Mushi, DDP Res, Esp 2 for Switch

[Nugs]

The courier service has my Limited Run copy of DFK available for pickup (non-CE), so anyone who ordered it can probably expect it soon.

I just got notice that mine has shipped.

[Sumez]

Same :O
Was almost shocked to see a shipping notice from LRG. It's been a while.

[Nugs]

I forgot I had ordered it

[neorichieb1971]

I've not received my order yet.

Apparently steelbook and arcade editions are Q3.

[Sengoku Strider]

This is my first time with DFK and man, I am happy with this package. I was playing 1.5 thinking "this is great, but it doesn't quite feel as smooth/mobile as Ketsui...and I wish the music here was as good as that." I know I'd heard of the Ketsui mode previously, but I just figured it was ship DLC or something. I didn't realize it was going to be the exact thing I was wishing for, and practically a Ketsui sequel if, like me, you haven't played vanilla DFK Black Label before. Just with more giant mecha school girls than the first game.

But man, are they serious with this? This is only the 2nd boss!?



They're not fucking around are they? This put me in a full body clench.

I know it's pretty much just a xerox of the 360 port, but overall so far I'm thinking this still has to be in the running for best STG package on Switch. Especially with Deathtiny being PS4 only, it's the only Ketsui that Switch owners are likely to get any time soon. Everything looks, sounds, runs & plays great, and there's gotta be months if not years of content here for the dedicated player. I hope it inspires M2 to go all out with their upcoming DoJ release.

[Sengoku Strider]

A couple of days in, a few of the seams are starting to show a bit:

Are there no save states?
Are there no saves/checkpoints for practice mode other than "play the whole stage" or "only fight the boss"?
Are there no controls for replays other than "watch the entire run from beginning to end really fast or really slow"?
What's up with the leaderboards? They're still not active after all this time?

Mostly minor stuff (and some things M2 have been guilty of as well - looking at you Aleste Collection challenge mode). Overall I'm still really digging this, spent several hours with it yesterday. The amount of depth & systems under the hood make it a perfect gear shift after playing nothing but 16-bit shooters the past 6 months. And while I'm sure it's offputting to some, I do appreciate certain of the execution barriers they've lowered - like, I can't empty lock with any consistency at all in Ketsui, but here it's dead easy to pull off. I'm able to hit stage 5 regularly in DFK (still getting stuffed at 3 in Ketsupachi) and I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface with everything going on here. It's cool how making one little optimization or change in tactics can lead to huge swings in score, this is one of the more fun score play titles I've played over the past year. I'm sure I'll hit a wall and need to start memorizing wiki articles & youtube runs, but for now it still feels comprehensible in a way a lot of these games don't.

Mostly. I'm not sure what I'm doing that's making the hyper meter drop in DFK. And is chaining hypers mosty based on bee pickups? There are certain sections where it seems like the game is just designed to punch you in the mouth if you don't hyper through them.

[Jonpachi]

^ Yep, we have it so good these days with those types of features, that going back to even the 360 era feels lacking. Remember at that time though that even those limited practice options, and having replays AT ALL was a big deal.

[Rastan78]

Doesn't using save states have to do with a game running under emulation?

[Sengoku Strider]

^ Yep, we have it so good these days with those types of features, that going back to even the 360 era feels lacking. Remember at that time though that even those limited practice options, and having replays AT ALL was a big deal.

So this is one of those things where part of me is like "this port is from 2010, it's only fair to judge it by those standards," but then the rest of me is like "they sold it to me in 2022 for inflated 2022 dollars on a more powerful system, why am I making excuses for these guys?"

[Jonpachi]

It's $20 USD if you go digital. I don't even mean to argue, as I wish there were save-states as well, but I'm not seeing how they're charging "inflated 2023 dollars" for this. Their ports have all tested really well, so it's no CC hack-job either. Would love to see a ground-up new version with all the M2 goodies, but I can't really hate on what's on offer here.

[Creamy Goodness]

Doesn't using save states have to do with a game running under emulation?

This is my understanding. Basically save states work with emulation as it is not a big thing to take a snapshot of the software parameters and just load them back up. It does not work the same for snapshotting the states of each hardware component and loading those back up. But the Shottriggers games are supposed to be actual ports and they have save states so who knows.

I am generally a big proponent of save states, but I don't think it has been an issue using the practice features of the LiveWire games. Maybe score chasers who need routes to be surgically accurate or for ridiculously difficult games like Galuda 2 they may be needed, but for just trying to clear Mushi and DDP Resurrection I have found their practice functions to be adequate.

[Sengoku Strider]

I don't even mean to argue

Oh neither do I. It was just that I was having that exact thought process last night.

Would love to see a ground-up new version with all the M2 goodies, but I can't really hate on what's on offer here.

Well, as you can tell I've been quite content with it, I'm not losing any sleep over these things (except for the leaderboards, like, okay, maybe there are complications getting them up & running, but 8 months worth of complications?). But that said, if someone's going to release a product into the current marketplace, contrasting it with other offerings is fair game.

I am generally a big proponent of save states, but I don't think it has been an issue using the practice features of the LiveWire games. Maybe score chasers who need routes to be surgically accurate or for ridiculously difficult games like Galuda 2 they may be needed, but for just trying to clear Mushi and DDP Resurrection I have found their practice functions to be adequate.

I think with DFK in particular, it would really help with routing out the bees. Because you're juggling so many things at once - keeping hit chains going, making the bee appear, then getting it at the right moment as it flashes, while still being in position to keep your chain from dropping.

[Steven]

Normally I'd reinforce that it's important to not call emulated rereleases ports because they aren't ports at all, and to please stop doing it and call them rereleases or whatever instead, but occasionally you'll still find weirdness with stuff that's partly native and partly emulated, like how I think M2's 3DS stuff is, but in any case,

Doesn't using save states have to do with a game running under emulation?

This is my understanding. Basically save states work with emulation as it is not a big thing to take a snapshot of the software parameters and just load them back up. It does not work the same for snapshotting the states of each hardware component and loading those back up. But the Shottriggers games are supposed to be actual ports and they have save states so who knows.

Some Mega Drive ROM-loading cartridges have save states, so it's definitely possible to do save states outside of software emulation. Sometimes the sound doesn't work properly after loading a save state because of how the system's audio works, but other than that I've had no problems with save states on the Mega Drive.

Pretty sure M2 ShotTriggers is just software emulation with optional runahead.

[Creamy Goodness]

Yes I have the Mega Everdrive Pro and use the save states on it. I get all the audio glitches that go along with it. I guess I should've said you can technically save state on some hardware, but it is not something that can always be dine well or even at all. I'd imagine there is no great way to do save states on modern hardware.

[Sengoku Strider]

I always mained BS in DDP, but so far Power A seems like the most fun ship to use in DFK, jacking chains through the roof cancelling walls of zako bullets is a good time. But I'm not quite sure why normal mode even exists aside from high ship movement speed which the Star Soldier lover in me thinks is great, but you don't really need it. Weak weapons and not being able to recharge hypers with cancels seems to make it kinda pointless.

Also, bomb mode. I don't know why anyone would ever choose that aside from e-flexing.

[neorichieb1971]

I got my dispatch notice today. YAY! Steelbook edition for ESP2.

[hamfighterx]

Got my shipping notice too for LRG Espgaluda II Collector's Edition, about a year after ordering... I wanted the chiptune arrange OST, what can ya do.

For anyone interested in physicals of the Live Wire Cave ports who didn't order from LRG, there are Japanese retail releases coming this year for Galuda 2 and Daifukkatsu. They are from "Super Deluxe Games" - which is LRG/Embracer Group's Japanese imprint, so basically LRG for the Japanese market, but managed by the Japan branch and not the US LRG group. But being able to order through Amazon with a set release date seems to be a plus. Some details here: https://limitedrungames.com/blogs/news/ ... luxe-games

They seem to be doing a standard cart and a LE set (with what appears to be the same arrange soundtrack in the LRG CE releases).

Daifukkatsu (Sep. 28 release): https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/dp/B0C7FQ ... gToDp&th=1
Espgaluda II (Nov. 30 release): https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/gp/produc ... UTF8&psc=1

[neorichieb1971]

Mine arrived today.

I am at work though.

[Untitled1]

still haven't got my DDP or Esp, funnily enough they've managed to get japanese limited editions with super deluxe for each game before they could even get us our lousy orders.

Unbelievable. Like being punished for supporting LRG.

[hamfighterx]

still haven't got my DDP or Esp, funnily enough they've managed to get japanese limited editions with super deluxe for each game before they could even get us our lousy orders.

Unbelievable. Like being punished for supporting LRG.

The Japanese LEs are not out yet, they’re currently preorder as noted in my last post. But at least they have specific release dates in Japan. They’re literally different regional branches of the same parent company though, “supporting” one or the other is ultimately giving your money to the same company.

The standard LRG editions shipped months ago too, it’s the CE versions that took longer, likely due to one of the additional components (soundtrack and/or steelbook, probably) not being manufactured until later. It’s still a crazy long wait, ~1 year for Galuda II. But it is what it is, nobody should be that surprised when LRG releases (especially the CE/deluxe variants) take 9+ months, yet people are constantly acting shocked. I’ve ordered dozens of games from LRG though, and it is true that Galuda II and DFK LEs, at about a year from preorder window closing, are two of the longest waits I’ve encountered (vast majority of LRG stuff for me in the past several years is more along the lines of 4-8 months from preorder window closing). Eh, whatever - I knew that was a realistic possibility and I ordered the CEs anyway since I wanted those chiptune arranged soundtracks.

But I mean… if you just want the game as soon as possible, buy the download version? It’s cheaper and has been on the Eshop for ages (as is usually the case for any physical versions LRG produces), and it’s the same as the 360 version that has been available for over a decade. You have options.

[bobrocks95]

Forgive me for not reading through the whole thread super thoroughly, but what were thoughts on Espgaluda II 360 vs Switch, and DDP DFK Steam vs Switch? I don't really have any shmups on Switch and the system usually has a slight lag penalty over PS4 versions, but the Switch collector's editions are up for pre-order on Amazon Japan and fairly cheap if you're already combining shipping with other items.

I think if I'm remembering what I read yesterday right that Esp II might have slightly less input lag on 360, and DFK is identical between Steam and Switch unless you mess with vsync? I don't really play for score so some of the weird chaining problems I know DFK has on both Steam and Switch wouldn't be an issue, but lag, features/screen options, that sort of thing would sway me one side or the other. DFK is frequently $10 on Steam so I'd hope the Switch version is roughly identical or slightly better (then it's just a preference of physical vs digital).

[PsikyoPshumpPshooterP]

In other words Amazon Jpn just charged me for ddp resurrection physical. I only got the standard edition not the Amazon jpn edition. Cant wait to see the goodies!

[bobrocks95]

Looks like I waited too long to order DDP, apparently the deluxe bundle with the soundtrack, booklets, deluxe box, etc was only for pre-orders and now it's just the game for the same price. Quite the downgrade...

[neorichieb1971]

I must admit I don't really know whats going on with LRG because there are loads of DDP's on ebay and my order is unfullfilled.

Is there another steelbook edition apart from LRG's?

[Johnpv]

I must admit I don't really know whats going on with LRG because there are loads of DDP's on ebay and my order is unfullfilled.

Is there another steelbook edition apart from LRG's?

Did you get the Steelbook edition? It only shipped a little bit ago. Also if you ordered anything else at the same time they won't ship till everything is in.

[neorichieb1971]

It's my last order with lrg.

[Jonpachi]

I just pay the eBay $20 mark-up and don’t stress it anymore. I’ve had so many go a year+ that I just don’t care anymore.

[neorichieb1971]

Yeah I meant that I don't have any other LRG orders after DDP. So there is zero packaging issues.

[Johnpv]

Yeah I would reach out to them then, mine came in awhile ago.

[darklavos]

So I bought the SuperDeluxe edition to see if the chiptunes would be on cart like I thought they would on the LRG one and to my surprise they are!



That makes another incomplete LRG cart, so if you care to have everything on cart just get the SuperDeluxe version instead of LRG. It's probably gonna be cheaper than paying scalpers anyway
For reference the LRG cart is version 1.0.3 and SuperDeluxe is 1.0.4

I assume it's gonna be the same with Epgaluda 2 so I'll order that one too.