New G.Rev shooter (Strania XBLA)

[kid aphex]

this looks unbelievable...

[Teufel_in_Blau]

Really tasty trailer!

Plus worldwide release via XBLA? Count me in. I don't mind the Download-only Release. Well, Steam generation, I guess.

[MR_Soren]

I would prefer a disc release, but this looks too good to pass up.

[Elixir]

Apparently there was a stream yesterday. I'm hearing 3/30 for a release date. Did anyone watch this?

[rocketassistedkea]

Looks fantastic, this game.
Make no mistake...this is a new Golden Age for shmups.

As Cave did an iphone poll; where shooters were voted no#1 genre in Japan AND the rest of the world [last time they did the poll...they were'nt even in the top three....further implications for this are; a new generation of shmup fans-raised off of Cave iphone ports], and it's definitely been profitable for Cave....G.Rev will get good money off XBLA, too;0)

Am I the only one REALLY hoping it's playable using the '360's ANALOGUE stick/s?? 'C'mon, I can't have been the only one to have noticed how brilliant the control in Gradius V was...

Looks awesome, anyway. I'll take it [and yes, don't give up on the physical media...a UD/BD double-pack DVD, is something I simply couldn't pass up...;0) Wink.

I'm sooo glad to see;

a)mechspacefightertanks, instead of prepubescenttransexualhermaphditefairyfantasylolasblearch...


b) subdued backgrounds, the best possible foil for...

c) tons of sparks/debrie...and possible mystery death. Hell yeah!! R2, UD and BG...b

Also, the way some people are comparing this to Radiant Silvergun [and that's impending release]; has me salivating. I mean, almost seems like everyone-even Treasure; backed down from the challenge of ever developing anything similarly ambitious again...

Happy;0)

Z

[DEL]

Snazzy new trailer indeed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlzQW2zQj3g

What are the chances of a Disc release?

[evil_ash_xero]

Snazzy new trailer indeed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlzQW2zQj3g

What are the chances of a Disc release?

I think zero.

[Mero]

What are the chances of a Disc release?

I think zero.

I'm inclined to agree, unfortunately

[DEL]

^Kinda weird, considering the amount of work that has obviously gone into it. I'd have thought they'd want to publish it for posterity at the very least.

[chempop]

I think Mamoru-kun and Senko duo both kinda had crap sales so they are trying a new approach. Just speculating here.

[antares]

I fear this game will bomb in the US and EU, jp disc release may have been the safer bet for G.Rev imo. The lack of an international trailer or even english name one month before release (supposedly) aren't making things better.

[kemical]

I'm really looking forward to this game, from what I've seen it is hitting the details that I like. And the way that recent trailer is cut made Akai Katana Shin's trailer feel like a dull blade...

[chempop]

I agree, it could use a western friendly name and a trailer in English. I think it is smart though to try a xbla game, it certainly cuts costs for them and far more likely that people will be willingto spend $10 on a shmup, not $70.

The trailer blows me away, first time I saw is I started whirling around my house while watching it pretending I was piloting a mech, broke a nice lamp in the process.

[MachineAres 1CC]

Definitely looks cool and playable, but I don't dig the art style all that much. Still definitely will be playing it, but it just doesn't blow me away with style like some other shmups.

[Necronom]

I fear this game will bomb in the US and EU, jp disc release may have been the safer bet for G.Rev imo. The lack of an international trailer or even english name one month before release (supposedly) aren't making things better.

Why should it bomb? Which xbla shmup did ever bomb? Let's be realistic...the hardcore fans would be happy with a disc release but what about all the others? JP-disc releases are ghetto releases compared to going worldwide for 10$.
And yeah, the game does look ace

[WarpZone]

c) tons of sparks/debrie...and possible mystery death. Hell yeah!!

Really not hoping for 'mystery death', myself!

[rocketassistedkea]

Really not hoping for 'mystery death', myself! [/quote]

Ha ha...true. I'm just a whore for awesome debrie, explosions and catacylsmic secondary explosions spraying the screen with sparks and molten, smoking, twisted metal...b A bit like shipwreck-porn, combined with fire. And toasted marshmallows.
If it means I get confused, every now and again...I'd sacrifice a tiny scarab of gameplay [occasional unfair death]; for mind-melting fiery shrapnel, like UD or R2;0) The laser-fire's pretty damn bright, and the backgrounds are subdued...so with debrie somewhere near the middle tonally; it shouldn't be much of an issue...;0)
Or, they could just scrap everything, and make all the bullets pink...b

Z

[BulletMagnet]

Apparently there was a stream yesterday. I'm hearing 3/30 for a release date. Did anyone watch this?

Siliconera seems to agree with that date.

[bcass]

Which xbla shmup did ever bomb?

Guwange.

Releasing at retail would be suicide at the moment. When Cave are struggling to get their titles to sell 10K week one then something tells you that there isn't much flavour for retail shmups domestically (on the 360).

I think this will bomb too. The art style just isn't very attractive or interesting, especially compared to some of G.rev's other shmups. Hell, I think 5pb's new offering looks nicer. I'd rather of had a port of Border Down to be honest. I think that game would have more international sales potential. This new offering looks cheap.

[rocketassistedkea]

Did Guwange bomb on XBLA?
A pity. Maybe it'll be a sleeper, as I'm sure the shmup hardcore will eventually pick it up, if nothing else.

I have my own theory on that...Cave's graphic style/their overuse of lurid colours for EVERYTHING....means much of what they do, can be called 'kitsch' aesthetically [I pissed off some fanatical Cave fan-boy for daring to say that, on another thread]. Anyway...Guwange is that....PLUS it's just a bit wierd-looking for the Western mainstream/more casual/less fanatically shmup obsessed. Of course, I'm not saying that Cave games aren't fantastic from a gameplay perspective, just that they're aesthetically...challenging....perhaps none more so than Guwange. In the West; you replace spacefightermegatanks-and a somewhat natural looking palette, with lolifairyhobgoblins-'painted' in universally lurid colours...at some risk, you know??

I expect this G.Rev game to do well anyway, with a Western audience. Under Defeat, and Border Down also look fantastic, are more muted than Cave games aesthetically [actually, the laser-fire in BD/SK looks even more vibrant...a side-effect of them using more muted backdrops than Cave, the contrast makes the game brighter]....both sold well on the Dreamcast, against expectations even. I reckon G.Rev know how to make/present a game, that even a more casual Western gamer would be interested in buying-esp for the handfull of dollars, they'll be asking on XBLA.

I actually reckon we're seeing a new golden-age of shmups, at the moment...and Cave are doing their bit; by introducing a new audience to the genre, through their iphone releases. For that; I can't praise them enough.
I most appreciate the ambition shown in this game; some are [correctly/incorrectly]? comparing it to 'Radiant Silvergun'? Wow. That's big praise, if it's true...even Treasure, pulled back from the scale of the challenge they'd created with RS, and haven't seriously attempted to rival/topple it since.I'll just be happy if it plays as good as it looks, as I've learnt not to 'anticipate' masterpieces, in music/cinema/painting/games...they [just like all the best art]; seem to happen when they happen, you know? You can't expect to manufacture another 'Nirvana/Floyd'; from 'American/etchasketchian Idol'.
But G.Rev seem to know what they're doing; so that bodes very well;0)

Z

[moozooh]

Shmup hardcore have already picked it up for the most part; it was them who were disappointed in it in the first place due to horrible interface and some bugs.

[DocHauser]

I have my own theory on that...Cave's graphic style/their overuse of lurid colours for EVERYTHING....means much of what they do, can be called 'kitsch' aesthetically [I pissed off some fanatical Cave fan-boy for daring to say that, on another thread].

Are you referring to me? Because I'm not even a Cave fanboy (Raiden Fighters Jet is my favourite shmup); I was just taking issue with some of the points you made on that thread, which was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

Also, it's a bit rich of you to complain on other threads about people being rude to you, when you yourself go round calling people 'fanatical fanboys' for no reason. In future, I just won't bother replying to any of your posts.



Back on topic...Strania looks like it might be cool, but it's hard to gauge what the game will play like based on the trailers seen so far. The Radiant Silvergun comparisons may be a red-herring.

[rocketassistedkea]

Calm down dude, I wasn't referring to you...I was referring to 'Drum'. His: "art's about not giving a fuck, yea" 'opinion', and his rudeness. I can tell; he doesn't have any respect for people with expertise in their field. My opinion's backed up by my degree [art-theory], my job [artist-18 years self-taught in a VERY tricky style, 19th century French Naturalism], the whole field of evo-psyche...and all the genuisses who've dedicated their lives to the pursuit of knowledge [including my lecturer Dennis Dutton, author of the best-selling; 'the Art Instinct', self-made millionnaire from his website 'Arts and Letters Daily'....and the only person I've spent time with, who I'm sure without a shadow-of-a-doubt; is a genius.] The real deal.
In contrast, Drum's arsehole 'opinion'...is totally disrespectfull....merely the ravings of a self-rightous twat. I even offered an [undeserved] apology to him, a couple actually...purely to prevent a flame-war; when he REALLY should have apologised to me. I don't think he respects anyone but himself. His opinions, have nothing to back them up...except his own arrogant self-rightousness.
I don't have an issue with you;0) If people are polite to me...I'll always be polite to them. He was rude, obnoxious, and totally disrespectfull. He might even be a troll.

Back on topic, yeah...this game looks pretty sweet. I've taken the RD comparisons to be, probably...a bit hopeful. Regardless; I'm sure it'll play well;0)

Piece [9mm.]

Z

[DocHauser]

OK, fair enough. But, judging by some of his comments, Drum is hardly a Cave fanboy either.

[Necronom]

Which xbla shmup did ever bomb?

Guwange.

Releasing at retail would be suicide at the moment. When Cave are struggling to get their titles to sell 10K week one then something tells you that there isn't much flavour for retail shmups domestically (on the 360).

I think this will bomb too. The art style just isn't very attractive or interesting, especially compared to some of G.rev's other shmups. Hell, I think 5pb's new offering looks nicer. I'd rather of had a port of Border Down to be honest. I think that game would have more international sales potential. This new offering looks cheap.

According to a sales analysis over at gamasutra Guwange did ok:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/3238 ... r_2010.php
It was quite successful during its first week considering that it's not only a niche title with zero mainstream appeal but also a low-budget port of an already emulated classic that allowed Cave to test the waters.
Strania on the other hand is an original title so you're basically comparing apples to oranges here. I also don't agree with you about the sales potential of Border Down. First of all it's been already out there for over 7 years and besides that Strania's versatile weapon arsenal looks way more interesting, especially to the common xbla consumer. Though the ship and mecha designs aren't as detailed as in Ikaruga, they certainly don't look cheap. Gameplay mechanics seem solid and satisfying. What more do you want for 800 msp?

[bcass]

That's a laughable analysis. They even mark it out as being a title where they have limited sales knowledge because it doesn't automatically log all players onto the leaderboards, which makes me think that they got their data by simply doing a count of leaderboard entries. It charted in it's first week and hasn't been seen in the charts since. 1,923 Entries for a whole months worth of sales is a complete disaster in sales terms. Far worse than I initially anticipated. Even if the leaderboards aren't wholey reflective of total sales, even ten times that number would be considered pretty poor given that most titles make the bulk of their sales in the first few weeks of release, and also taking into account the large share of profits that Microsoft takes on XBLA releases.

I also don't agree with you about the sales potential of Border Down. First of all it's been already out there for over 7 years and besides that Strania's versatile weapon arsenal looks way more interesting, especially to the common xbla consumer.

Nonsense. Have you seen the prices that Border Down commands these days? There's definitely a market for that. It probably wouldn't sell massively, but it has far more mass market appeal than this new offering. I'd go as far as to say the graphics look horrible in this new game. A really unfocussed style. Graphically, it looks amateur, which is surprising given that it comes from the company who brought us Border Down. Trust me, this thing is going to bomb hard. The (tiny) shmup hardcore will lap it up, but the mass market will ignore it.

I don't think most people realise how many units you have to shift on XBLA to make a profit when your game is only 800MSP. It's far more than most 800MSP games actually sell. XBLA is full of releases from companies who gave up after one or two releases. It's a hard platform to make money out of.

[RNGmaster]

The Radiant Silvergun comparisons may be a red-herring.

Vertizontal bullet-hell with an elaborate story and craploads of weapons, as well as lots and lots of crazy setpieces - what else does that remind you of?

[nZero]

The Radiant Silvergun comparisons may be a red-herring.

Vertizontal bullet-hell with an elaborate story and craploads of weapons, as well as lots and lots of crazy setpieces - what else does that remind you of?

red-herring (thanks SFKhoa)

[DocHauser]

Vertizontal bullet-hell with an elaborate story and craploads of weapons, as well as lots and lots of crazy setpieces - what else does that remind you of?

Fast Striker?

[ptoing]

Vertizontal bullet-hell with an elaborate story and craploads of weapons, as well as lots and lots of crazy setpieces - what else does that remind you of?

Fast Striker?

Elaborate Story? Not that I know of. Craploads of weapons? Not really. Crazy Setpieces? Not really either. ó_o