Homura PS2 early reviews...

sammaza · Post by **sammaza** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:05 am

Just got done playing for about 1 hr. Im playing on a vertical neocandy 29 cab!...got a ps2 in there also

My first impression was that it was alot like shikigami 1...I really like the sounds...they arent so high pitched as shikigami and the big explosions are nice. Those who thought the backgrounds were lame were wrong. They flow very well and add just enough "stuff" happening in the background. The music is good and goes well with each level. I am having a hard time understanding the attack system because all the instructions are in jap...so mostly just shooting and bombing when neccesary. The bullet patterns are very original and its amazing how well the ps2 handles multiple items on the screen without slowdown...1st boss Star shaped bullet pattern is unescapable!

Edit : I like it ALOT....i think this one will go down as a quality shooter...It is Very challenging just based on the bullet patterns wich I think is its strongpoint...it keeps you Moving!!! alot like Shikigami 1...I still compare it to Shiki1 Lovin` it!

More to come in the next few days!

Ibara next up!

Post by **Dave_K.** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:35 pm

Most important question: is it red or greed blood coming out of the first boss?

whitey · Post by **whitey** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:56 pm

Dave_K. wrote:Most important question: is it red or greed blood coming out of the first boss?

Talked to BIG last night and he told me it was Green. No option to change the color either. I have the type X version and I can't find an option on it to change the blood to red either.

sammaza · Post by **sammaza** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:03 pm

its green...This game is HARD! I cant get past boss on 2-1...I really like the Chose your path option but I still cant understand the attack system...I think you get 1 sword defense then your bomb depends on how close you are to bullets...CRAZIEST BULLETS EVER!

if someone can get the blood red code that would be sweet. I have my buttons configured so that my

player 1

A=Shoot
B=Bomb
C=Nothing

am I missing a 3rd button? The button config is all in japanese. I feel like im missing an attack option.

Thanks

Acid King · Post by **Acid King** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:23 pm

Dave_K. wrote:Most important question: is it red or greed blood coming out of the first boss?

I remember the blood being red on one of the videos that was posted here.

sammaza · Post by **sammaza** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:32 pm

thought i would stop playing and taake some screenshots...they never come out right..

but here they are

VIDEO --->

Got to level 3 ! The attack system has some elemts of Vasara 2 to it...you can do quick side attacks and sometimes if you are surrounded and there are too many bullets you can come out blasting with the bomb button.

whitey · Post by **whitey** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:50 pm

Acid King wrote:
Dave_K. wrote:Most important question: is it red or greed blood coming out of the first boss?
I remember the blood being red on one of the videos that was posted here.

I saw the same video. I looked all over the type-x setup screens and can't find the option for red blood. I think the video was taken from a show months before the actual release.

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:58 pm

PlayAsia is instock now, so probaby the local game stores got the game too.. I would visit the local game stores again and see if it is instock today.

sammaza · Post by **sammaza** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:21 am

I found a big bug in the game...if you just turn it on and let it play it will start a game on its own and when you die it asks if you want to continue...if you dont it freezes.

this is a major bug...i cant believe this made it out the door...sux if you like to leave it playing on your arcade machine!

that being said i still love it!

one of the most challenging shmups ever. and graphically and musically it is just awesome! but this bug is unbelieveable.

Others Verify?

caincan · Post by **caincan** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 2:26 pm

? you mean If we resume the automatic playback by joining a game ?

i was away for cooking and first time i inserted the game, it ran about 30minutes with no problem (just strange that it's only about 4-5 minutes before there's some sound or animation)

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 5:27 pm

sammaza wrote:one of the most challenging shmups ever.

Hmmm. You've got me interested. I really wasn't following this one carefully, so its release really snuck up on me. I think I'll wait a couple months before I order it because I really don't have time to play it right now.

Zweihander · Post by **Zweihander** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:44 pm

My preorder is on the way from P-A, was just wondering: how do you use the sword attack thing? o_O

also...

whitey wrote:
Acid King wrote:
Dave_K. wrote:Most important question: is it red or greed blood coming out of the first boss?
I remember the blood being red on one of the videos that was posted here.
I saw the same video. I looked all over the type-x setup screens and can't find the option for red blood. I think the video was taken from a show months before the actual release.

Green blood... so lame. ~_~

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 12:13 am

First to summarize the scoring system wins.

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:22 am

Rob wrote:First to summarize the scoring system wins.

There'll be more about the green blood and poor background graphics.

japtor · Post by **japtor** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:39 am

does it look less brown in motion?

Zweihander · Post by **Zweihander** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:49 am

Neon wrote:There'll be more about the green blood and poor background graphics.

They look great in motion. Screenshots do this game no justice whatsoever. It's a fly-by background, what do you expect?

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:49 am

Zweihander wrote:
Neon wrote:There'll be more about the green blood and poor background graphics.
They look great in motion. Screenshots do this game no justice whatsoever. It's a fly-by background, what do you expect?

Damn straight. They would have been better on Dreamcast, of course.

BIG · Post by **BIG** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:54 am

The visual aspect of this game is total shit.

Horrid BGs,awful sprites,weak enemy design...yuck.

As far as the sword attack goes,think Gigawing's Reflector Force.

B-

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:21 am

BIG wrote: As far as the sword attack goes,think Gigawing's Reflector Force.

B-

Yeah, no. Seriously? The first claim like this got me excited, but then it sounded more like Vasara, Chaos Field or any shooter that lets you windshield wipe bullets away forever. Is there a charge meter or anything that limits its use? Are there reflected bullets? Medals?

zakk · Post by **zakk** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:55 am

Rob wrote:
BIG wrote: As far as the sword attack goes,think Gigawing's Reflector Force.

B-
Yeah, no. Seriously? The first claim like this got me excited, but then it sounded more like Vasara, Chaos Field or any shooter that lets you windshield wipe bullets away forever. Is there a charge meter or anything that limits its use? Are there reflected bullets? Medals?

Yes, there's a charge meter. It doesn't reflect bullets. There are medal type things that drop out of enemies you kill. If you use the 'sword' on an ENEMY, it freezes the on-screen enemies and 'combos' them. This activates a multiplier based roughly on the number of enemies (as best I can tell).

sammaza · Post by **sammaza** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:09 am

Can anyone verify this?

1. turn the game on

2. dont touch anything.

3. game will start a demo and will freeze after the "continue" meter runs out

Anyone?

BIG · Post by **BIG** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:32 am

zakk wrote:
Rob wrote:
BIG wrote: As far as the sword attack goes,think Gigawing's Reflector Force.

B-
Yeah, no. Seriously? The first claim like this got me excited, but then it sounded more like Vasara, Chaos Field or any shooter that lets you windshield wipe bullets away forever. Is there a charge meter or anything that limits its use? Are there reflected bullets? Medals?
Yes, there's a charge meter. It doesn't reflect bullets. There are medal type things that drop out of enemies you kill. If you use the 'sword' on an ENEMY, it freezes the on-screen enemies and 'combos' them. This activates a multiplier based roughly on the number of enemies (as best I can tell).

You sure about that?

I'm playing it now,and it's reflecting bullets for me....

B-

BIG · Post by **BIG** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:33 am

sammaza wrote:Can anyone verify this?

1. turn the game on

2. dont touch anything.

3. game will start a demo and will freeze after the "continue" meter runs out

Anyone?

It happend to me....and I'm playing via HDD.....

B-

whitey · Post by **whitey** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:50 am

BIG wrote:
zakk wrote:
Rob wrote: Yeah, no. Seriously? The first claim like this got me excited, but then it sounded more like Vasara, Chaos Field or any shooter that lets you windshield wipe bullets away forever. Is there a charge meter or anything that limits its use? Are there reflected bullets? Medals?
Yes, there's a charge meter. It doesn't reflect bullets. There are medal type things that drop out of enemies you kill. If you use the 'sword' on an ENEMY, it freezes the on-screen enemies and 'combos' them. This activates a multiplier based roughly on the number of enemies (as best I can tell).
You sure about that?

I'm playing it now,and it's reflecting bullets for me....

B-

I haven't played in a few weeks, but I think the way it works is....

1. If you are not close to an enemy it will reflect bullets.
2. If you press the sword attack when very close to an enemy it will combo sword attack all enemies on the screen.

zakk · Post by **zakk** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:54 am

BIG wrote:
zakk wrote:
Rob wrote: Yeah, no. Seriously? The first claim like this got me excited, but then it sounded more like Vasara, Chaos Field or any shooter that lets you windshield wipe bullets away forever. Is there a charge meter or anything that limits its use? Are there reflected bullets? Medals?
Yes, there's a charge meter. It doesn't reflect bullets. There are medal type things that drop out of enemies you kill. If you use the 'sword' on an ENEMY, it freezes the on-screen enemies and 'combos' them. This activates a multiplier based roughly on the number of enemies (as best I can tell).
You sure about that?

I'm playing it now,and it's reflecting bullets for me....

B-

Ah ok. now I see it. Goes fast and where I was doing it previously I was close enough to an enemy that I didn't see it.

Thunder Force · Post by **Thunder Force** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 6:11 am

Good to hear there's a charge meter that properly limits sword use. Hopefully the sword mechanic doesn't overwhelm the focus on actual bullet dodging. Being able to "erase" parts of bullet patterns forever whenever you wanted in the new Star Soldier (PSP) was awful... such a feature needs to be well balanced. Of course, I don't doubt Skonec know this better than Hudson do.

Also as I recall Skonec included a hidden code in their PS2 Psyvariar version to unlock hitbox display, so maybe there's something similar to unlock a full red-blooded version of Homura. If they just teased us with a red-blooded promo version and then removed the feature, that would be uncool. *has flashback to Snes Mortal Kombat fiasco*

I have to wonder if 505 Gamestreet would ever allow a red-blooded version to be released in Europe though (even unlocked by code), as it would surely hike up the game (age) rating and cut into their vital margins for this kind of release... I don't know if such considerations apply to Japan though...

lazydazy · Post by **lazydazy** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 6:18 am

As mentioned above Homura feels like Shikami 1.
I think the sword swipe takes about 5 seconds to recharge
and its looks like tapping the sword swipe button while
performing the sword combo makes the combo finish faster.

Zweihander · Post by **Zweihander** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:51 am

Sweet...

Oh! Is the game on CD or DVD? The official site said CD, but a Japanese ad said DVD... so wtf?

EDIT: Also, what's the default PS2 ver. button config? Just curious.

Post by **Ghegs** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:26 am

The game is on CD.

Just got my game this morning, I've had maybe ten or so runs. I'm not experiencing the Attract Bug, everything runs smoothly. Maybe it's limited to those using downloaded copies and/or HDLoader, in which case Taito can hardly be blamed for shipping out a buggy product.

As for the game itself...well, it's far too early say anything definitive about it, but it's certainly interesting. For some reason deflecting, which doesn't interest me one bit in Takumi shmups, feels very fun and natural here. The melee attack is cool.

Certainly plenty of scoring opportunities here. After a few plays I managed to score over 100 million on the first stage (after end-of-stage bonuses) alone. I just wish the replay saving from Raiden III had been included, a more score-centric game would certainly have benefitted from it.

Don't know if anybody's noticed, but the mid-level stage-split directly corresponds to difficulty - left one is Easy, right one is Hard. It even reads so in plain English over the banners.

Oh, and there's no stage select.

lazydazy · Post by **lazydazy** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:31 am

Is there a secret 5th stage?
Game ends after stage 4 boss