Strikers 1945: 1 or 2?

[Neon]

I'd be interested to know how people in general feel about these two. Sequels in general seem to be a lot less popular than the originals in a series. Certainly seems to be the case with this game. People here often praise 1, but 2 gets no love. Don't get me wrong, 1 is an excellent game, but two might be the best damn shmup in the universe. Better graphics, better music, better, more bulletous gameplay, and all around is pretty much better than your favorite game.

[llabnip]

Strikers 1945 II is an AMAZING shooter. It's #3 on my all-time shmup list. I ran the high-score thread for a couple of years. What a great game and it comes highly recommended.

However, Strikers I is #2 on my all-time shmup list. I like the level design better and the music is more agreeable to me and I _love_ the fact that you don't have a charge meter to worry about. It's pure shooting love right down to the core... distilled goodness...

(and everyone knows what my #1 shooter of all-time is).

[it290]

#1, because I like the charge shot mechanics and boss design better.

[mannerbot]

The original.

[Tychom]

#2 for me. I find it to be more freeform, you can approach the bosses and parts of the stages in a much looser fashion than in #1. With #1 I find you have to follow a particular pattern much more closely having to target each boss a certain way with your charge at a particular time, otherwise you make if incredibly tricky for yourself.

Of course learning when & where to use the charge shot is integral to many psikyo games and when looking at 1 & 2 we're only talking small differences.

I do like the explosion sounds & music of #1 more though.

[The Bullet Dodger]

Striker 1945 II for me. I just get more enjoyment out of it. But the 1st one is still a great shmup, no questioning that.

[aphexacid]

I love the original by far. has way more personality if you ask me. i do like part 2 on saturn though. very nice. Strikers orignal all the way.

[Rob]

but 2 gets no love.

How not true this is! The high score thread llabnip alluded to had about 40 players it seems. That was the most I've ever seen participate in a score thread.

I'm kind of torn between the two. Both annoy me in a major way, in certain ways.

1 - More appealing graphics and soundtrack. Ships and strategy are a little too similar from ship to ship for me. I really dislike the infinite use one type charge shots in early Psikyo games. Game also has too many levels.

2 - Hideous graphics, terrible soundtrack, played it to death so the opening stages are really tedious. But playing as different ships is actually fun, charge bar strategy is much better, bosses are better. Stages 5 and 6 are two of my favorite stages.

2, for the memories, but I'd rather play GB2 or Dragon Blaze.

[PsikyoPshumpPshooterP]

2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>1

but 1999>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2

but Plus>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>1

but 1>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Gunbird

but Sengoku Ace>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Gunbird

but Gunbird>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Choaniki

[Ex_Mosquito]

Strikers 1945II for me too. It just feels a more accomplished game : rationed charge shot, prettier patterns. Sure, it must have the worse soundtrack to any game ever (what were they thinking) but it just plays so damn good. Oh, and was my most played shooter ever! The hours i put into that game...

[tehkao]

How about Strikers 1945 III? Doesn't that totally pwn parts 1 and 2??

[Nei First]

If I remember correctly Strikers 1945 III didn't add much new to the series at all. Didn't the helper planes from the original make their return in this game btw?

[Cthulhu]

I think 2 is a better game than 1, but I've played 1 a whole lot more... it just holds more sentimental value for me as it was one of the first shmups I really got into.

[LoneSage]

I like 1 a bit more than 2. I'm actually really surprised there's so much love for 2 here, I thought it would have overwhelmingly be 1. Overall, I like the bosses more in 1 than 2, but that train level mech in 2 is so badass...jumping from railtrack to railtrack.

I dismiss them as being too similar despite the fact that the charge shot mechanic and gameplay are totally different

Huh? They play pretty similar to me, how are they totally different?

[alpha5099]

There's nothing wrong with 2, per se. But I definitely wholeheartedly prefer Strikers 1945, the original. It's a great game all around, and I prefer its design to its sequel.

[Neon]

terrible soundtrack

Sure, it must have the worse soundtrack to any game ever

Whaaaaaaat? 'Syumi Type O' theme > j00

[captain ahar]

play wise i like 2 a lot more, the charge mechanics feel better and medalling is more intuitive. also, the bullet patterns are more fun to dodge and as a result the bosses suffer from increased awesomeness. but man do i want a cave-style hitbox, cause i never played it enough to get a feel for the collision... and i suck. *nods*

as far as fast bits of fun in small doses the first wins out. its so much easier to pick up and play for a few minutes.

Final vote: two by a stretch. i sold my copy to BIG awhile ago, and this is definitely going to be a game i buy again, eventually.

[Ganelon]

1: no-meter charge system and more inspiring bosses. It's also easier, if longer. I frankly think the music in both games suck, as well as the slow ship speed.

[Ghegs]

The original for me too, the gameplay just feels better (and I can get further in it ) and I like the no-meter charge. Part II has slightly cooler bosses, though. Gliath...mmm.

[iatneH]

Flying Pancake!!!!!!

[adam76]

The original for me. Theres no overwhelming differences between the two IMO and they're both two o' the best around. Two's charge-shot mechanic feels more of a chore than an aid and the hitbox has always seemed bigger (i die more frequently in two!). I like the originals music (alot)more but the bosses in both games are as innovative as they come.

The original then. By a whisker...

[TVG]

its funny, i tought i liked strikers II from the few times i played it in mame and an arcade.

now that i have supposedly the best port (psx jp), i just realized that this game bores me to death, everytime i play it, i think of what i will be doing next and when its going to be over, not only that, but the grey everything and tiny planes get me depressed :s

i guess its just not the game for me, ill trade it for something ill maybe actually enjoy, maybe on this forum.

[Diabollokus]

So should one buy both then?

[raiden]

So should one buy both then?

yes, if only to find out which one you prefer.

my choice is part II, in just about every way except maybe for the music. My biggest gripe with part I is the P51´s charge shot which I consider overpowered, as it helps you to clear every dangerous boss pattern without effort, and the stages aren´t that challenging by themselves.
Strikers 1945 II has a much better balance imo, for every special ability a plane has it comes with a weekness to make up for it. For example, the Pancake is incredibly useful for certain boss attacks, but its main shot is the weakest one.
I´ve had a lot of fun with part I, too, but once I got part II, I had no wish of going back. And that´s completely different with part III, just to mention it. III is a nice game, medal chaining and technical bonus being the main attractions, but I don´t consider the level design even remotely as polished as that of II.

[mannerbot]

my choice is part II, in just about every way except maybe for the music. My biggest gripe with part I is the P51´s charge shot which I consider overpowered, as it helps you to clear every dangerous boss pattern without effort, and the stages aren´t that challenging by themselves.

The P51 is the Mustang right? Well, I think the fact that it's a complete piece of crap and has ridiculous charge-up time on the special shot balances things out.

[it290]

Yeah, that charge shot isn't going to save your ass for long if you rely on it to block bullets all the time.

[raiden]

Yeah, that charge shot isn't going to save your ass for long if you rely on it to block bullets all the time.

of course, but I don´t need to block bullets all the time. There are only a few really dangerous, hard to dodge boss attacks, and once you know them, it´s easy to reserve the charge shot for them and charge it in time.

[SPACE HARRIER]

HEY,what about STRIKERS 1945 PLUS for the NEO-GEO!!



I still like the first one more....hahahaaa!! CHEERS