Xbox 360: Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu 1.5 (November 2010)

[njiska]

I too prefer the BL OST if for no reason other than the absolute insanity of the Last boss tracks. It gets the blood pumping.

[moozooh]

Namiki all burned out is a sad thought (though you may be right), but wasn't the vanilla soundtrack composed by several different guys?

You're right, it was, but Namiki's work in the last five years consisted primarily of remixes and rehashes of his (and others') earlier works. The only notable exception was DeathSmiles, but IIRC that was a collaboration?

[Skykid]

Namiki all burned out is a sad thought (though you may be right), but wasn't the vanilla soundtrack composed by several different guys?

You're right, it was, but Namiki's work in the last five years consisted primarily of remixes and rehashes of his (and others') earlier works. The only notable exception was DeathSmiles, but IIRC that was a collaboration?

Not sure, I didn't know that. Deathsmiles was good in that it suited the tone (I like Ice Palace theme a lot), but it's not a soundtrack I'd willingly listen to outside of the game.

Namiki's best is Zed Blade. Still.

(Well, a toss up between that and Garegga perhaps.)

[Special World]

How easy is this game, exactly? I've been playing a lot of Cave shooters recently, but I'm not very good yet. Only thing I've 1CCed is Futari Original, though I haven't played the other games nearly as much. From my memory, the difficulty goes something like:

Daioujou > ESPgaluda II >= Ketsui > Mushihimesama > Futari > ESPgaluda > Deathsmiles

Kinda shaky on where Mushihimesama and ESPgaluda stand, as I haven't played them for a while. But yeah, how is the first loop compared to those games? I adore Futari, but Maniac is still a tad difficult at bosses imo, and I really like ESPgaluda II but it's frustrating not being able to make it past the 4th level with any sort of consistency. I'm glad to hear that this game doesn't have the strict chaining, and I'm glad it's a little more accessible in terms of (first loop anyhow?) difficulty, but I was just wondering where it stands. It'd be nice to hear how difficult just the first loop is as well as how difficult they are together, if possible.

[emphatic]

How easy is this game, exactly? I've been playing a lot of Cave shooters recently, but I'm not very good yet. Only thing I've 1CCed is Futari Original, though I haven't played the other games nearly as much. From my memory, the difficulty goes something like:

Daioujou > ESPgaluda II >= Ketsui > Mushihimesama > Futari > ESPgaluda > Deathsmiles

I would say that Deathsmiles (if you play all the first stages on level 1 & 2 and no extra stage) is about as easy to clear as DDP-DKF. I personally think that vertical games are easier than horizontal ones though.

[Special World]

How easy is this game, exactly? I've been playing a lot of Cave shooters recently, but I'm not very good yet. Only thing I've 1CCed is Futari Original, though I haven't played the other games nearly as much. From my memory, the difficulty goes something like:

Daioujou > ESPgaluda II >= Ketsui > Mushihimesama > Futari > ESPgaluda > Deathsmiles

I would say that Deathsmiles (if you play all the first stages on level 1 & 2 and no extra stage) is about as easy to clear as DDP-DKF. I personally think that vertical games are easier than horizontal ones though.

Seriously?

I find that hard to believe, I could probably do that on the first try O_o

[moozooh]

Deathsmiles was good in that it suited the tone (I like Ice Palace theme a lot), but it's not a soundtrack I'd willingly listen to outside of the game.

Likewise. But at least it was, as far as I'm aware, original. Futari and Espg2 had lots of remixes on their prequels' soundtracks, and DFK consists of rehashed DP, DDP, and DOJ themes almost entirely. DP stage 1, also known as Toa, can be heard on stage 1, stage 5, and name entry. That's already after we heard the same motif in DOJ and its arranged version. It's a good track, but seriously, that's too much. DFK BL's version of stage 5 theme with that bass guitar is pretty nice, btw.

[Skykid]

Deathsmiles was good in that it suited the tone (I like Ice Palace theme a lot), but it's not a soundtrack I'd willingly listen to outside of the game.

Likewise. But at least it was, as far as I'm aware, original. Futari and Espg2 had lots of remixes on their prequels' soundtracks, and DFK consists of rehashed DP, DDP, and DOJ themes almost entirely. DP stage 1, also known as Toa, can be heard on stage 1, stage 5, and name entry. That's already after we heard the same motif in DOJ and its arranged version. It's a good track, but seriously, that's too much. DFK BL's version of stage 5 theme with that bass guitar is pretty nice, btw.

I just prefer the vanilla stage 5, I think it's a marginally better theme for a last stage, whereas the BL one sounds kinda generic. Who knows, it may grow on me yet.

I can forgive both Espgaluda II and DOJ because the soundtracks are all kinds of awesome (that's most of DOJ and definitely stage 3 and boss music for Esp 2), but I totally agree, the guy shouldn't be getting paid to recycle to such a degree.

Similarly, Junya Inoue shouldn't be getting paid to produce worse artwork than his previous games (DS > DS2).

[emphatic]

Who knows, perhaps CAVE asks him to make the soundtracks to sound alike? Especially ESPGALUDA vs ESPGALUDA II you know? People want to be reminded of a successor in a series, just look at the Raiden games... Or how stage 4 soundtracks often is a bit slow and heavy in CAVE games (Ketsui, DOJ, DDP-DKF BL)

[NTSC-J]

How easy is this game, exactly? I've been playing a lot of Cave shooters recently, but I'm not very good yet. Only thing I've 1CCed is Futari Original, though I haven't played the other games nearly as much. From my memory, the difficulty goes something like:

Daioujou > ESPgaluda II >= Ketsui > Mushihimesama > Futari > ESPgaluda > Deathsmiles

I would say that Deathsmiles (if you play all the first stages on level 1 & 2 and no extra stage) is about as easy to clear as DDP-DKF. I personally think that vertical games are easier than horizontal ones though.

Seriously?

I find that hard to believe, I could probably do that on the first try O_o

I beat it on my second try. It's very easy if all you want is to beat the first loop on a credit because of the auto-bomb and constant hypers, making a (ugh) 1CC very unsatisfying (unless you want to beat both loops, which is about as hard as clearing one loop of some of their other games). DFK is really only worth playing if you're going for score.

[Special World]

Okay, that's cool, I do actually like playing for score. It can just get really frustrating not getting past stage 3 in ESPgaluda II, for instance. The last few levels are fucking awesome (I credit fed them once just to see what they were like) but I can never get to them legitimately. So I'm glad the first loop is easy. That sounds a tad too easy for my tastes, but hey, there's the second loop and it's better than not getting to see half the levels. And if there's huge scoring potential in the first loop, then everything is hunky dory.

[brentsg]

Okay, that's cool, I do actually like playing for score. It can just get really frustrating not getting past stage 3 in ESPgaluda II, for instance. The last few levels are fucking awesome (I credit fed them once just to see what they were like) but I can never get to them legitimately. So I'm glad the first loop is easy. That sounds a tad too easy for my tastes, but hey, there's the second loop and it's better than not getting to see half the levels. And if there's huge scoring potential in the first loop, then everything is hunky dory.

It really depends on skill level. No way in hell I was close to 1CC'ing the first loop on my second credit.

And I loaned it to Drboom.. who's a pretty decent player. He didn't clear it while he was borrowing.

I can regularly clear to the Stage 5 spinning lasers without losing a life.. if I just play strong for survival, but they regularly fuck me up. If I stuck with it just a bit, or had a port that let me just practice S5 then it would be pretty doable with no worries. But there is plenty here to enjoy.

DFK BL is a 1 loop game and I'm sure we'll see that via DLC.

[NTSC-J]

If you're playing with Power style than it will indeed take longer to clear the first round, but I don't see how anyone could have trouble with Bomb or Strong style. You get like 30 bombs, plus the hypers that make you invincible for a moment then allow you to remove most bullets on the screen for long stretches of time. Then there's the easy to find 1up and first extend being pretty attainable even without knowing how to chain...it all makes for a very unsatisfying clear, and I dare say, Cave's easiest (moreso than Deathsmiles or Akai Katana).

I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad that hasn't beaten the game after a concerted effort, but relative to their 20+ other games, it's a gimme if you want that precious 1-ALL.

[PsychoGun]

does anyone know what the deal is with NCS and DFK? I'm waiting to preorder this from them but they haven't put orders up yet.

if it takes much longer I'm gonna go through playasia.

[Chacranajxy]

NCSX just put the preorders up on Friday. Price seems right to me, too, especially considering how shit the conversion rate is right now.

I should probably just go ahead and preorder the regular edition.

[MachineAres 1CC]

So all the Limited Edition is coming with is a stupid ass soundtrack CD? No thanks. I'll save myself 40 bucks and get the standard.

[Strider77]

they've all pretty much came with that except for that Galuda 2 face plate.... that's the only one I skipped.

[Elixir]

What were you hoping for? More shitty drama discs?

[ncp]

Superplays?

[PsychoGun]

So all the Limited Edition is coming with is a stupid ass soundtrack CD? No thanks. I'll save myself 40 bucks and get the standard.

That's exactly why I think these LE sets are stupid, they are basically selling you a full japanese retail music cd in addition to the game.

As someone said, only Galuda II and the US deathsmiles LE had anything good.

[MachineAres 1CC]

So all the Limited Edition is coming with is a stupid ass soundtrack CD? No thanks. I'll save myself 40 bucks and get the standard.

That's exactly why I think these LE sets are stupid, they are basically selling you a full japanese retail music cd in addition to the game.

As someone said, only Galuda II and the US deathsmiles LE had anything good.

For the most part, yeah, except DeathSmiles 2 actually had an OST instead of a shitty arrange CD which was much more worth it, and Mamoru-kun, Raiden Fighters Aces and Shooting Love 200x also came with Superplay DVDs, I wish they'd follow those lines a bit more. And Otomedius came with a fucking giant arcade stick That would be nice, too. Hell, Strike Witches came with a figurine. I'd sure as fuck pay for an Ai figurine.

[joeboto]

finally, DFK port.
thats it.
ima buying the j360.

[lmagus]

Another Regular Ed. for me.

Only LE's I've bought were Espgaluda 2 and American DS

[brentsg]

Another Regular Ed. for me.

Only LE's I've bought were Espgaluda 2 and American DS

Funny, those are the only ones I avoided.

[Special World]

Espgaluda II LE has absolutely abysmal cover art when compared with the cover of the SE.

It's comparable to the Ketsui cover, if anything.

Bleh.

[antares]

The game is now also available from amiami.
Price for the LE is 7650 yen.

[moozooh]

Judging from the screenshot on Asada's blog, Arrange A aims to imitate DOJ's gameplay, similarly to how DOJBLEX aims to imitate DFK. Maybe I shouldn't have bought DOJBLEX after all!

[hamfighterx]

If anyone's interested in the LE, NCS now has orders open for that too as of this morning (they opened orders for the SE on Friday).

[drunkninja24]

Gah, I really want the LE for the artwork....but man, if the only thing it comes with is a Arrange soundtrack, that extra $40 is hard to swallow. Guess I could always get the regular edition and print my own boxart

[drauch]

Yeah, what gives with that Normal Edition artwork? It's bland as all hell.