Dead End City
Dead End City
Another winner suggested by Steam.
Think Mad Max + Galaga + Spy Hunter. It has a demo and it's really good.
Think Mad Max + Galaga + Spy Hunter. It has a demo and it's really good.
You're sure to be in a fine haze about now, but don't think too hard about all of this. Just go out and kill a few beasts. It's for your own good. You know, it's just what hunters do! You'll get used to it.
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BurlyHeart
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Re: Dead End City
I've had my eye on this for a while.
Played the demo last week. The first stage was almost like a training stage, but the second level was really cool! Pure Mad Max vibes and much improved patterns.
Played the demo last week. The first stage was almost like a training stage, but the second level was really cool! Pure Mad Max vibes and much improved patterns.
Now known as old man|Burly
YouTube
Shmup Difficulty Lists:
Japan Arcade - To Far Away Times - Perikles
YouTube
Shmup Difficulty Lists:
Japan Arcade - To Far Away Times - Perikles
Re: Dead End City
Very cool! The world needs more car shmups Hoping for a console release.
It begins in deep space warped by evil power
Re: Dead End City
I've put around 6 hours in this so far and I must say I'm enjoying it immensely. For some reason it really reminds me something that could of been release for the Neo Geo back in the day. The life/fuel/overfuel system is interesting and there's a thorough score multiplier system in place. Normal/Hard difficulties. Steam online leaderboards are present as well.
You've got 5 stages that are each basically laid out in this order:
7 waves Galaga style shmup-> vertical scrolling traditional shmup --> boss battle
Fun STG and I'm top of the normal diff leaderboard (for the moment at least lol).
You've got 5 stages that are each basically laid out in this order:
7 waves Galaga style shmup-> vertical scrolling traditional shmup --> boss battle
Fun STG and I'm top of the normal diff leaderboard (for the moment at least lol).
Last edited by -Fish- on Mon Oct 17, 2022 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Dead End City
I've been waiting for this one too, and it's as fun as I hoped.
The dev is a good dude, he is around in the community and has been listening to feedback from players. Lets get this game to 10 reviews so Steam sends him some traffic.
The dev is a good dude, he is around in the community and has been listening to feedback from players. Lets get this game to 10 reviews so Steam sends him some traffic.
I made a roguelike shoot-em-up.
Re: Dead End City
I'm going to pick it up today or tomorrow.
Also the attract screen, like Zero Ranger, is Dimahoo.
Also the attract screen, like Zero Ranger, is Dimahoo.
You're sure to be in a fine haze about now, but don't think too hard about all of this. Just go out and kill a few beasts. It's for your own good. You know, it's just what hunters do! You'll get used to it.
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BurlyHeart
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Re: Dead End City
I told myself no more game purchases this year...but I'll make an exception for this (on Monday), especially given -Fish-'s glowing Steam review and the cheap price.
Now known as old man|Burly
YouTube
Shmup Difficulty Lists:
Japan Arcade - To Far Away Times - Perikles
YouTube
Shmup Difficulty Lists:
Japan Arcade - To Far Away Times - Perikles
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BurlyHeart
- Posts: 615
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- Location: Korea
Re: Dead End City
Happy to say I was the 10th person to leave a review. Very good game and I'm having a lot of fun.
I'm far from an expert, but the scoring system seems very well put together.
I'm far from an expert, but the scoring system seems very well put together.
Now known as old man|Burly
YouTube
Shmup Difficulty Lists:
Japan Arcade - To Far Away Times - Perikles
YouTube
Shmup Difficulty Lists:
Japan Arcade - To Far Away Times - Perikles
Re: Dead End City
The scoring system is very good. What the player vehicle lacks in easy destructibility is made up for in heavy damage to your score multiplier. As you can see from experience sometimes it takes a bit of time to raise that multiplier again to 9x. I enjoy the fact that special weapons raise the multiplier faster but once the multiplier is maxed you will want to refrain using special weapons as to increase the fuel pickups to overcharge the primary weapon. Its a fun little tradeoff. Getting the 1cc is easy but getting all the way through with maxed multiplier is the real challenge. Especially on hard mode.BurlyHeart wrote:Happy to say I was the 10th person to leave a review. Very good game and I'm having a lot of fun.
I'm far from an expert, but the scoring system seems very well put together.
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Pixel Licker
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Re: Dead End City
Hey All. I'm the dev on Dead End City. Glad to hear everyone is enjoying the game so far. Let me know if you have any suggestions or feedback. I am still fixing the last few bugs that have popped up post launch so I can slip in improvements if they are easy to add.
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Pixel Licker
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Re: Dead End City
@Fish Once you hit x9 you also have the choice to use special weapons to generate medals. But that of course leaves you without the Fuel Time safety net. In many cases you can recover the special shot ammo with smart special shot use. So finding that balance is key to scoring vs survival. Some chariots are easier to use in this regard but that is why they aren’t unlocked initially. Ripper is the easiest to use so that is why it is the default.
I have tried to balance the chariots as best I can but if people get intimate with any particular one and feels like there could be a minor tweak I would appreciate the feedback.
I have tried to balance the chariots as best I can but if people get intimate with any particular one and feels like there could be a minor tweak I would appreciate the feedback.
Re: Dead End City
Thanks for the deeper explanation dev. IMO the vehicles all feel good and diverse for the moment. I do prefer the red vehicle over the rest as its maneuverability is the highest. One thing I did mention in the Steam forum is possibility of adding an expert mode in addition to the hard mode.
Just something you might could consider for a future update down the line.
Just something you might could consider for a future update down the line.
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hamfighterx
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Re: Dead End City
Gotta ask... any plans for a Switch version? I normally don't like playing on PC. Might still have to bite the bullet for this one though, looks rad.Pixel Licker wrote:Hey All. I'm the dev on Dead End City.
Wait a minute, what kind of game is this, exactly? Did you have any trouble getting it past Steam content review?Pixel Licker wrote:if people get intimate with any particular one
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RobotParking
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Re: Dead End City
Picked the game up because of this thread. So glad I did. Really enjoying this one!
Re: Dead End City
Thanks for the reminder, I had forgotten about this! The presentation looked great, I'm glad the gameplay delivers as well. Added to the wish list, I'll get it soon
"There are three possible endings: the good one, the bad one and death" - Locomalito, Super Hydorah
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BulletMagnet
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Re: Dead End City
Well, in case the name "Pixel Licker" didn't tip you off...hamfighterx wrote:Wait a minute, what kind of game is this, exactly? Did you have any trouble getting it past Steam content review?
Re: Dead End City
Definitely no sexual content the game guys. I'm sure you all were kidding but just making sure lol.BulletMagnet wrote:Well, in case the name "Pixel Licker" didn't tip you off...hamfighterx wrote:Wait a minute, what kind of game is this, exactly? Did you have any trouble getting it past Steam content review?
Re: Dead End City
DAMMIT FISH
All ma scores are like juuuuuusst behind yours.
Some thoughts on the cars:
I've unlocked four of the five - still need crazy cat lady.
Rockset (nice 80's reference) feels the best of the ones I've tried, even though I got the 1 CC with Shiro her car feels much better. Nice movement speed, the main shot is really good and her special weapon has a nice risk/reward balance. Point blank with it and it rains medals. I would guess increased damage output also, but not sure.
All ma scores are like juuuuuusst behind yours.
Some thoughts on the cars:
I've unlocked four of the five - still need crazy cat lady.
Rockset (nice 80's reference) feels the best of the ones I've tried, even though I got the 1 CC with Shiro her car feels much better. Nice movement speed, the main shot is really good and her special weapon has a nice risk/reward balance. Point blank with it and it rains medals. I would guess increased damage output also, but not sure.
You're sure to be in a fine haze about now, but don't think too hard about all of this. Just go out and kill a few beasts. It's for your own good. You know, it's just what hunters do! You'll get used to it.
Re: Dead End City
Stevens wrote:DAMMIT FISH
All ma scores are like juuuuuusst behind yours.
Some thoughts on the cars:
I've unlocked four of the five - still need crazy cat lady.
Rockset (nice 80's reference) feels the best of the ones I've tried, even though I got the 1 CC with Shiro her car feels much better. Nice movement speed, the main shot is really good and her special weapon has a nice risk/reward balance. Point blank with it and it rains medals. I would guess increased damage output also, but not sure.
Rockset is really the only one I enjoy. This vehicle has the fastest in movement speed which for my playstyle (overly spastic) seems much easier to collect falling medals. I can't seem to get into a grove with the other vehicles because of the slower movement. I probably just need more practice though .
EDIT: Managed to get 1st for now on Normal - 2,157,777
Re: Dead End City
I just completed my first 1cc of Normal Mode; very solid indie shooting game!
Scoring system is easy to understand, flashy, and fun. Good design call making vehicle collisions only -1 combo btw.
My biggest gripe is that (unlike enemy bullets) the mortar attacks get lost in a lot of visual clutter like explosions, debris, and medals. Felt less fair taking hits from mortars than from high-vis bullets. They’re primarily in the first half of the game, so not a huge issue.
Also I wish that local highscores were saved, even when not connected online.
This ran alright out of the box on my Steam Deck, though noticeable framerate dips were somewhat common, especially when spawning a lot of medals. Both the d-pad and left analog stick are mapped to player movement, though the analog stick is mapped like an 8-way pad (non-analog movement). In the game settings I set fullscreen to OFF to fill the screen vertically.
- Verticen – 2,306,075 – ALL - Rockset - Normal (V1.0.10)
Scoring system is easy to understand, flashy, and fun. Good design call making vehicle collisions only -1 combo btw.
My biggest gripe is that (unlike enemy bullets) the mortar attacks get lost in a lot of visual clutter like explosions, debris, and medals. Felt less fair taking hits from mortars than from high-vis bullets. They’re primarily in the first half of the game, so not a huge issue.
Also I wish that local highscores were saved, even when not connected online.
This ran alright out of the box on my Steam Deck, though noticeable framerate dips were somewhat common, especially when spawning a lot of medals. Both the d-pad and left analog stick are mapped to player movement, though the analog stick is mapped like an 8-way pad (non-analog movement). In the game settings I set fullscreen to OFF to fill the screen vertically.
moonblood wrote:Very cool! The world needs more car shmups
Re: Dead End City
Just played this. Final boss is a REAL fucking asshole, though... And why can't you continue?
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RobotParking
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Re: Dead End City
Yeah, I can consistently keep things at x9 going into the second stage but once it's raining medals and mortars + random circling cars are hopping in from the sides of the screen, I really struggle to keep on top of it.Verticen wrote: My biggest gripe is that (unlike enemy bullets) the mortar attacks get lost in a lot of visual clutter like explosions, debris, and medals. Felt less fair taking hits from mortars than from high-vis bullets. They’re primarily in the first half of the game, so not a huge issue.
All that said, this started as a neat little surprise I picked up on Steam and became one of my go-to games if I've got a half hour or 45 minutes to play (even beating out Gunvein sometimes). Like many others here, I'm a fan of Rockset, but I think Wraith is probably my favourite. When I'm able to nail the back line with a well-placed mortar, it feels tremendous.
I hope this does well for the dev. It's a really fun premise and even if I can't use continues, being able to replay individual stages as a score attack mode is really compelling.
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Pixel Licker
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Re: Dead End City
Hey all. Glad to hear so many are enjoying the game. Just wanted to give a heads up that I am working on Caravan stages for all the chariots right now as part of the next update. I am also looking at some tweaks to the chariot stats, since I am hearing a lot of feedback about the player speed. The goal is to get it out before the end of the year, but it might be shortly after that.
As for console ports, there are discussions underway, but nothing I can verify as definite. But helping spread the word on the Steam version keeps Pixel Licker (and myself) alive.
@verticen: There should be local high score saving, but only for your top score per chariot (per mode). The moment you connect to Steam it will update your local data and submit any offline scores you might have made.
As for console ports, there are discussions underway, but nothing I can verify as definite. But helping spread the word on the Steam version keeps Pixel Licker (and myself) alive.
@verticen: There should be local high score saving, but only for your top score per chariot (per mode). The moment you connect to Steam it will update your local data and submit any offline scores you might have made.
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RobotParking
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Re: Dead End City
Ahhh this is awesome news. I already left a glowing Steam review but I keep name dropping this game to friends.Pixel Licker wrote:Hey all. Glad to hear so many are enjoying the game. Just wanted to give a heads up that I am working on Caravan stages for all the chariots right now as part of the next update. I am also looking at some tweaks to the chariot stats, since I am hearing a lot of feedback about the player speed. The goal is to get it out before the end of the year, but it might be shortly after that.
As for console ports, there are discussions underway, but nothing I can verify as definite. But helping spread the word on the Steam version keeps Pixel Licker (and myself) alive.
@verticen: There should be local high score saving, but only for your top score per chariot (per mode). The moment you connect to Steam it will update your local data and submit any offline scores you might have made.
Re: Dead End City
Looks cool. I've been daydreaming of a car shmup akin to CAVE shmups since playing Ibara and seeing the first level boss. My personal preference would have been for a more serious style (like Ibara), but something that almost matches my daydream is better than nothing
Re: Dead End City
I've managed to clear it with Crankcase(? - the chariot with laser special) but every time I make it to the final boss with other characters I die there. That boss is quite a difficulty spike unless I am doing something wrong.
I guess I should do time attack runs on stage 5 to try and practice this boss?
I guess I should do time attack runs on stage 5 to try and practice this boss?
I made a roguelike shoot-em-up.
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hamfighterx
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Re: Dead End City
Excited to hear that, count me in those who would be there for a console port and thanks for your posts Just bought the Steam version this morning to support, looks great and I'm pumped to give it a try.Pixel Licker wrote:As for console ports, there are discussions underway, but nothing I can verify as definite. But helping spread the word on the Steam version keeps Pixel Licker (and myself) alive.
Re: Dead End City
https://www.eastasiasoft.com/games/Dead-End-City
just stumbled on this, game seems to be getting a console release next year
just stumbled on this, game seems to be getting a console release next year
It begins in deep space warped by evil power
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Pixel Licker
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Re: Dead End City
The release for the console ports has been confirmed: February 28, 2024! It is coming to Switch, PS4/5 and Xbox. Digital only unless Eastasiasoft aren't telling me something.