Thunderforce V opinions?

[captain ahar]

if you play it on very hard, it gets a lot more interesting. (also, i read your post assuming you kicked it up from the default in the first place)

[Turrican]

Nostalgia aside, probably Einhander. Either way, both are high favorites.

Exactly. I don't think TF V screws so much the goodness that TF III is, since it's a Thunderforce at its core. It might even be criticized for being too traditional. One can be annoyed by some choices, I perfectly understand. You don't like its score system, I think free range might as well be my favorite non-compile weapon ever. That's probably where our opinions diverge.

As far as Einhander... It's not that I dislike it, it's quite a good shmup! Perhaps just a little too hard for me, although I have yet to play the unaltered japanese original. The backgrounds however are a little too cold... Like Gradius V if you want, shades of the same metallic color and dull corridors. I often had to think what stage was I playing, the only one a little more remarkable was the water one.

I used to play it all the time but I felt it was completely overshadowed by R-Type Delta when it came out, that is a lot more playable (in a traditional sense, if you want) and has that creepy atmosphere and really striking backgrounds.

However, we're discussing of giants. All of these games are absolute ace imho.

[Pshooter]

doesn't the fact that you can die with 1 hit make Einhander a bit too hard also?

[Ganelon]

Huh? Harmful Park is also 1-hit kill yet nobody claims that it's difficult on defaults...

[captain ahar]

in general, are one hit kills in a shmup that noteworthy?

[Nei First]

Isn't R-type delta 1-hit also? Which is harder when it comes to checkpoints, Einhander or Delta?

[chimpp]

They can both be pretty hard at times, but R-Type Delta has more difficult checkpoints to cross than Einhander. Einhander has a couple that are extremely difficult, while the rest are relatively easy. Most checkpoints in Delta are really hard and some are nearly impossible.

I only wish we had access to those 98 other ships in Final to use in Delta. I have a real need for R-Type goodness right now but can't play either Final or Delta because Delta had the brilliant level designs and Final has the variety of ships to choose. Can't we have both in one game?

[PFG 9000]

Wouldn't the variety of ships in Final kill the level design in Delta? I mean, levels in most games are designed around the limitations of the playable character(s). When you make a variety of playable characters available, you must generalize the levels to make them suit all of the characters equally well (somewhat equally, at least).

Of course, your whole point is that some of the ships in Final would make Delta much easier, so perhaps the point is moot. *shrugs*

[chimpp]

Sure, it'd be easier. But that would be so cool. It's just a shame that with all those ships in Final, you don't really have cleverly-designed levels like you do in Delta in which to test them (I only truly enjoy two levels in Final but you can't play them in a single game).

[fraggore]

what ya on about prob 80% of shmups are one hit and ya dead its the way it is baby

[fraggore]

what is Harmful Park like anyway is it worth hunting down

[chimpp]

doesn't the fact that you can die with 1 hit make Einhander a bit too hard also?

I think PShooter was being sarcastic about the 1-hit comment.

what is Harmful Park like anyway is it worth hunting down

Harmful Park is just your run-of-the-mill high-brow gag and pure shooting game.

[Nei First]

doesn't the fact that you can die with 1 hit make Einhander a bit too hard also?

I think PShooter was being sarcastic about the 1-hit comment.

Or maybe he meant "dying with one hit", as in you have to restart part of the level, as oppose to just re-spawning. At least that's what I think he meant.

[captain ahar]

what is Harmful Park like anyway is it worth hunting down

Harmful Park is just your run-of-the-mill high-brow gag and pure shooting game.

precisely.

anyway, i think it is incredible. rather easy i'm told (i still can't clear it though). the game is much more interesting on higher difficulties (and in the score attack stage) as it really does become quite hellish. another major point, the game is very score based. the scores revolve around weapon usage, multipliers from killing groups of enemies at once, and jewel collection. it also looks amazing, the attention to detail, and the sense of humor are incredible.

there is a great review here on twin dreams http://users.pandora.be/twin-dreams/PSo ... _Park.html

the major sticking point most will have is the money/fun ratio. i got my copy for $80 and am very happy that i got it.

edit: also, should you get it, make sure to boost the difficulty. the game defaults on Easy.

[PaCrappa]

Harmful Park is just your run-of-the-mill high-brow gag and pure shooting game.

HAHA, awesome!

Pa

[Nei First]

Oh yeah about Salamder Deluxe, how is that on the PSX?

[PFG 9000]

Oh yeah about Salamder Deluxe, how is that on the PSX?

Really, really hard, and somewhat unfair at times, IMO. Salamander II is awesome, though a bit too short. The conversions are arcade perfect though.

[BulletMagnet]

Oh yeah about Salamder Deluxe, how is that on the PSX?

According to what I've heard, all of the "Deluxe Packs," as well as other such Konami releases (the later Parodius games, etc.) are equally good on Saturn and PSX...the latter system's bunch tend to be harder to find and more expensive, though.

[jp]

TFV is one of the weaker entries in the series, this is for sure. Yeah, the levels look cool (on the Saturn, ZING!) and the story/music are superb, but the gameplay just feels very poor. I don't know, the movement of stuff just isn't fluid at all, and to me it always feels like I'm just stumbling through a moderately easy game. Sure, TFIII and TFIV aren't the hardest things in the world to conquer, but at least it feels like they got that extra bit of polish that matters.

[Nei First]

Cool, I'll add salamander to the list then.

Harmful park looks real good, but man the prices it goes for.

[BulletMagnet]

Harmful park looks real good, but man the prices it goes for.

It is pricey, but there are tales of some members here getting it for pretty cheap...I think one or two said they found it for around 40 bucks, not sure where or how though...got my own copy (excellent cond., but no spine) for around 70.

[Nei First]

Harmful park looks real good, but man the prices it goes for.

It is pricey, but there are tales of some members here getting it for pretty cheap...I think one or two said they found it for around 40 bucks, not sure where or how though...got my own copy (excellent cond., but no spine) for around 70.

Really!? You guys must be laughing. Feels good when you get quality for cheap doesn't it?

[ST Dragon]

The story line is awesome. Japanese driven, dramatic & sad.
Excellent atmosphere as if it was taken directly form a sci-fi novel.
The Report, prologue & epilogue, make very fine reads indeed, once they're unlocked.
It has one of the coolest & most poetic quotes seen in shmup:
“In the first battle against the Guardian's weapons, created with Vasteel Technology, humanity suffered a crushing defeat”

It has one of the most effective weapons system conceived in a shmup & the most destructive secondary weapons of mass destruction for horizontal shooting standards.

Excellent fast paced game play with none of those pesky check points that plagued R-Type Delta.

Best intro FMV I've seen in a shooter.
Awesome soundtrack & kick-ass boss music. I still listen to the mp3s.

Graphically it's below PS-1 standards & quite worse compared to, Einhander, G-Darius, R-Type Delta, but it has the coolest kick-ass bosses one could encounter in a shooter. (Guardian being a fine example)
Only other shooter I can think of with comparable Bosses is TAITOs RayStorm.

Surprisingly, the Saturn version has better graphics & more colors but suffers from annoying slowdowns & is missing the cool story line & excellent intro FMVs.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

1. It's by Square. Thus, every Square nut knows about the game.

Not only it's Square, but it came at square's peak of popularity, when everything they released seemed gold. And it reinforced this opinion showing that Square was able to create a classic in every genre.

History later will show that Einhander was just the lucky occurrence in a series of flawed experimental products. Indeed, for their first shmup it's a very nice game.

And Squaresoft's 2nd attempt at a Tempest inspired but with new graphical flair gave the lucky Japanese PSX gamers a game called iS: internal section...internal section was destined to be released for the USA PSX but it was cancelled. As to why it was cancelled, ask Squaresoft themselves and you'll find out the "real" reason why. Could it be that USA PSX gamers weren't ready for a fucking tripped out Tempest remake type of shmuppy game. And believe it or not, internal section is the only PSX game that truly takes advantage of the power of the Dual Shock controller and allowing a gamer to fully experience just what kind of cool vibration functionality a Dual Shock controller could present to the video gaming world. Of course, its's pretty easy to see where Sega & United Game Artists got their inspiration from internal section to do their trippy & shmuppy game of Rez.

And isn't there suppose to be a sequel to Rez coming out for the Sony PSP some time soon? (I'd buy it in a heartbeat.)

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Ganelon]

Yeah, I remember reading about IS and how you could swap the disc with music CD's for unlimited replay value.

[BenT]

internal section was destined to be released for the USA PSX but it was cancelled. As to why it was cancelled, ask Squaresoft themselves and you'll find out the "real" reason why. Could it be that USA PSX gamers weren't ready for a fucking tripped out Tempest remake type of shmuppy game.

It was probably because the game was f'in boring. Pretty, yes. Fun, no.

[Galaxius]

TF 3 is my favorite in the series, although it is a bit on the easy side. It just has a great atmosphere - the music and the graphics all fit perfectly.

But I think GV is the best of the Gradius games. Gaiden is a fun game, but I don't get into it as much as other games in the series.

My favorites-

GV, Nemesis 90 Kai, Gradius 2 arcade, Gradius 3 SNES, Gaiden

And Galaxies is suprisingly good.

[SAM]

Einhänder = best PSX Horizontal Shmup IMO.

Why?

- Designed for the hradware, and virtually flawlessly programmed.
- Great atmosphere, you can really tell that a lot of work went into creating a whole "world" around the game (not something you can say about Dondonpachi or Zanac Neo, for example, although they're also great games for different reasons)
- Fab soundtrack
- A unique and very fun weapons system, unmatched in the world of shmups (only Gaiares is slightly similar)
- Intuitive and fun chaining system
- Intense boss battles that reward you for speed, not milking
- Japanese version has the greatest shmup cover art ever.

Really, had you tried any of the following: namely R-Type Delta, G-Drius, RayStorm, Ray Crusis, TFV & Soukyugurentai ? All of them in my opinion are better than Einhänder.

Yes, Einhänder is the very best shooter made by Square Soft, but Square Soft made one and only one shooter so far...(i.e. Square Soft might have made the best RPG, but they are no good in writting acrade style games, not to mension shmups, unless they hire someone else to did the job.)

Einhänder just don't feel like a hardcore shmup that suit enthusiasts' teast. But well it seems to make quite a good appeal to general gammers. That's why it is *good*.

[Ganelon]

Well, Square also made King's Knight in their early days but everyone would prefer to forget that shooter...

[ST Dragon]

King's Knight?!
I never thought anyone would remember this old 1986 Nes vertical shooter...
Actually the game is quite interesting. You get to play as a knight, a sorcerer, a dragon or a kid (kid-icarus style)