Xbox 360: Akai Katana Shin (May 2011)

[emphatic]

Just got the Pal version and there is no 4:3 mode, unless I am missing something.
If you are playing on a 4:3 crt, then a 4:3 option is better than playing 16:9 on a 4:3 crt.

Only Arcade Mode is 4:3, the other two modes you'll have to play with black bars on a 4:3 screen.

[Illyrian]

The way it works is this:

Origin is the original arcade mode with 4:3
Climax is the tweaked arcade mode with 16:9

Shin is a silly mode with 16:9

Either way the screen zooming function works properly so you'll be fine.

[moozooh]

"Climax"? Awesome.

[Illyrian]

Yeah I'm not too impressed by that name.

If my friends ask I'm playing "enhanced" mode.

[Klatrymadon]

Shin is called "Slash" here, you'll be delighted to know. As in the verb "to urinate".

Ed: weird, I've managed to upload a lower score to the Shin leaderboard, bringing myself down a few places. Is this because the run was otherwise better, or is it just a cock-up? (I was scoring better in each level, generally, but my run was cut far shorter than last time.)

[BuckoA51]

Holy crap this is good!

I was playing Slash all night thinking that was the 360 mode and climax was like the black label/hard version. Slash is okay but original/climax is better and easier for mere mortals like me.

While playing it I thought of Sine Mora, and how much better this is

(Not that I hate Sine Mora either but, this is just fantastic!)

[TrevHead (TVR)]

While i'm mostly busy with Futari (Im gonna make sure I 1CC original mode this time, In the past after a week of practice and are close to the 1CC I always get sidetracked with another game, fall ill or busy in RL) So I havn't played this game much. Gah I wish I didnt suck when it comes to beating Larsa

However my impressions are is that the scoreplay is more tightly woven into survival play than say other CAVE STGs like DDP where most ppl can just shoot shit and ignore chaining. Plus firing your Katana and killing allot of enemies is very satisfying

[O. Van Bruce]

....



Akai Katana Shin is easy (?)

I played just some runs before I got to Bashou. If it weren't for those freaking kids (who took 2 lives from me) I may even have cleared the game in one day.

BTW... has anyone noticed the tutorial movie that starts when you press B on the menu?

[Cagar]

Are there any harder modes or something, or is it just so easy that I should order something harder straight away (NTSC-J stuff I'm talking about) ?
Gus? Erppo? Sapz? Naut?
Is it still worth playing even when it's over-easy?

[iconoclast]

It's not hard to clear; the difficulty comes from being good at it.

[Skykid]

Akai Katana over easy? Lol.

Scores plz.

[Illyrian]

So far with the unfortunately little time i have had to play it the best I've done was the 4th boss. I think the bosses can seem initially daunting but the stages themselves are pretty easy one you start to learn the scoring system

[Cagar]

Akai Katana over easy? Lol.

Scores plz.

Well after hearing under-a-week clear stuff (or a few tries) from not even special players (from my point of view), it might be over easy. I don't have akai katana scores since I don't own it like I said in my post (did you even read it?), and since I've done stuff like 2-5 on DOJBL (which you probably don't know) I might NOT even buy it because of easy difficulty. Also, you've been here for pretty damn much longer than I, it is me who should say scores plz, since I've seen none from you. 1-loop trash doesn't count. Sorry I'm pissed, and shouldn't release my rage on the internet to almost innocent people like a child. (<<-- You're welcome, quote that without saying anything else like you always do. I lied in that PM, I don't like you.)

I might still buy it, scoring looks pretty damn awesome.

[Skykid]

Is it still worth playing even when it's over-easy?

What an assumption. The game's been out in Japan for about two years, how you can justify such an asinine conclusion after one dumb post is beyond belief. Mystifying, even.

You know what, don't buy it. It's too good for you.

I don't like you.

Join the club.

[Sapz]

I'd say that the difficulty is somewhere between ESPGaluda 1 and 2. Shouldn't take too long for pure survival, but scoring well is pretty challenging.

Also, scores from '1-loop trash' don't count for anything, now? Guess I'd better shelve my non-'Pachis/Ketsui then, I suppose they probably aren't worth playing.

[Skykid]

Also, scores from '1-loop trash' don't count for anything, now? Guess I'd better shelve my non-'Pachis/Ketsui then, I suppose they probably aren't worth playing.

You'll have to excuse his e-penis waggling. He got angry.

[Illyrian]

I'd say that the difficulty is somewhere between ESPGaluda 1 and 2. Shouldn't take too long for pure survival, but scoring well is pretty challenging.

I'd say the difference is that in espgaluda I, your ability to survive decreases the more you try and score (i.e. not using slowdown mode just to survive as much) where as in AK as your ability to score increases your ability to survive increases as well, as you can spend longer and longer in phantom mode.

I also find it funny that suiciding lives in AK makes scoring, and therefore surviving easier

[iconoclast]

Dying makes it harder to score. Lower rank = less bullets = less points. Even more so in Shin, since dying increases the length of your energy bar, and a full energy bar increases your katana collection rate, so you'll want to keep it as small as possible (no miss).

[Illyrian]

You can still get enough energy, and there are still enough bullets on screen to enlarge it easily.

Your max score is gonna go down, but you can still score okay from what I've seen, was all I meant.

[Cagar]

Is it still worth playing even when it's over-easy?

What an assumption. The game's been out in Japan for about two years, how you can justify such an asinine conclusion after one dumb post is beyond belief.

As far as I know, it flopped pretty hard in Japan.
1-loop trash means scoring bad in the first loop, and not even getting to the second one.
EDIT: You get angry fast when someone questions your shmuppin' skills, I guess most can agree on that.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

I'ld say its atleast worth checking out, if you don't like it sell it on ebay or whatever

[Cagar]

sell a game which is "presented by cave"

No sorry I don't do drugs.

[Skykid]

EDIT: You get angry fast when someone questions your shmuppin' skills, I guess most can agree on that.

I'm not angry at all (I'm never angry) I had finished writing that post before you had edited yours to include all that waffle about scoring, hence, I didn't even read it.

Not sure why you keep bringing it up my scoring tbh, but feel free to knock yourself out, I don't have anything to prove since I never proclaimed to be anything special. And I did make it to DOJ's 2nd loop, I just didn't engage it. I'm so hardcore I let the timer countdown.

As far as I know, it flopped pretty hard in Japan.

Don't buy it, seriously. Waste of your time.

[Klatrymadon]

I've just done that "uploading a lower score and chucking myself out of the top ten" thing again. I need to start checking the leaderboard before I play (or just writing them down) so I know when not to upload.

[Cagar]

EDIT: You get angry fast when someone questions your shmuppin' skills, I guess most can agree on that.

I'm never angry

I'll forgive you thanks to that editing-argument though.
EDIT2: Checked your score, and it seems I beat you in all games I've played.

[Skykid]

EDIT2: Checked your score, and it seems I beat you in all games I've played.

Give yourself a pat on the back.

[third_strike]

Are there any harder modes or something, or is it just so easy that I should order something harder straight away (NTSC-J stuff I'm talking about) ?
Gus? Erppo? Sapz? Naut?
Is it still worth playing even when it's over-easy?

Lol man!
Easy?
I will say to you what to do with the easy game:
No miss.
At least 80% of world record.

Then, will you accept my challenge?

[ebarrett]

There's no point in arguing with CAGAR, he has carte blanche to be an asshole. He'll just keep being gratuitously obnoxious and offensive until he lures someone into actually getting angry, at which point shitty law enforcerment comes in to make empty threats.

[Cagar]

Are there any harder modes or something, or is it just so easy that I should order something harder straight away (NTSC-J stuff I'm talking about) ?
Gus? Erppo? Sapz? Naut?
Is it still worth playing even when it's over-easy?

Lol man!
Easy?
I will say to you what to do with the easy game:
No miss.
At least 80% of world record.

Then, will you accept my challenge?

What's with everyone reacting...somehow aggressively when I asked is the game easy?
I haven't played it.
I don't own it.
Might as well no-miss and 80% WR it, since the scoring looks pretty balanced. (IF I buy & like it.)

ebarrett, you still MAD about that J360 aren't ya??? =PPPP Check this out if you haven't already http://s17.postimage.org/w8v3b39cv/xbox360_012.jpg
Pretty nice huh? :DDDDD

There's no point in arguing with CAGAR, he has carte blanche to be an asshole. He'll just keep being gratuitously obnoxious and offensive until he lures someone into actually getting angry, at which point shitty law enforcerment comes in to make empty threats.

[Skykid]

What's with everyone reacting...somehow aggressively when I asked is the game easy?

You didn't ask, you assumed:

Is it still worth playing even when it's over-easy?

Even though:

I haven't played it.
I don't own it.

It's one of the best games Cave have released in years, and Shin is glorious (and difficult enough for you, I'd wager.) It's being released at a very affordable price and if you like shooting games at all you should just be buying it instead of postulating that it may not be a match for your superior abilities.