Xbox 360: Akai Katana Shin (May 2011)

[Sumez]

No way!! I want that ketsupachi bean bag lol!!

That thing is the ultimate Cave geek merchandise!

[Jockel]

Playing the game reminded me of this.

[Elixir]

No way!! I want that ketsupachi bean bag lol!!

Good luck, that's being sold by lottery. It says that there's no limit to the amount of sets you can buy, it's obvious they're trying to sell as many of these as possible.

[xris]

Tried the demo, much better than I expected. Again, it's one of those games where you can try and coast through, or you can try to do well, and make everything all sorts of complicated for yourself.
It took a moment to figure out that I can quickly fill katana markers with my normal shot, change, aim the swords once they appear, fire away for big prizes! In a sense, this makes it anti-milking, I get more points when I strategically crush the first stage mid-boss. But, I will say that my point spread has been all over the place on this. The first stage can be any where from 9-30 million.. Then it's still a little hard to tie it up in the next stage, and come out with the ideal score. No clue what my target score for the demo is yet. Once I feel like I'm scoring consistently I might put up a demo score.
Lot's of fun here.

[Vally]

This was a LOT easier to understand and get into than I thought it would be.

The previous chat on here made the scoring system sound like a complete mess but it really, really does click and it's excellent when it does.

I managed a 162mil score at the end of the demo, very pleased with that.

[ratikal]

Found out you can change the controls, nevermind.

Still trying to find out what the hell I'm doing but so far its pretty fun!

Also, if you press X at the title screen, you get a different mode? I wouldn't know which mode it is.

[nZero]

Also, if you press X at the title screen, you get a different mode? I wouldn't know which mode it is.

Novice mode.

[moozooh]

Is this AC Novice, Shin Novice, Zetsu Novice, or... just Novice? Or do all of them have a Novice mode?

[Elixir]

It's Shin Novice. It wouldn't make much sense otherwise.

[Sumez]

I have a REALLY hard time wrapping my head around the system in this game! Too many modes and hard-to-decipher counters going on at the same time. I think this is the first shoot'em up where I had to pause the game frequently just to gather my thoughts and focus on what's going on right now.
I often end up in situations where I think I'm ready to fire the big katanas but where I fail, I guess because I ran out of green energy, didn't load enough katanas during ninja mode, or I didn't collect enough blue orbs or whatever? Though it really catches me off guard a lot, and I can't really figure out what I failed doing.
Is there anything else that can cause ninja mode to end prematurely? (apart from dying or using bombs, of course)

That said, I think it's tons of fun, though obviously it plays nothing like Progear even though it looked like it.


Tell me if I got the scoring system right, and what I can do to improve (still haven't gotten more than 6-7 millions from a single katana attack) trying to sum it up in short:

1. Use focus shots to increase green energy bar (not necessary from the start since you start out with some energy - also you don't need to fill out the bar, but the more energy you have, the longer you stay in ninja mode = gathering a better katana attack??)

2. Use tap shots to increase your blue orb things that increase the meter around your ship (I have to go with feeling on this one, it's impossible for me to keep an eye on that red meter while focusing on the enemies and bullets - again you don't need to fill it out, you just need a lot - these seem to be more important to scoring than your green energy)

3. Go into ninja mode, and while in ninja mode you use focus shot to get small gold bars, turn enemies into suicide bullets, and get katanas from enemies (If you run out of energy you exit ninja mode without the opportunity to score big - someone tell me exactly what role the orbs play in this mode)!

4. Before ninja mode ends, you tap the ninja mode button to launch your accumulated katanas in the direction opposite to the direction you last moved - every bullet and enemy destroyed by these katanas turn into huge gold bars, and is the only way to get score that really matters in the game.

*. In all 4 sections above, point blanking is crazy important for increasing the value of both energy, orbs, katanas and gold bars.

There also seems to be some annoying auto-bomb thing going on some times, but I can't figure out how it works.
And is there any point to tap shooting while in ninja mode?

[evil_ash_xero]

Playing the game reminded me of this.

Did you like it any? Have you played the original? I know you got the "hook up" with PCBs.

[StarCreator]

Is this AC Novice, Shin Novice, Zetsu Novice, or... just Novice? Or do all of them have a Novice mode?

In the full game every mode has a novice mode, thus the universal toggle.

[DragonInstall]

What do the Orbs do? Also what makes your katana's turn red and what effect does that have?

This game has potential to be my favorite cave shmup. May 26 needs to come faster.

[Sumez]

Is this AC Novice, Shin Novice, Zetsu Novice, or... just Novice? Or do all of them have a Novice mode?

In the full game every mode has a novice mode, thus the universal toggle.

Also, novice mode doesn't seem that much easier than normal mode, which makes it a lot less superfluous than the novice mode in about every other Cave release for X360 so far.

[Never_Scurred]

Played the demo, contemplated for a minute, canceled my pre-order.
I don't really think i'm going to be missing much with all the other Cave titles I have yet to 1CC in my collection.

[third_strike]

Played the demo and I just can say:
- Visually this game is very weak! Very nice artworks out game but at least the first two stages are very uninspired.
- About game play I didn't understand nothing a only got hit all times some times I died sometimes no.

[SuperPang]

Played the demo and I just can say:
- Visually this game is very weak! Very nice artworks out game but at least the first two stages are very uninspired.
- About game play I didn't understand nothing a only got hit all times some times I died sometimes no.

Wow.

[DragonInstall]

Played the demo and I just can say:
- Visually this game is very weak! Very nice artworks out game but at least the first two stages are very uninspired.

I can understand maybe the first level would feel like that(I like it), but the second level also?

That level goes from the sun setting to night. Enemies attacking from trains, helicopters, boats also. You can see the sun setting behind the lake and mountain while fighting the mini boss. During the boss fight you are scrolling over a lake and forest with a full moon in the air. The mountains in the background have burning Japanese symbols too.

Not to mention the game's angle is like 3/4 view. Pretty unique in that aspect, plus the boss throws out battleships, planes, trains, and tanks from portals.

To me this is probably CAVES best work in the visual department.

[TheSoundofRed]

It's interesting to note that this is ostensibly the "Arrange" mode of this release. The original Arcade and Zetsu modes are also a part of the package IRC.

In terms of people having trouble with the scoring, it's relatively simple and easy to understand. The whole goal is to build up your blue orb count and energy meter, switch to ninja mode, hold laser and send out blue orbs, get katanas and rape enemies and reap massive amounts of gold. I think the amount of gold is multplied by your hit meter as well, so don't drop that (aka don't hold laser).

To me it just flows, and once you get a hang of it you'll be killing enemies in Ninja mode to make suicide bullets to also cancel into gold with your katanas. There is also a Mushi Futari element where the closer you are to the origin of the gold, the more points you get (big gold turns into small gold the further it travels from it's origin).

The system to me flows very well. But that's my opinion so... whatev.

[dan76]

I think the scoring is a bit convoluted, and not actually that great. Takes a while to get your head round, but is it any good? It's no Ketsui.

Rather than being a shooter with a cool scoring system, this is a scoring system thinly disguised as a shooter (if that makes sense). Bit disappointed really - though I also think it's one of their best looking games. In fact, it's like the opposite of deathsmiles 2 arcade mode, which had great scoring/gameplay and looked like a dog.

Having not been a fan of other arrange modes I'm still hoping Arcade mode isn't mullered.

[TheSoundofRed]

I think the scoring is a bit convoluted, and not actually that great. Takes a while to get your head round, but is it any good? It's no Ketsui.

Rather than being a shooter with a cool scoring system, this is a scoring system thinly disguised as a shooter (if that makes sense). Bit disappointed really - though I also think it's one of their best looking games. In fact, it's like the opposite of deathsmiles 2 arcade mode, which had great scoring/gameplay and looked like a dog.

Having not been a fan of other arrange modes I'm still hoping Arcade mode isn't mullered.

So Shin modes scoring is convoluted but Deathsmiles 2's isn't? So you have to kill enemies with shot to gain an item that raises your item meter, you gain a different item that raises your overall counter for killing enemies with laser (sounds similar so far, gaining different items for using different shots). Once your item or fever meter is at 1000 you can go into fever mode. If you kill any enemies while at 1000, suicide bullets will appear that you can cancel by going into fever mode. While in fever mode you use lock-shot to kill enemies in the foreground and background to spawn suicide bullets. Evade suicide bullets while still holding lock-shot until they are red, then release lock-shot to reap in tons of items.

Sounds pretty convoluted to me as well. Doesn't mean it's not fun and same goes with Akai Katana Shin. Things are not objectively "fun" or "not fun". That's why I stated in my post that it was my opinion that the scoring flowed well and that I enjoy it.

[Special World]

So is Zetsu mode the "home" version of the arcade game, or what?

[DragonInstall]

The scoring system is convoluted?

Isn't it just rapid shot for orbs and heavy shot for ninja meter. Release orbs you collected to get swords, and use swords to kill everything in your path for tons of points.

Yeah there are little things like point blanking produce more orb / meter, and during ninja mode you can heavy shot to produce more enemy bullets... but really it isn't that hard to grasp. It's not as complicated, as say Esp II Bl, and to me it flows well and easier to understand than Deathsmiles.

Edit:

I noticed in the demo they had 7 stages for scoring. Wasn't the arcade version only 5 stages? I always thought that shin would have 1 extra level. There also seems to be space for an 8th stage.. maybe Bl version dlc lol.

[mesh control]

Guys, the scoring is convoluted.

[TheSoundofRed]

Guys, the scoring is convoluted.

It's not the point if it is convoluted or not really since most Cave games have a pretty expansive scoring system in place. The main point is people are complaining that it's hard to grasp when it's not any harder than DS or DSMBL or DS2 or Progear or ESPGaluda 2.

The point that it's convoluted = it's bad is ridiculous since the reason most people (or at least myself) enjoy Cave titles is due to the intricate scoring mechanics and the process of dissecting them to get the highest score possible.

On another note, it's interesting to see the correlation in Cave titles. You have Mushi Futari, Ketsui, ESP Ra De for the point blanking, button switching type. Then DS, ESPGaluda, DS2, Akai Katana for the build this meter, cancel bullets and get items type. There's probably a correlation to be made in the different programmers who design the systems.

But really, my main point on this topic is that I personally don't think the system of Shin mode is entirely too hard to grasp, and think it's on par with most Cave titles in terms of intricacy and enjoyment.

[Sumez]

Really. It's WAY harder to grasp than especially DS or Progear. To me at least. Even ESPGaluda 2 makes a lot more sense to me - sure, there's a lot of complicated details to getting the most out of it, but it flows hell of a lot easier than Akai Shin does to me.

It sounds simple enough on paper, but in practice there seems to be a lot of factors to take into consideration, and with all the constant mode changing, you really need to keep focus on what you're doing.
In the opposite end, Progear sounds crazy confusing when you read about it, but it feels extremely natural when playing it.

I think the amount of gold is multplied by your hit meter as well, so don't drop that (aka don't hold laser).

Don't hold laser? Isn't that how you get energy items. I still don't get it I guess.

[TheSoundofRed]

Really. It's WAY harder to grasp than especially DS or Progear. To me at least. Even ESPGaluda 2 makes a lot more sense to me - sure, there's a lot of complicated details to getting the most out of it, but it flows hell of a lot easier than Akai Shin does to me.

It sounds simple enough on paper, but in practice there seems to be a lot of factors to take into consideration, and with all the constant mode changing, you really need to keep focus on what you're doing.
In the opposite end, Progear sounds crazy confusing when you read about it, but it feels extremely natural when playing it.

I think the amount of gold is multplied by your hit meter as well, so don't drop that (aka don't hold laser).

Don't hold laser? Isn't that how you get energy items. I still don't get it I guess.

Ok... OK! I'll admit it is a bit more convoluted than most, but I still like it DAMNIT! hah.

Yea if you hold laser too long your hit meter will drop to zero. you have to let off onto rapid shot every second or so.

edit: Oh and I hope you're not forgetting the mechanic in Deathsmiles where it's vital to destroying enemies with specific shot types to get more items. At least in Akai Shin you only have to know that Shot = Blue orbs Laser = Energy Orbs.

[Sumez]

So that's one more secret that only makes it more confusing, I wonder how much else I'm still not getting (I'm not even anywhere close to the 200 million scores people are pulling here)
But hey it's still new to me, I just need to play it more of course.

[DragonInstall]

Still don't get why people think it's convoluted. I'm sure once you guys get the game and watch a replay, it'll probably all make sense.

Maybe I don't think it's that complicated since my favorite shmup is Espgaluda II BL.

[Thjodbjorn]

Espgaluda 2 hurts my brain. This clicked with me after one day with the demo. Very excited for the game!