Raiden IV 360 US-Bound...

[No_not_like_Quake]

Here in Montreal, I picked up a regular bilingual box version. Can't seem to access the d/l content either (get the error message). Hopefully they fix that.

[Riot Zone]

Just picked mine up at gamestop, and They only ever got one copy in and it's been sitting there since wednesday. Dude told me I was the only one to even ask about it. WTF??... Makes me sick! If it was Halo or Gears of war or some other New school crap they would of got 100 copies of it and it would of been sold out in a hour, I swear the genral mainstream public has no clue when it comes to knowing what a good game is anymore!

[kid aphex]

pretty interesting game...

[Rob]

Gears of war or some other New school crap

Raiden IV and Gears of War are two sides of the same glorious action gaming coin. Nice bitter rant, though.

[Dandy J]

Just picked mine up at gamestop, and They only ever got one copy in and it's been sitting there since wednesday. Dude told me I was the only one to even ask about it. WTF??... Makes me sick! If it was Halo or Gears of war or some other New school crap they would of got 100 copies of it and it would of been sold out in a hour, I swear the genral mainstream public has no clue when it comes to knowing what a good game is anymore!

its like im really reading gamefaqs circa 1999

[sjoecool1991]

I pre-ordered it, and gamestop ordered more copies because I pre-ordered it.
Fun game.

[themachinist]

Is this one of those games that's going to all of a sudden disappear and I should buy now?

[Chacranajxy]

Is this one of those games that's going to all of a sudden disappear and I should buy now?

Probably won't disappear for a while, but I can definitely see it becoming one of those particularly expensive games to pick up in a few years...

[evil_ash_xero]

Does the US version share the same leaderboards with the JP version?

I had posted elsewhere, but i'll post this here...I just played Raiden III, and thought it was OK. If it was kicked up a notch(graphics and gameplay), I could see it being worth a purchase.

How much better is IV than III?

Imo IV is much better than III, in fact it's the second best Raiden game after Raiden DX for me (not counting the Raiden Fighters games of course).

And yes, the fact that the bullets are moving with you is annoying at the beginning but you get used to it really fast.

Good to know. I ordered the Japanese version, since I just got a J-360.

[Riot Zone]

Gears of war or some other New school crap

Raiden IV and Gears of War are two sides of the same glorious action gaming coin. Nice bitter rant, though.

Really have nothing against GOW or those other game in that genre, I just typed whatever new game that came to mind. Just tired of hearing about all these games people go GA GA over these days, and next to nothing about the real games Like Raiden Fighters and Raiden IV.

[Ed Oscuro]

It's a cash grab compared to releasing it on PC because 360 games cost more and it allows them to charge for DLC.

was there any substance to this hilarious assertion?

also, this better have some hidden fairies and miclus...es, damnit. I suppose I'd be OK with it missing on the whole "activate traditional medals" thing we've been having so much fun with this week, but I hope they don't dumb it down and go all the way back to the other extreme, i.e. no scoring system besides survival. Oh no, or flashing medals.

[Malc74]

Is this one of those games that's going to all of a sudden disappear and I should buy now?

I don't think it's going to be that hard to find. I noticed the odd copy of Raiden III here and there a long time after that game came out. UFO games also have a habit of winding up in Walmart/Zellers/wherever bargain bins a couple of months after the official release.
It's also worth mentioning that my local Blockbuster had 2 copies of Raiden IV available for rental when I went in last night, so there'll be preowned copies available in BB within a couple of months for those who get really desperate.

[BBH]

It's a cash grab compared to releasing it on PC because 360 games cost more and it allows them to charge for DLC.

was there any substance to this hilarious assertion?

They're charging for the extra ships instead of making them free DLC, so I'd say so!

also, this better have some hidden fairies and miclus...es, damnit. I suppose I'd be OK with it missing on the whole "activate traditional medals" thing we've been having so much fun with this week, but I hope they don't dumb it down and go all the way back to the other extreme, i.e. no scoring system besides survival. Oh no, or flashing medals.

There's a hidden 100k tower in every stage on the first loop, and a hidden miclus on every stage in the second loop. But the scoring system IS mostly based on how far you can get because enemies are worth most of the points. Of course it matters how quickly you destroy them too, but most players who make it roughly the same distance into the game are going to wind up with similar scores. The only thing that can really fuck up your score on a run is dying on a boss because then you lose ~1-2 million points in medal bonus.

[Acid King]

They're charging for the extra ships instead of making them free DLC, so I'd say so!

Yeah, I thought that was kinda bullshit. I'm not going to be downloading either of them.

There's a hidden 100k tower in every stage on the first loop, and a hidden miclus on every stage in the second loop. But the scoring system IS mostly based on how far you can get because enemies are worth most of the points. Of course it matters how quickly you destroy them too, but most players who make it roughly the same distance into the game are going to wind up with similar scores. The only thing that can really fuck up your score on a run is dying on a boss because then you lose ~1-2 million points in medal bonus.

How do you expose the towers? I got the one to appear on the first stage once, but I don't know how I did it.

[agustusx]

Earlier this week I was picking up Muramasa at the local gamestop and I noticed Raiden IV behind the registers as I was checking out. I told the clerk to add it to my order. After he reads the Gamestop LE Bonuses to me he says

"So this is the sequel to Ikaruga! We have one(ikaruga) in stock for the gamecube, $40 no case or booklet"

I explained I already owned Ikaruga and that Raiden IV was not a sequel to it, and that it had a different developer. I paid and got the hell out of there.

[evil_ash_xero]

The sequel to Ikaruga huh?

[Zero Gunner]

Earlier this week I was picking up Muramasa at the local gamestop and I noticed Raiden IV behind the registers as I was checking out. I told the clerk to add it to my order. After he reads the Gamestop LE Bonuses to me he says

"So this is the sequel to Ikaruga! We have one(ikaruga) in stock for the gamecube, $40 no case or booklet"

I explained I already owned Ikaruga and that Raiden IV was not a sequel to it, and that it had a different developer. I paid and got the hell out of there.

Wait a minute...you mean every shooting game isn't a sequel to Ikaruga?!?! There's more than one of them out there? Next thing you know they'll be breeding like EA sports titles! ZOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Raizen1984]

"So this is the sequel to Ikaruga! We have one(ikaruga) in stock for the gamecube, $40 no case or booklet"

That's pure lol for at least three different reasons.

[WarBovine]

And yes, it looks like the clots have left this off the Canadian marketplace. Attempts to download the extra ships from within the game result in an error, and the game doesn't even show up at all when you browse the marketplace from the dashboard.
So even if you actually want to give them some money, you apparently can't (without creating a US profile, presumably).

Thanks, it's good to know I'm not crazy, even if the news isn't delightful. Time to start bombarding tech support until something happens, I guess.

"So this is the sequel to Ikaruga! We have one(ikaruga) in stock for the gamecube, $40 no case or booklet"

So does that make Raiden III a prequel to Ikaruga or a sequel to Radiant Silvergun?

[The Coop]

"So this is the sequel to Ikaruga! We have one(ikaruga) in stock for the gamecube, $40 no case or booklet"

So does that make Raiden III a prequel to Ikaruga or a sequel to Radiant Silvergun?

Prequel to Truxton.

[PepsimanVsJoe]

I wonder about you guys sometimes.

Oh and I picked up the game today. Would have got it earlier but I've got a ton of PS2 games to catch up on. All the same I snagged this and rushed through practice mode to unlock all the stages. Getting my ass kicked pretty hardcore. As usual bossfights are my biggest weakness and Stage 3s just goes on forever.

Probably not going to like this game as much as the RFs but it's nice having a shooter where I don't have to worry so much about score and focus on dodging stuff by the skin of my teeth. Freaking Psikyo spreads though arghghghgh.

[Malc74]

And yes, it looks like the clots have left this off the Canadian marketplace. Attempts to download the extra ships from within the game result in an error, and the game doesn't even show up at all when you browse the marketplace from the dashboard.
So even if you actually want to give them some money, you apparently can't (without creating a US profile, presumably).

Thanks, it's good to know I'm not crazy, even if the news isn't delightful. Time to start bombarding tech support until something happens, I guess.

I sent them an email yesterday asking what was going on. No reply yet - I'll post here if they ever actually get back to me.

[DJ Incompetent]

How do you expose the towers? I got the one to appear on the first stage once, but I don't know how I did it.

Stop firing.

Holding your fire has several benefits in this. It exposes the Sols (towers), it freezes the powerups and they home in toward you without changing, and with missile equipped it allows a charge shot after waiting a second. Every charged missile that hits earns bonus points. The A players milk the bosses and early stages sitting there tapping fire every second with Homing equipped to get the most out of the charged missile bonuses.

Very boring for world record players, but how many are gonna beat 2-7 anyway, so maybe the game's alright.


The fairy is worth getting because of the movement speed. It's not like you're buying SC4 Darth Vader for $5 and Raiden wasn't a $60 title anyway.
A bad business practice tho.


The whole thing feels like Raiden 3 DX. HD, better music, but a ton of recycling. I swear only a 3D modeler worked on stage 3. Somebody run a capture of Raiden 3 & 4 stage 3 side by side. I want to watch it.

[JCDenton]

I must say I'm absolutely disgusted with this DLC BS. My amazon preorder hasn't arrived yet, but I'm returning it as soon as I do. We need to punish game companies by boycotting their games when they try to charge for DLC that should have been in the retail release. Here, this is particularly egregious because the ships are available on release (and in fact probably on the disk you paid for and you're just paying to unlock them). It would be one thing if the game came with 10-15 ships and you could pay for a couple more, but to charge for extra ships when the retail game is so devoid of content is just disgusting.

Raiden is a niche game coming out at a time when shooters are being relegated to $10 DLC rather than full retail releases. It's an open question as to if 2d shooters are even viable at full MSRP anymore. Given that, the companies involved should be taking a fan-friendly approach, packing in everything they can to the game R-type Final style. Instead, the people who buy this game get a big fat f*ck you upon booting it up because they can't even use the ships shown in the official trailer without paying more money.

[adversity1]

I must say I'm absolutely disgusted with this DLC BS. My amazon preorder hasn't arrived yet, but I'm returning it as soon as I do. We need to punish game companies by boycotting their games when they try to charge for DLC that should have been in the retail release. Here, this is particularly egregious because the ships are available on release (and in fact probably on the disk you paid for and you're just paying to unlock them). It would be one thing if the game came with 10-15 ships and you could pay for a couple more, but to charge for extra ships when the retail game is so devoid of content is just disgusting.

I don't disagree with you, but having recently been around negotiations for a 360 title with a similar DLC issue, I can tell you one thing: MS requires equivalent point totals for each piece of DLC sold across territories, so unless you're putting out a Platinum or Game of the Year edition with all the DLC packed in, it will have to be the same price. I've certainly seen revisions to and discounts to certain DLCs but I think there is an application process and possibly a fee, so even if MOSS/whoever else wanted to drop the DLC to free it may cost them more than they could afford.

That's the explanation I would like to believe, i.e. that the publisher didn't really want to go with an MSRP of 40 bucks and paid DLC ships.

[Acid King]

Thanks, DJI. I knew about the charge shot and the icon pausing, but the tower stuff is a mystery to me.

[Dandy J]

I must say I'm absolutely disgusted with this DLC BS. My amazon preorder hasn't arrived yet, but I'm returning it as soon as I do. We need to punish game companies by boycotting their games when they try to charge for DLC that should have been in the retail release. Here, this is particularly egregious because the ships are available on release (and in fact probably on the disk you paid for and you're just paying to unlock them). It would be one thing if the game came with 10-15 ships and you could pay for a couple more, but to charge for extra ships when the retail game is so devoid of content is just disgusting.

Raiden is a niche game coming out at a time when shooters are being relegated to $10 DLC rather than full retail releases. It's an open question as to if 2d shooters are even viable at full MSRP anymore. Given that, the companies involved should be taking a fan-friendly approach, packing in everything they can to the game R-type Final style. Instead, the people who buy this game get a big fat f*ck you upon booting it up because they can't even use the ships shown in the official trailer without paying more money.

just so everyone is clear, this is 2 paragraphs complaining about spending a non-mandatory $2 on a $35 game that belongs to a niche genre

[Rob]

Seriously.

the retail game is so devoid of content is just disgusting.

Idiotic. There is a lot to enjoy in this release, it's completely worth $40 and the two extra ships are far from essential. It's shameless but trivial.

[Kiken]

How do you expose the towers? I got the one to appear on the first stage once, but I don't know how I did it.

Stop firing.

Holding your fire has several benefits in this. It exposes the Sols (towers),...

You don't have to stop firing to expose the Sols. You just need to hover over a specific spot in a stage for about 2 seconds (exactly like triggering a miclus in RF, RF2, RFJ). In the first two levels, the tip of the tower is visible poking through the ground, just hover over the tip to expose it (please note, the location of the towers in the first 2 stages differ between Arcade and 360 modes... example: stage 1 Arcade, the Sol is to the upper-left of the boss, just as his elevator reaches the top; stage 1 360, the Sol is just before the tower with the fairie, sitting in the middle of road, just to left of the center of the screen).

[DJ Incompetent]

How do you expose the towers? I got the one to appear on the first stage once, but I don't know how I did it.

Stop firing.

Holding your fire has several benefits in this. It exposes the Sols (towers),...

You don't have to stop firing to expose the Sols. You just need to hover over a specific spot in a stage for about 2 seconds (exactly like triggering a miclus in RF, RF2, RFJ).

? Hm, I tried that on 2 and they weren't popping up. Even a few replays I looked at, players held their fire. Prolly for the missile bonus though. I'll look at it again I suppose.
but yeah, you do have to hover over it too.