Bullet Soul - (STG/5pb/Xbox360)

[Annoyboy]

I e-mailed 5pb about the tate issue, and got this reply:

お問い合わせいただきましたXbox360『バレットソウル -弾魂-』
縦モードにつきまして現時点では未定となっておりますが、
今後の検討課題とさせていただきます。

I can't read much of that myself, but the basic gist from Google Translate and Babelfish is "We are currently undecided about whether or not there will be a portrait mode, and will look into it in the future."

[supergrafx77]

Those are the best fucking characters.

Yeah, the art reminds me of the PC Engine days.

[burgerkingdiamond]

What's your problem?

Apparently this game doesn't have Tate. Their reason is that they view this game as a consumer's product and not as an arcade game player's product. Stupid reason, but, yeah. Disappointing if true.

No source, never confirmed or denied, like a few other people have done I was just asking if 5pb actually announced anything regarding this, or if a beta tester has talked about it in some dark corner of the Internet.

How stupid. Like it takes any extra effort to include TATE. Even though it would still probably be fun without, this shit should be boycotted without TATE just for the principle.

[emphatic]

the basic gist from Google Translate and Babelfish is "We are currently undecided about whether or not we want to sell more copies of the game or not, and will look into it in the future."

^^fixed

[whoozwah]

to me it looks like Galuda II's black label with the bullet cancelling combined with Dangun Feveron's collecting of the little dudes. Could be totally fun. I'll probably pick this one up at some point but like the rest of you, I'd like a tate option.

[moozooh]

Btw, just for the record, that first stage video made me think the game screen is actually square. Maybe that's the reason they weren't originally planning to include tate.

[BulletMagnet]

Outta curiosity, is anyone aware of any updates as far as the tate option and/or region locking are concerned? The game's out in a month or so, and I'm on the fence in terms of pre-ordering...

[Phellan Wolf]

Outta curiosity, is anyone aware of any updates as far as the tate option and/or region locking are concerned? The game's out in a month or so, and I'm on the fence in terms of pre-ordering...

I might be wrong but the last time I read something about it, 5PB were considering wether releasing it as a region free game though nothing was decided yet.

[DragonInstall]

Here's another tutorial I don't understand. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aT4GHNfVdk

Man the music in this sounds so retro.. I like it.

[Special World]

So, looks like scoring is based on proximity and using laser to kill larger enemies?

I wish the bullet souls would have some actual impact on scoring...

[RNGmaster]

So, looks like scoring is based on proximity and using laser to kill larger enemies?

I wish the bullet souls would have some actual impact on scoring...

They do - they fill the gauge on the left-hand side of the screen, and the multiplier increases by 1 every time the gauge fills. Collecting them is apparently vital.

[Special World]

So, looks like scoring is based on proximity and using laser to kill larger enemies?

I wish the bullet souls would have some actual impact on scoring...

They do - they fill the gauge on the left-hand side of the screen, and the multiplier increases by 1 every time the gauge fills. Collecting them is apparently vital.

Really? Because I'm watching and I just don't see it at all. The guy on the left isn't collecting souls at all. If you mean just canceling bullets into souls adds to the gauge, then I don't really see that, either.

Maybe I'm just blind/retarded. I sure hope so. I wanna be collecting the shit out of some souls.

[DragonInstall]

Well it seems like they're releasing tutorial vids little by little. I'm sure those souls would be used for something significant in scoring... I mean the games called Bullet Soul.

[BulletMagnet]

Google Translating the official site seems to suggest that the multiplier is mainly based on player "aggression" of some kind, though I can't tell whether quick kills or near-the-top-of-the-screen kills are the emphasis. I'm not sure how the "souls" might factor into it...

[Special World]

Well it seems like they're releasing tutorial vids little by little. I'm sure those souls would be used for something significant in scoring... I mean the games called Bullet Soul.

From what I'm seeing, the souls are probably just a means to make it easier for those who don't want a tough game.

Google Translating the official site seems to suggest that the multiplier is mainly based on player "aggression" of some kind, though I can't tell whether quick kills or near-the-top-of-the-screen kills are the emphasis. I'm not sure how the "souls" might factor into it...

Yeah, this is what I'm thinking. The scoring is (as far as I can tell) just a matter of killing enemies up close (as seen in the first vid) and finishing off large enemies with the focus/laser shot (second vid). If you're playing for score, you'd have to get up close and personal, and therefore bullet patterns would still be a large threat. If you're playing for survival, though, you'd be able to hang out near the bottom and negate a lot of menacing patterns. So in that way it's actually good design. I'd be really sad if the bullets didn't have some kind of collection value, though, even if it was just a tiny amount of points so you could top off your score after proximity shotting enemies. It's too early to really tell for sure.

Here's hoping that the scoring has some serious depth, because the game looks A+ otherwise.

[denpanosekai]

Hey guys, this was in my inbox this morning:

"We are pleased to announce that we have decided to make Bullet Soul region-free."

[Special World]

Hey guys, this was in my inbox this morning:

"We are pleased to announce that we have decided to make Bullet Soul region-free."

Sweet news!

You best not be lying, because you just sparked a billion posts.

[StarCreator]

NCS seems to have received similar word:

5bp has confirmed overnight that Bullet Soul will be a region-free release that is playable on USA and European Xbox 360 consoles.

Bullet Soul is a vertical shooter where the enemies swoop in and unleash a barrage of buckshot. Unlike SSS however, Bullet Soul adds a new wrinkle to the shooting action where enemy bullets are rendered harmless and "ghosted" when the source of said bullets is destroyed. By collecting the ghost bullets, the player's Soul Gauge fills up and the score multiplier is ramped up for mega scoring opportunities. The game features three selectable heroes and an Arcade Mode as well as a Boss Rush Mode to mix up the antics. The first printing of Bullet Soul includes a bonus Original Soundtrack with tracks composed by KenjiItou and Kouta Takahashi who make up the group RESONATOR. Preorders are welcome to ship on April 7, 2011.

[emphatic]

Here's another tutorial I don't understand. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aT4GHNfVdk

Man the music in this sounds so retro.. I like it.

The gist of the tutorial is Play agressive, get more points. I also suggest that there's a pre-order bonus that'll give you an arrange soundtrack. Notice that I just think so, I have no proof.

[denpanosekai]

Hey guys, this was in my inbox this morning:

"We are pleased to announce that we have decided to make Bullet Soul region-free."

Sweet news!

You best not be lying, because you just sparked a billion posts.

I met some of the Bullet Soul developers back in January and they told me they were considering RF after noticing Cave's "successful" experimentation. So the news shouldn't really come as a shock; I'm just glad that it's finally official.

Also I tipped off NCSX myself, so 5pb best not be lying in this case.

[RNGmaster]

5bp has confirmed overnight that Bullet Soul will be a region-free release that is playable on USA and European Xbox 360 consoles.

Bullet Soul is a vertical shooter where the enemies swoop in and unleash a barrage of buckshot. Unlike SSS however, Bullet Soul adds a new wrinkle to the shooting action where enemy bullets are rendered harmless and "ghosted" when the source of said bullets is destroyed. By collecting the ghost bullets, the player's Soul Gauge fills up and the score multiplier is ramped up for mega scoring opportunities. The game features three selectable heroes and an Arcade Mode as well as a Boss Rush Mode to mix up the antics. The first printing of Bullet Soul includes a bonus Original Soundtrack with tracks composed by KenjiItou and Kouta Takahashi who make up the group RESONATOR. Preorders are welcome to ship on April 7, 2011.

AH HA
and I have noticed that collecting ghosts gives a very small number of points.

[-SD-]

Well this is absolutely fantastic news. I don't suppose 5pb have mentioned anything about Phantom Breaker being region-free? I pre-ordered both at the same time, just in case....

[Special World]

5bp has confirmed overnight that Bullet Soul will be a region-free release that is playable on USA and European Xbox 360 consoles.

Bullet Soul is a vertical shooter where the enemies swoop in and unleash a barrage of buckshot. Unlike SSS however, Bullet Soul adds a new wrinkle to the shooting action where enemy bullets are rendered harmless and "ghosted" when the source of said bullets is destroyed. By collecting the ghost bullets, the player's Soul Gauge fills up and the score multiplier is ramped up for mega scoring opportunities. The game features three selectable heroes and an Arcade Mode as well as a Boss Rush Mode to mix up the antics. The first printing of Bullet Soul includes a bonus Original Soundtrack with tracks composed by KenjiItou and Kouta Takahashi who make up the group RESONATOR. Preorders are welcome to ship on April 7, 2011.

AH HA
and I have noticed that collecting ghosts gives a very small number of points.

I read that too, but NCSX doesn't always have their information right. If souls give you some points when collected I'll be happy, but from videos the score is constantly going up so it's hard to tell whether it's the souls that do it or just shooting enemies. Anyways, I hope you're right.

[stegoroth]

Their 'spec' page was recently updated http://5pb.jp/games/bulletsoul/spec/index.html

Final part says:

備考
・Xbox LIVEマーケットプレースにて体験版を2011年3月配信予定
・リージョンフリー

Which translates to:

Remarks
· Xbox LIVE will be delivered in March 2011 trial in Marketplace
- Region Free

[BulletMagnet]

Xbox LIVE will be delivered in March 2011 trial in Marketplace

Ah, a demo - good, I'll give it a try once it arrives.

[emphatic]

Xbox LIVE will be delivered in March 2011 trial in Marketplace

Ah, a demo - good, I'll give it a try once it arrives.

Me too, and I hope they won't do something stupid like lock the Options menu to the full game like some schmucks do. They drop info about TATE and this goes from a maybe buy to a pre-order in a heartbeat.

[Annoyboy]

Bump because this was at the bottom of page 4. -_-

Any solid release date on that demo yet?

[ptoing]

I just made a 2 minute photoshop fudge of one of the screenshots, and this would be no problem to tate whatsofuckingever. (of course stuff could be a bit nicer, but clutter is hardly the issue)

[emphatic]

I just made a 2 minute photoshop fudge of one of the screenshots, and this would be no problem to tate whatsofuckingever. (of course stuff could be a bit nicer, but clutter is hardly the issue)

http://ptoing.net/post/bulletsoul_fudge.jpg

I'd put the longest bar vertical along the side instead, but I bet if they're clever enough to do a TATE mode they'd thought about that already.

[ptoing]

Yeah, I am not saying my layout is the ultimate, just that TATE with all the stuff on screen is no problem whatsoever.