Xbox 360: Mushihimesama Futari 1.5 (November 2009)

[rancid3000]

I got a Game Over on Larsa's last form in Black Label Manaic. So frustrating! Luckily I can get to the 5th stage on a fairly regular basis. Now it is a matter of reaching it with more than 2 lives remaining.

[Special World]

I can't clear BL Maniac for beans :\

It doesn't help that I love BL Original so much that I can't pull myself away from it. It just seems like the best mode until I become a shooting god and move onto God mode.

[Deca]

I can't clear BL Maniac for beans :\

It doesn't help that I love BL Original so much that I can't pull myself away from it. It just seems like the best mode until I become a shooting god and move onto God mode.

You really prefer Original's scoring system? I love the system in Maniac to death but find Original somewhat dull.

[Special World]

I can't clear BL Maniac for beans :\

It doesn't help that I love BL Original so much that I can't pull myself away from it. It just seems like the best mode until I become a shooting god and move onto God mode.

You really prefer Original's scoring system? I love the system in Maniac to death but find Original somewhat dull.

I'm not huge on the "switch shot type" mechanic, but I do love the rank system and proximity scoring. It leads to a very fast-paced, visceral experience. Maniac feels much more slow and deliberate to me. I'm also simply not good enough to clear maniac yet. For my skill level right now, Original is the ticket. I don't expect I'll like Maniac mode more at any skill level, but once I'm good enough I think I'll love God mode. Those 30,000 cash-ins are just too good.

[Gus]

I'd go God>Original>Maniac

Original has a really underrated scoring system I think. If you can get past the absurd penalties for deaths it's a really fun scoring system that's very easy to pick up and has a lot of little tricks. Maniac is great fun at first but when you spend a length of time with the game it becomes just far too easy to max out the stage scoring to the point where most of what separates my score from the WR is the points he got from no missing the game. God I think is clearly the best mode as it has easily the best patterns and a lot of depth both created from those patterns and the added element of 10k+ counter point-blanking. It also also manages to be a good challenge without dying and bombing completely screwing your runs.

[Casper<3]

God mode is so good. ...no matter how much I suck at it, it's just a blast to play.

It's not nearly as hard as Ultra either, it's like Maniac Advance. (GOOD THING)

[JOW]

Had a break from shooters and just came back to get my first 1.5 Original clear on my second try

Didn't quite make my 260m goal but I'm not far away - fookin love this game

[Blackbird]

I installed Futari 1.5 in the local pay-to-play X360 arcade today =D. Took a couple demo spins on Original and reached stage 4 for the first time (haven't practiced this game much, since I don't own an X360 myself). Good fun. Everyone was kind of mystified by it, I think it was the first time most had seen a bullet hell game, and the distinctly Japanese title wasn't helping =). Highlight of the evening: *random 14 year old punk picks up the controller* *dies on the first pattern* *puts the controller down* "I hate this game."

[J_Taishu]

Beat 1.5 Original with a shitty score using abnormal palm.
This is my first 1CC (unless the PCE of Salamander counts) and it took me around 6 weeks to do.
Although I didn't play consistently each week, I expect that I spent roughly 50 hours or so with the game.



As a kid I never had the skill or patience with SHMUPs, so it's great to see how that even with my old-man reflexes,
I've gained enough patience to be able to see this kind of thing through to the end.

[ratikal]

Highlight of the evening: *random 14 year old punk picks up the controller* *dies on the first pattern* *puts the controller down* "I hate this game."

Kid should play Bullet Soul. My friend said that the game would probably appeal to Americans since you get random ass bonus. HEY GOOD JOB! I DONT KNOW WHAT YOU DID BUT GOOD JOB 300K BONUS!!

[AntiFritz]

I installed Futari 1.5 in the local pay-to-play X360 arcade today =D. Took a couple demo spins on Original and reached stage 4 for the first time (haven't practiced this game much, since I don't own an X360 myself). Good fun. Everyone was kind of mystified by it, I think it was the first time most had seen a bullet hell game, and the distinctly Japanese title wasn't helping =). Highlight of the evening: *random 14 year old punk picks up the controller* *dies on the first pattern* *puts the controller down* "I hate this game."

How could you die on the first pattern of the game?

[Estebang]

Bullet Soul would probably make decent money in the West as an XBLA release, if they liberally sprinkled "bullet hell" throughout the press releases and linked to the HARDEST BOSS EVER video. (Not GoD--it wouldn't get any promotion.)

Bullet Soul is kinda insulting to people who've actually played a lot of shmups and it's obvious that 5pb was making a half-hearted attempt to cash in on the genre's renaissance, and the fact that a lot of fans will buy every shmup that comes out. At least it's better than 1942: Joint Strike.

[AntiFritz]

Bullet Soul would probably make decent money in the West as an XBLA release, if they liberally sprinkled "bullet hell" throughout the press releases and linked to the HARDEST BOSS EVER video. (Not GoD--it wouldn't get any promotion.)

Bullet Soul is kinda insulting to people who've actually played a lot of shmups and it's obvious that 5pb was making a half-hearted attempt to cash in on the genre's renaissance, and the fact that a lot of fans will buy every shmup that comes out. At least it's better than 1942: Joint Strike.

What exactly made bullet soul trash anyway? Bad levels and drawn out bosses or something?

[Estebang]

This sums things up pretty well.

[ratikal]

This sums things up pretty well.

That review is sort of biased. I really think Bullet Soul is great despite having no real good scoring system. It just an awesome game with great sights and sounds. Anyone can pick it up and play it and have fun with it. It may not have the same longevity as some CAVE titles, but I still think its a great game.

I need to get it in my library eventually. I played it over my friends house and had fun with it each time.

[Estebang]

That review is sort of biased.

Literally any belief or opinion that any human being has ever held is biased.

If you want a straight pick-up-and-play shmup that's actually good, Psikyo has you covered (as well as most of the genre made in the eighties/early nineties, and some other examples like Feveron and Giga Wing 1).

[Paradigm]

If you want a straight pick-up-and-play shmup that's actually good, Psikyo has you covered (as well as most of the genre made in the eighties/early nineties, and some other examples like Feveron and Giga Wing 1).

All shmups are pick up and play, regardless of scoring system or lack thereof.

Except Hellsinker.

[rancor]

What exactly made bullet soul trash anyway? Bad levels and drawn out bosses or something?

Most anyone that frequents this board or has a general interest in the genre will 1cc it on their first try. Literally the easiest game I've ever played with zero replay value. Can't fault the graphics, though - absolutely beautiful mech/character/level designs.

[Special World]

Bullet Soul would probably make decent money in the West as an XBLA release, if they liberally sprinkled "bullet hell" throughout the press releases and linked to the HARDEST BOSS EVER video. (Not GoD--it wouldn't get any promotion.)

Bullet Soul is kinda insulting to people who've actually played a lot of shmups and it's obvious that 5pb was making a half-hearted attempt to cash in on the genre's renaissance, and the fact that a lot of fans will buy every shmup that comes out. At least it's better than 1942: Joint Strike.

What exactly made bullet soul trash anyway? Bad levels and drawn out bosses or something?

I wouldn't call it trash by any means, but the scoring is too basic and a GIANT missed opportunity. They really needed to do something with those souls.

[Estebang]

The graphics are mid-era Toaplan filtered through a hazy memory, a severe lack of inspiration, and Dreamcast polygons. And as the Cave-STG review described, the backgrounds don't have any cohesion with the rest of the graphics.

[nZero]

What exactly made bullet soul trash anyway? Bad levels and drawn out bosses or something?

Most anyone that frequents this board or has a general interest in the genre will 1cc it on their first try. Literally the easiest game I've ever played with zero replay value.

The replay value is completely in the scoring system, not unlike Futari BL Original. For anyone with a bit of genre experience under their belt getting a 1-ALL (especially with autobomb on) on the first try is believable, but I don't think there's anyone on this board who has put in the time and effort needed yet for an actual 1cc.

The Version B DLC is another story though... takes any fun that was there out of the game.

Anyhoo, let's amble back over to the topic of X360 Futari 1.5, and anyone who wants to discuss the relative quality of Bullet Soul can drag that thread back up to the top.

[Jeneki]

How could you die on the first pattern of the game?

No sir, I have never played a shmup and charged up the screen to point blank and ate the first bullet in the game. Nope, that's never happened at all. Really.

[rancid3000]

I can't clear BL Maniac for beans :\

It doesn't help that I love BL Original so much that I can't pull myself away from it. It just seems like the best mode until I become a shooting god and move onto God mode.

You really prefer Original's scoring system? I love the system in Maniac to death but find Original somewhat dull.

I got the 1CC on Manaic last week. I forgot to suicide at the end to get the clear bonus for having bombs in stock but oh well. I wasn't going after score. I just wanted the 1CC.

I took a break from Manaic before getting the 1CC and went back to Original and cleared it on my first try! I remember it taking me forever to get that 1CC! It also reminded me how I like Manaic's Scoring system much better.

I'm going to go for a Ketsui 1-ALL next. Forget looping that thing!

[J_Taishu]

So, what are some other STG games with similar difficulty to Mushihime Futari 1.5 original? I was thinking about trying out either Espgaluda or MuchiMuchi Pork.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Deathsmiles is easy to 1CC, Espgaluda 1 is one that everyone recommends. Dodonpachi Resurrection 1.5 is supposed to be quite easy.

On the PC side try out Jamestown in gauntlet mode, also the doujin shmup [Yotsubane's] Crimson Clover is great fun, it uses the same 3 mode system as futari.

[AntiFritz]

So, what are some other STG games with similar difficulty to Mushihime Futari 1.5 original? I was thinking about trying out either Espgaluda or MuchiMuchi Pork.

I dont think yagawa games like muchi muchi pork are recommended to beginners but i could be wrong.

[Special World]

So, what are some other STG games with similar difficulty to Mushihime Futari 1.5 original? I was thinking about trying out either Espgaluda or MuchiMuchi Pork.

I dont think yagawa games like muchi muchi pork are recommended to beginners but i could be wrong.

I'd probably recommend new STGers Muchi Pork before I'd recommend Espgaluda II

[dunpeal2064]

Espgaluda II has 3 fairly easy modes, and black label isn't too tough to get into.

Pork 1.01 is pretty managable too though. And Pink Sweets arrange seems beginner friendly.

Both pretty good choices. I think I'd personally go Pork.

[Gus]

Why not just try out some of the other modes? I think the game offers a pretty good difficulty curve. I went from sucking balls at STGs to reaching Larsa in 1.5 Ultra.

[dunpeal2064]

Why not just try out some of the other modes? I think the game offers a pretty good difficulty curve. I went from sucking balls at STGs to reaching Larsa in 1.5 Ultra.

Impressive! 1.5 Ultra is so intimidating. I don't even know how to get a good start.