I'm ready to try a Bullet Hell shooter

[EmperorIng]

It's assumed, though, from the first post that he is well-versed in shooters, but not bullet hell specifically.

DDP is practically "My First Bullet Hell" around here. That or touhou; on that note I heavily not recommend Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. Boring to the max.

[Nasirosuchus]

It's assumed, though, from the first post that he is well-versed in shooters, but not bullet hell specifically.

DDP is practically "My First Bullet Hell" around here. That or touhou; on that note I heavily not recommend Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. Boring to the max.

I understand that, but those games are radically different from Gradius or R-type or Axelay. They are also rather difficult for someone who is new to the genre.

[null1024]

It's assumed, though, from the first post that he is well-versed in shooters, but not bullet hell specifically.

DDP is practically "My First Bullet Hell" around here. That or touhou; on that note I heavily not recommend Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. Boring to the max.

I understand that, but those games are radically different from Gradius or R-type or Axelay. They are also rather difficult for someone who is new to the genre.

DDP is fine as a first bullet hell.

on the other hand, did someone really suggest Ibara
Isn't that considered one of the harder Yagawa games?

[Edmond Dantes]

When you guys say "difficult" do you mean

A) "you will die millions of times on the first level" or "there's three Red Arremers in the last level" difficult

or

B) "you might need a FAQ to figure out the most basic elements of gameplay" difficult?

Option A poses no problem for me, whatsoever. I play Ghosts n' Goblins, I can take a challenge.

Option B... that might be a problem, as I tend to see requiring a FAQ as just straight-up bad design. I highly doubt any highly-rated shmup is gonna have such issues tho.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Option B... that might be a problem, as I tend to see requiring a FAQ as just straight-up bad design. I highly doubt any highly-rated shmup is gonna have such issues tho.

Don't play any of Yagawa's shmups.

Most shmups are pretty easy to get the hang of, and you only need to spend a bit of time learning the game mechanics if you're wanting to seriously score (or to know how to get the occasional mid-stage 1up). Cave's stuff is generally pretty approachable in that regard. I'm pretty sure they just mean difficult, as in even in Stage 1 DDP throws a few tanks at you that fire relatively fast bullets, and the patterns later on can be quite tricky to learn.

[Hagane]

Just go for late Psikyo games. They have bullet hell and oldschool elements, I think you'll really like them. They also have easy to grasp, execution intensive scoring systems that will probably suit you better than the more esoteric ones found in Cave and Raizing games.

[Edmond Dantes]

Supposing I try a Touhou game, which one do you all consider the best?

Don't worry about beginner-friendliness or any of that... just name the one you had the most fun with.

I've been watching videos of those games on Youtube. It looks like one of those series where I would probably play one game and be satisfied, rather than something I would become majorly obsessed with.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I'd say Strikers 1945 II all the way. Maybe Batsugun?

[HenAi]

Don't worry about beginner-friendliness or any of that... just name the one you had the most fun with.

Personally I liked Imperishable Night the best. Next up would be UFO.

[O. Van Bruce]

Supposing I try a Touhou game, which one do you all consider the best?

Don't worry about beginner-friendliness or any of that... just name the one you had the most fun with.

I've been watching videos of those games on Youtube. It looks like one of those series where I would probably play one game and be satisfied, rather than something I would become majorly obsessed with.

Well, If we are talking about not beginner friendly, UFO is your cup of tea. Any of the "photography" games like Shoot the Bullet and Double Spoiler aren't beginner friendly though they can be quite "short"; just look at some videos on Youtube and you'll understand.

Yagawa's games are just too strange to understand the system in one sitting. Specially Pink Sweets ;_;

[Squire Grooktook]

Personally my favorite Touhou games (just from how fun they were to play), were EOSD, SA, and UFO. I don't know which one I liked best, but those are definitely top 3 for me.

[To Far Away Times]

Supposing I try a Touhou game, which one do you all consider the best?

Don't worry about beginner-friendliness or any of that... just name the one you had the most fun with.

Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, Perfect Cherry Blossom, or Imperishable Night. Those three are around the same quality, with IN being the most polished and having the best atmosphere, PCB for being more than the sum of its parts and being the most popular one, and EoSD for having the best music and special stage.

[RNGmaster]

Supposing I try a Touhou game, which one do you all consider the best?

Don't worry about beginner-friendliness or any of that... just name the one you had the most fun with.

I've been watching videos of those games on Youtube. It looks like one of those series where I would probably play one game and be satisfied, rather than something I would become majorly obsessed with.

My personal favorite is Phantasmagoria of Flower View. It's real fun but I'm not sure it's for everyone.

[ncc]

Don't worry about beginner-friendliness or any of that... just name the one you had the most fun with.

Personally I liked Imperishable Night the best. Next up would be UFO.

Seconding Imperishable Night as a good Touhou game.

Donpachi/Dodonpachi are fine starting points for bullet hell. Even if you don't like the chaining they are good to get a feel for the genre, and you can't beat the price if you're willing to use MAME.

[Obscura]

Don't worry about beginner-friendliness or any of that... just name the one you had the most fun with.

Imperishable Night is easily the one I liked most.

Perfect Cherry Blossom was also OK. I couldn't stand Mountain of Faith or Subterranean Animism.