on top of shot switching feels a little too hacked together to me, especially as it diminishes your crowns.

You're doing it wrong.

You do something similar to the trick in Ketsui where you hit A but actually kill the enemy for your laser hits them to get more boxes without losing your multiplier. Let your option fire at the enemy and then hold AB right before they croak. If you're not firing your lock shot you don't lose counter, but the game gives items based on whatever firing combination you're using whether or not it's the killshot. (this also applies to bomb kills)

Wow, that's even more contrived! So basically I need to soften up certain types of enemy and then switch to the lock shot as they pop?

Tbh, I've put so much time into Deathsmiles now I'm pretty confident in my feelings about it. It started very positively grabbing 1cc's on second rank tiers, but as the weeks became months and I delved into the scoring and upped the stage rankings I just found it became a less satisfying experience instead of the other way around.
As such it's far from my favourite Cave game, hence I sold the PCB. I think the sentiment toward broadening the range of players by way of offering variable skill settings is right, but the result is a little too muddled for its own good. I prefer my shmups furious and straightforward where possible, not all this crown grabbing, shot switching, fever regeneration, rank switching, suicide bullet, girly shiz. The best of Deathsmiles is the Ice Palace on MBL - if the entire game was that good, well, it would be a different game.

Good, just not great.

[apple arcade]

Skykid have you given MBL 1.1 a shot?

I enjoy it sooo much more than any of the other DS modes.

[Skykid]

Skykid have you given MBL 1.1 a shot?

Ah, no actually. Don't I have to buy it as DLC or something? (this game is getting real expensive. )

Want to give me a brief overview of the differences? If it wakes the game up a little I might go for it.