Re: Games Beaten 2017
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:57 pm
1. Pokémon Moon - 3DS
2. Tony Hawk's Underground - GCN
3. Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising - PC
4. Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II: Retribution - PC
5. Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness - PSP
6. X-Wing: Imperial Pursuit - PC
7. Star Wars Republic Commando - PC
8. X-Wing: B-Wing - PC
9. Blazing Lazers - TG-16
10. Tales of Xillia 2 - PS3
11. Shining Force CD: Shining Force Gaiden - Sega CD
12. MUSHA - Genesis
Another Compile game off the list. MUSHA is a fabulously crafted shmup that's difficult but not a quarter muncher (the fact you can't continue helps). It's intended for you to be able to beat the game, but you do have to get good to do so. And the general production is quite excellent.
MUSHA will feel familiar to those who have played other Compile shmups. There are pickups that choose your cool looking weapon and pickups that level up weapons. Here things are a bit different from Blazing Lazers. You always have access to your primary gun, and it is leveled up by collecting flashing drops from a carrier that dispenses them four at a time when shot (they fly off in slightly random directions so you can't always get all four). Your secondary weapon is chosen from one of three: a straight firing laser, a bomb spread, or a defensive shield that can block bullets. These secondary weapons can be leveled up by collecting a second secondary of the same type; otherwise you switch to the new type at the same power level. Secondary weapon power is ranked from 0 to 4, with level 4 frequently including a new effect. Whenever you take a hit while holding a secondary you lose that secondary and go invincible for a couple seconds. If you were at level 4 you drop down to level 3. Whenever you pick up a secondary you go invincible for a couple seconds. So you are going to want to have a secondary at all times and be willing to switch it up depending on what's getting thrown at you or to get that invincibility.
The other interesting thing in the game is your options. You gain one of these every time you get four of the powerup for your main gun, and can store as many as you can. If you ever have less than two it will spawn new ones and decrease your stock. These function similar to the slaves of Raiden Fighters; they take damage and can be destroyed but you have control over their formation. They can fire straight, at an angle, rotate around you, cover the rear arc, or fly free at your enemies (which is a good way to get them killed).
I'd say the bulk of the difficulty is in the levels themselves. The game introduces new kinds of enemies with every stage so you always have to stay on your toes. It also likes to vary between calm and frantic sections where you need to do a lot of fancy flying to avoid getting hit. By contrast, the bosses are extremely pattern based and aside from a sub boss on the last level don't throw out large volumes of fire, so you can expect on a blind playthrough to be able to take down almost all of them without dying (though you might take a hit and lose your subweapon). The exception to this is the second form of the last boss; this boss forces you to constantly be on the move due to an invincible bouncing ball taking up most of the screen, and then the two vulnerable points snipe at you with shots that can be extremely hard to see while you're doing damage. I ended up burning through 5 lives on that part. The form right after is much easier, as you actually have some contrast and can see the shots coming.
2. Tony Hawk's Underground - GCN
3. Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising - PC
4. Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II: Retribution - PC
5. Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness - PSP
6. X-Wing: Imperial Pursuit - PC
7. Star Wars Republic Commando - PC
8. X-Wing: B-Wing - PC
9. Blazing Lazers - TG-16
10. Tales of Xillia 2 - PS3
11. Shining Force CD: Shining Force Gaiden - Sega CD
12. MUSHA - Genesis
Another Compile game off the list. MUSHA is a fabulously crafted shmup that's difficult but not a quarter muncher (the fact you can't continue helps). It's intended for you to be able to beat the game, but you do have to get good to do so. And the general production is quite excellent.
MUSHA will feel familiar to those who have played other Compile shmups. There are pickups that choose your cool looking weapon and pickups that level up weapons. Here things are a bit different from Blazing Lazers. You always have access to your primary gun, and it is leveled up by collecting flashing drops from a carrier that dispenses them four at a time when shot (they fly off in slightly random directions so you can't always get all four). Your secondary weapon is chosen from one of three: a straight firing laser, a bomb spread, or a defensive shield that can block bullets. These secondary weapons can be leveled up by collecting a second secondary of the same type; otherwise you switch to the new type at the same power level. Secondary weapon power is ranked from 0 to 4, with level 4 frequently including a new effect. Whenever you take a hit while holding a secondary you lose that secondary and go invincible for a couple seconds. If you were at level 4 you drop down to level 3. Whenever you pick up a secondary you go invincible for a couple seconds. So you are going to want to have a secondary at all times and be willing to switch it up depending on what's getting thrown at you or to get that invincibility.
The other interesting thing in the game is your options. You gain one of these every time you get four of the powerup for your main gun, and can store as many as you can. If you ever have less than two it will spawn new ones and decrease your stock. These function similar to the slaves of Raiden Fighters; they take damage and can be destroyed but you have control over their formation. They can fire straight, at an angle, rotate around you, cover the rear arc, or fly free at your enemies (which is a good way to get them killed).
I'd say the bulk of the difficulty is in the levels themselves. The game introduces new kinds of enemies with every stage so you always have to stay on your toes. It also likes to vary between calm and frantic sections where you need to do a lot of fancy flying to avoid getting hit. By contrast, the bosses are extremely pattern based and aside from a sub boss on the last level don't throw out large volumes of fire, so you can expect on a blind playthrough to be able to take down almost all of them without dying (though you might take a hit and lose your subweapon). The exception to this is the second form of the last boss; this boss forces you to constantly be on the move due to an invincible bouncing ball taking up most of the screen, and then the two vulnerable points snipe at you with shots that can be extremely hard to see while you're doing damage. I ended up burning through 5 lives on that part. The form right after is much easier, as you actually have some contrast and can see the shots coming.