∀kashicverse -Malicious Wake

[Rex Cavalier]

What are the difference between the modes?

∀dvent gives 500% shield and increased regeneration of method gauge, pretty much easy mode.
∀nother is pretty much same mode as trial version, 100% shield, normal regen.
∀kashic has no continues, most of enemyes spew suicide bullets if not killed by method and bosses have harder patterns, though energy goes down only by 50% if hit with wings open, basically hard mode.
Edit: oh and also bullet speed is faster in ∀kashic

[TrippyCake]

Well my eyes are still burning right now from my initial playthrough but holy shit that stage 5 boss fight. This is definitely surpassing the acid-trip that Hellsinker was and I most certainly think that this deserves a spot on the shelf of "Greatest Shmup Moments".

What are the difference between the modes? I just did my playthrough on ∀nother.

Also, we should get a highscore thread up sometime.

If your eyes are burning from the intial playthrough then that shall be as far as you go.

Highscores might be difficult to collect since the game doesn't have replays, which can be circumvented by screenshots/score.dat.
I think there will also have to be a rule to only allow scores without continues, because continuing doesn't seem to hurt the score at all, which can be abused for near infinite method.
The worst part is that the games doesn't even seem to save scores unless you finished Stage 5.
Maybe turning the continue prompt off fixes that, there's an option in the settings.

[Observer]

It doesn't save scores until you reach stage 5 because this game takes an all-or-nothing approach: you either reach stage 5 unscathed to unlock the extra stage or you miss and continue like a pro and finish on stage 5.

Continuing affects your score GREATLY, as indicated by the gloriously glorious engrish continue message. Every time you continue your item rate goes down a fair bit. The first continue? Might be not so harmful. After that you might as well just restart. So, you can tell people who have continued a lot will have an obscenely small score compared to those who no missed the game.

It also encourages "overdoing" bosses (for example, you can get stage 2 boss to cycle his patterns and milk him for huge scores before the music makes him switch to LSD mode).

Oh, I have no idea what the requirements to get the Omake boss are now (I think you have to destroy all the legs of the spider as well as doing it in time+having a high rate/not dying) and the devs just told me the conditions were made harder. I can see why, that bitch of the Omake wiped the floor with me and ruined my run...

WELCOME TO GENOCIDE GARDEN

[Rex Cavalier]

Don't think not dying is an condition, because once keyboard screwed me up on phase 1 causing me to die horribly yet i still got it.

[BPzeBanshee]

It also encourages "overdoing" bosses (for example, you can get stage 2 boss to cycle his patterns and milk him for huge scores before the music makes him switch to LSD mode).

Oh, I have no idea what the requirements to get the Omake boss are now (I think you have to destroy all the legs of the spider as well as doing it in time+having a high rate/not dying) and the devs just told me the conditions were made harder. I can see why, that bitch of the Omake wiped the floor with me and ruined my run...

WELCOME TO GENOCIDE GARDEN

I must confess I downloaded this to play while I'm waiting for my CD to arrive from Japan (rancor said two weeks, lol, not for Darwin), so I went through figuring out this shit early. I actually found it to be easier, and I'm fairly sure getting to Stage 6 is not just no-missing, but I won't say unless people don't mind spoilers.

As for your comment about the stage 4 boss, I actually thought it was more like Battle Garegga. One of the phases is pretty much like a modern version of Mad Ball (at least I think it was called Mad Ball, stage 2 boss) and the whole "RANK LEVEL" stuff seemed like a quite a bit of a jab towards it despite being preset in reality.

[LtC]

The condition to face Omake boss is still not much different from the demo. It's just having a certain amount of rate and/or score.

For the condition to reach the extra stage looks like it's simply no-miss. I got the phase shift sequence on stage select while doing the pacifist run of stage 5.

Looks like there's nothing extra in the extra stage on Akashic difficulty. I beat it on stage select and the game just fades out after you beat the boss just like on the easy difficulty. What's interesting about the extra boss is that it has all the moves of the player character from Alternative Arguments (I haven't seen the time Freeze though). The boss has Method Gauge just like you and it'll use various methods what looks like quite randomly but also will counter to some of your methods. If you cast the clone most of the time the boss will cast its own clone as well. Some attacks do unavoidable damage like the method that slows down bullets around you and the only way to stop taking damage is to cast the same method yourself (It seems that it only drains shield so you can get hit while on wing mode) and some are ridiculously hard to predict like the regular bomb method. If you also cast certain methods at certain time it seems you'll go into what seems like a QTE sequence where you have to tap the fire button, if you mess it up you'll lose a bunch of shield and if you succeed you'll gain some method gauge and the boss loses a bunch of health. I did a pacifist run on the extra boss and it looks like die from timeout in its first phase and will not go to the later phases at all unless you damage the boss.

[Observer]

More than a QTE, I'm reminded of the G-Darius laser fights, heh. But I guess those were also pretty much QTEs, right?

Well, new content should be coming by the end of the month or february! I wonder what they'll add.

By the way, for those wondering about Alternative Arguments, don't forget it was released during April's Fools. It could well be coming as part of this new content but it could've also been a "serious joke" where they were testing new methods and crazy stuff.

[LtC]

Would be a damn shame if all the assets from Alternative Arguments got left unused. I really liked it, especially the music.

Here's a timeout video for the Extra stage/Stage 6 boss. I really like boss fights that are basically fighting your own ship/character. It's done in a pretty cool way, especially considering the boss doesn't have just a scripted attack pattern. I'd do a video of Akashic mode instead, since it's not that much harder, but I can't figure out how to dodge consistently the pattern at 1:40 without using method commands.

[Cadrin]

Would be a damn shame if all the assets from Alternative Arguments got left unused. I really liked it, especially the music.

Exactly. Alternative Arguments might have been a joke mode, but the distorted music from stages 1 and 2 was pretty interesting.

Also, all that ingame insanity makes me wonder about the story... There was supposed to be one, right? Do you guys happen to know anything about it?

Anyway, the final boss seems to only have one scripted attack. She uses the eponymous Malicious Wake method when low on health on her last health bar. All in all, the final fight looks underwhelming on Advent mode in that timeout video of yours. Not visually, but it seems so easy. Most of the lesser bullets are dissolved by that blue shield you got after beating the stage 5 boss, dealing no damage to you at all.

EDIT: some random strings of zeroes and ones appear in the combat log during the stage 5 boss proper, but they're probably just for flavor...

EDIT 2: I know Touhou games pride themselves in their stunning patterns and general eye candy, but Stage 5's boss "Freak Out: Euthanasie" method (final attack) takes the cake as the most visually impressive attack so far, in my opinion. Well, the game requires a dual core processor and 2 GBytes to RAM, and it shows that it puts those resources to good use. (I still think the regular fiery explosions look ugly, though.)

Here's to hoping the patch nerfs the Doom Bringer method. It makes the two final stages a joke, or so it seems.

[Observer]

Wondering if that shield pops up in Akashic mode or if the patterns get much harder. Having watched the extra/stage 6 video, I'm definitely getting G-Darius vibes out of the button mashing sequences.

As for the story of the game, it is still under construction in the site so this might be one of those cases of shoot first, ask later: pack up as much weirdness as possible and nail down all the mechanics correctly first, then make a story/excuse later. Let's not forget Crimzon Clover has no story at all bar "SHOOTING GAME WILL NEVER DIE".

I personally love how cool everything is without even having dialogue or much text at all.

edit: Reached Stage 6. Still sweating. Man, this thing. The stage itself is easy, it's the boss, need to nail down the patterns as I got absolutely owned, that shield you get after stage 5 is confusing because it really makes you reckless.

[LtC]

The shield protects you from every small bullet, during the stage there are 3 types of enemies that can damage you but if you spam J.Driver they can't do anything to you. You can also spam J.Driver on the boss over and over, especially on the easiest difficulty. It works even on hardest difficulty too if you position yourself right.

I tried Akashic mode a little on stage select and I think it's quite doable, at least if you completely ignore scoring after stage 3. Stage 6 is ridiculously easy and stage 5 only has maybe one or two tough spots. But stage 4 itself is absolute madness. The boss is full PANIC PANIC PANIC. There's the first phase that times out really quick but the catch is that the more health the boss has left the higher the rank for the next phase will be. Akashic mode is something like 100-200, as in you get rank 100 if you take out the whole health bar. Any over 100 rank and the boss adds additional patterns that make some stuff real pain in the ass to dodge. And when stuff becomes pain in the ass to dodge you have to play more defensively. But the later patterns of the second phase are really hard to dodge so you actually want to finish that phase quickly. And when you make it to the last phase you want to have full shield and method gauge it's PANIC PANIC PANIC timer and you really have to hurry to kill off all the pods to stop that damn doomsday laser...

[Observer]

Agreed. Stage 4 doesn't fuck around, tried another run and I Game Over'd at that stage. But I love the fact that when you kill the enormous machine, you can pretty much 1-hit the little girl that was the boss behind, heh. The irony.

And, yeah, mastering Jaunt Driver is key in this game, it lets you destroy shit so fast and avoid a lot of crap. The massive laser you can use on Stage 5 onwards is great too.

Really curious to see what they'll add to the game!

[Lord Satori]

wtf? the demo works just fine on my computer but the full version won't fucking run?!

I hate windows.

[BPzeBanshee]

The shield protects you from every small bullet, during the stage there are 3 types of enemies that can damage you but if you spam J.Driver they can't do anything to you. You can also spam J.Driver on the boss over and over, especially on the easiest difficulty. It works even on hardest difficulty too if you position yourself right.

I tried Akashic mode a little on stage select and I think it's quite doable, at least if you completely ignore scoring after stage 3. Stage 6 is ridiculously easy and stage 5 only has maybe one or two tough spots. But stage 4 itself is absolute madness. The boss is full PANIC PANIC PANIC. There's the first phase that times out really quick but the catch is that the more health the boss has left the higher the rank for the next phase will be. Akashic mode is something like 100-200, as in you get rank 100 if you take out the whole health bar. Any over 100 rank and the boss adds additional patterns that make some stuff real pain in the ass to dodge. And when stuff becomes pain in the ass to dodge you have to play more defensively. But the later patterns of the second phase are really hard to dodge so you actually want to finish that phase quickly. And when you make it to the last phase you want to have full shield and method gauge it's PANIC PANIC PANIC timer and you really have to hurry to kill off all the pods to stop that damn doomsday laser...

So the Stage 4 boss 'Rank' is actually dynamic to a point? Well fuck.

As for the Omake I thought it had more specific requirements other than a score. Certainly the method I came up with to trigger it is consistent all the time and anything less than what I do doesn't seem to work for it. Then again, if one does a full run of the game and scores well through the previous stages that could account for it too.

wtf? the demo works just fine on my computer but the full version won't fucking run?!

I hate windows.

- Try compatibility mode
- Try the v1.01 patch
- Don't use Windows 8 (or 7 for some)

[SuperSoaker360]

I don't understand what I'm supposed to do with the contents of the v1.01 patch. I get an .exe file and two text files and I'm not sure what to do with them.

[Observer]

Just overwrite the old exe. That's it.

[Lord Satori]

wtf? the demo works just fine on my computer but the full version won't fucking run?!

I hate windows.

- Try compatibility mode
- Try the v1.01 patch
- Don't use Windows 8 (or 7 for some)

I tried both those things and it didn't work. I'm using windows 7, but as I said, the demo works just fine, so there is NO explanation as to why it isn't working! Technology just outright pisses me off when it gets like this!

When I try to open it, it pops up with this annoying runtime error thing.

edit: I also have the latest versions of the xna and .net frameworks.

[LtC]

Almost made it to the 5th stage. Stage 5 is easy and stage 6 is a joke so I got close to 1cc already. Got screwed up by 1 rank since the boss timed out while I was casting scissors



Should've just used the Eliminator instead of saving it for stage 5's only tough part but this game really doesn't give you time to think.

Stage 2 also has a midboss on Akashic difficulty, that's the only difference I've spotted so far.

[CptRansom]

wtf? the demo works just fine on my computer but the full version won't fucking run?!

I hate windows.

- Try compatibility mode
- Try the v1.01 patch
- Don't use Windows 8 (or 7 for some)

I tried both those things and it didn't work. I'm using windows 7, but as I said, the demo works just fine, so there is NO explanation as to why it isn't working! Technology just outright pisses me off when it gets like this!

When I try to open it, it pops up with this annoying runtime error thing.

edit: I also have the latest versions of the xna and .net frameworks.

I renamed the .exe to Akashicverse.exe and changed the directory to akashicverse_C83. Poof. Runtime error gone.

[SuperSoaker360]

Just overwrite the old exe. That's it.

Thanks! I feel stupid now.


Anyway,
SOUNDTRACK PLZ

[Lord Satori]

- Try compatibility mode
- Try the v1.01 patch
- Don't use Windows 8 (or 7 for some)

I tried both those things and it didn't work. I'm using windows 7, but as I said, the demo works just fine, so there is NO explanation as to why it isn't working! Technology just outright pisses me off when it gets like this!

When I try to open it, it pops up with this annoying runtime error thing.

edit: I also have the latest versions of the xna and .net frameworks.

I renamed the .exe to Akashicverse.exe and changed the directory to akashicverse_C83. Poof. Runtime error gone.

Wow, you're right. It seems it just didn't like the upside down A.

SOUNDTRACK PLZ

I second that request.

[LtC]

Looks like I was wrong about the Omake boss. You need to destroy all the 6 upper limbs of the second boss (and probably have a certain amount of score/rate). I don't know if I just had destroyed all the parts on every run or if it was because I patched the game.

Managed to also beat Akashic mode. Too bad there wasn't any reward or anything extra for beating it.

Really looking forward to the update now.

[TrippyCake]

Really looking forward to the update now.

Nicolai just updated his blog.
It seems that he is sorry about not being able to bring out the patch mid-January and it will probably be delayed into February.

Better than releasing an unfinished patch.

[LtC]

Really looking forward to the update now.

Nicolai just updated his blog.
It seems that he is sorry about not being able to bring out the patch mid-January and it will probably be delayed into February.

Better than releasing an unfinished patch.

Looks like they're adding sound select, trophies (lol), document and ranking.

Code: Select all

・∀sterismモードの追加
新たなモードとして∀sterismモードが追加されます。
難易度は現在で言うところの∀nother準拠ですが、このモード限定の仕様がいくつか付きます。
ただし、このモードで一回でも死ぬと、コンティニュー後は強制的に∀notherモードへ移行します。
スコアの扱いは∀notherモードと同様になります（ランキング登録は∀notherと共有します）

Looks like Asterism is going to be based on Another mode with some certain unique characteristics to it. Probably methods you can only use on that mode.

And it looks like they might also add some new content to the actual game but those will be only small extras (omake).

[SuperSoaker360]

I'm really hoping something gets added to the story soon. I 1CC'd ∀dvent yesterday and I swear there's something going on after you beat the Stage 5 boss and then move onto Stage 6. The fact that the screen fades to white slowly before taking you straight to the score entry menu after defeating the Stage 6 boss is really unsettling.

Maybe I've just grown to love the boss explosions too much in this game.

[Observer]

Well, story is still under construction so I guess they are also writing some background to this. Nicolai's Pixiv has sprites and some of the bosses, like stage 4 and 5. They are called Himeno and Hal respectively.

Himeno is essentially their meme for the game too. Several devs have made drawings of her and joked about the Himenoshicverse.

I love the credits of the game and that are playable, heh. Brings me memories of the tank shooting on Crimzon Clover when you input your name or Radio Zonde credits.

I love the logo design too! I've had people asking me wtf the disc was. "LSD in shmup form."

[Cadrin]

I'm really hoping something gets added to the story soon. I 1CC'd ∀dvent yesterday and I swear there's something going on after you beat the Stage 5 boss and then move onto Stage 6. The fact that the screen fades to white slowly before taking you straight to the score entry menu after defeating the Stage 6 boss is really unsettling.

I kinda get what you're saying. Hellsinker did that too, with the game just going "THE END" abruptly, before booting you to score entry screen, but unlike in Akashicverse, there was a real sense of climax. Hal's final attack feels climactic, but not Stage 6 boss' one. (Not to mention you can cheese the latter one so hard it hurts, while Stage 5 boss' one has to be survived, however easy it may be.)

Can't wait for the story update. Besides wondering what's going on, I'm curious why the final attack has patterns and names based on the seven deadly sins, or what's up with the orchid motifs everywhere. Also what's going on in Stage 3 with that lady in a huge battleship.

Nicolai's Pixiv has sprites and some of the bosses, like stage 4 and 5.

Link, please? I can't into Japanese at all, but would love to see some of the game artwork or sprites.

They are called Himeno and Hal respectively.

The game cannot make up its mind whether to call her Himeno or Hymeno. Maybe it's just a typo on the devs' part? Although their English was pretty good and they only made very few typos that I noticed.
Then again, Stage 2 boss has multiple names given to her by the logs as well (Aranha/Aranya)...
I guess Stage 6 boss is named Subaru, if stage select modes are anything to go by. And Stage 3 one is Tau...?
Man I love wasting time finding out pointless trivia! I even threw together this picture comparing the various eliminators seen throughout the game to their namesake orchids. Although I probably messed up here or there, as there are many subspecies of each orchid that look completely different from the others. Not included are some fun facts, like how Caladenia (Aranya's eliminator) is called a "spider orchid" in real life, or how Ophrys (Himeno's one) plants trick male insects into pollinating them thanks to their flowers mimicking female insects. They are also called "bee orchids" due to their appearance.

I love the logo design too! I've had people asking me wtf the disc was. "LSD in shmup form."

The logo itself looks kinda weird to me, and not really aesthetically pleasing, but the disc and the cover look rather gorgeous, don't they?

[Rex Cavalier]

Apparently stage 4 boss's Doomsday attack murders player even when he's in Eliminator form(And i think it's the only attack able to do that).

[BPzeBanshee]

Looks like I was wrong about the Omake boss. You need to destroy all the 6 upper limbs of the second boss (and probably have a certain amount of score/rate). I don't know if I just had destroyed all the parts on every run or if it was because I patched the game.

Managed to also beat Akashic mode. Too bad there wasn't any reward or anything extra for beating it.

Really looking forward to the update now.

How I do it (in Stage Select anyway):
- on the first phase (orange background), cycle the boss through all of its patterns at least once
- on the second phase (hexagon background), destroy at least *5* of the legs

Triggers it every time. If I do anything less (ie. miss a cycle on first phase or only destroy 4 legs) it fails.

[Rex Cavalier]

Don't think cycling first phase matters, LtC got Omake in his video without destroying any of it's first phase patterns.