Games

[recoil]

http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/0 ... t_trailer/

Cave has a new shooter on the way for arcades, and boy does it have some sweet art! Get your first look at Akai Katana via the new teaser site, or just stream the debut trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIGitpn ... r_embedded

Did you notice the lack of bullets in that video? Yes, the trailer is 100% characters talking back and forth. But this is a true arcade-style vertical bullet hell shooter.

Arcade operator G-Front actually shared first details on the game last week following a teaser announcement at the Cave blog. According to the listing, Akai Katana (literally "Red Katana" -- you know what a katana is, right?) gives you control of a ship piloted by a pair of characters. Each character has unique attack patterns. The game is set in a hardline military world where mechs, styled like 1950s retro military machinery, are primary weapons.

Although we're just hearing about it now, the G-Front listing says that the game was developed slowly over a a period of over one year. And although the debut trailer showed no gameplay, Cave does seem to be ready to debut the game before its most hardcore of fans. The company is planning a location test for next week, ahead of a final arcade release.

Want to get a sneak peak at your next Cave shooter? Then head out to Akihabara Hey from the 23rd through the 26th for the location test.

[Profanatica]

But this is a true arcade-style vertical bullet hell shooter.

According to EOJ's translation of G-front's announcement and Google translator, the new game will be horizontal rather than vertical scrolling. It is also a game being released in arcades, so the prefix "true arcade-style" strikes me as rather redundant. Here's the full post:

UPDATE (7/15/2010): The title is Akai Katana. Official page:

http://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/akaikatana/

Location test at HEY from July 23-26. Release in August.

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------------

Just announced by Asada in the Cave blog, location test will be in just a few weeks. It's a completely new game, and a hori, no further info just yet:

http://cave-game.cocolog-nifty.com/blog ... -f2df.html

UPDATE (7.5.2010) from gfront blog:

-Danmaku type horizontal scrolling shooting game
-Hardcore military shooter
-Each ship has a pair of characters (pilot and gunner?) with specific attacks
-Each ship changes its attacks when you change "mode"
-The characters (enemies, allies, and others - all human) are quite diverse
-Ships are designed as hardcore, 1950s style retro mechas
-Game is designed around destructible objects and dodging bullets - the core elements of an enjoyable STG - rather than obstacles and topography. This gives it a refreshing feeling.
-It has been carefully developed for over 1 year.
-Release in summer/fall 2010

http://gfront.sblo.jp/article/39460871.html

[austere]

Release date: 19th of August.

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Source: http://www.versuscity.net/2010/07/20/ak ... ease-date/

[icycalm]

Aaaaaand... Cave is back.

It still is a little bit of a let down for me though, because that teaser video had me thinking of high-res 2D. But I am happy to settle for low-res too -- anything but another DSII-style monstrosity.

And we are also back to PCBs! Seems someone has learned their lesson, lol.

[Tain]

Location test footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Y2dbEydD0

[icycalm]

The bosses do not fit the rest of the game, the backgrounds are weird, scroll weird, seem uninspired and rushed, and are a far cry to those of Death Smiles, the bullet patterns are so-so... Visually it all looks very meh -- something which I could tell from the two tiny screens, but I kept my peace in case they didn't do justice to the game.

But the system certainly looks complicated and interesting. And sketchy YouTube videos are sketchy ... the game could actually be decently looking in the end...

[Nic P]

360 port released on May 26th. 7,140 yen for the regular edition and 9,240 for the limited edition:

http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/4027655

and from Play-Asia:

http://www.play-asia.com/Akai_Katana_Sh ... -45zt.html

Of principal interest is the new console-exclusive Zetsu mode. A list of all changes from arcade mode can be found here. Other features include "redone graphics, [...] a new stage, and a 16x9 mode that redesigns enemy and bullet patterns to fit better on a widescreen display" (Joystiq).

Videos of the new mode, plus expert and beginner arcade modes:

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/17/way-t ... n-footage/

Regular edition comes with just the game, while the LE includes "a special casing box containing [...] colourful arwork along with the official soundtrack CD" Also, preordering either version nets you "a special Voice Pack Content Card which includes new voices for the game":

http://www.thespeedgamers.com/details-o ... n-revealed

A demo is available on the JP Marketplace featuring the first two stages and all three characters (ships). Can't comment on the differences from the arcade version (never played it), but the graphics look gorgeous, even better than those in the Death Smiles port (though the art direction is still inferior). Now let's hope for a Western release.

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More screens and artwork here: http://www.famitsu.com/news/201102/19040523.html

[icycalm]

Been playing this (US 360 version) for the past couple of days and it's fantastic. I had completely forgotten how fun these games are, last Cave game I played was Mushi Futari in 2006 lol. Shit sure seems more complicated now and I am definitely loving it. I am even trying to seriously score lol.

I was confused by the renaming of the modes in the English versions (there's apparently also a PAL version out) so I dived into the Shmups.com megathreads for info, and it appears that Shin mode is called Slash in English (the one I am playing), Zetsu is called Climax, and Arcade is called Origin. They also say that there are "Novice" modes, but I don't know where they are located because they don't appear in my mode select screen.

Some interesting tidbits I managed to salvage from the aspies' forum:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 00#p799300

Actually, if you watch the credits, Yagawa, Ikeda and Ichimura all worked on the code. So I'd say it's not designed entirely by Yagawa or Ikeda or Ichimura. Which means all of them probably had a say in the mechanics.

This.

Going from the interview that rancor translated (if memory serves), we've got Yagawa to thank for the core engine itself, Ikeda for the idea of Stage 6, and Ichimura for a lot of the initial mechanics with all three of them having inputs on specific parts of said mechanics. Sounds like 'All Star Effort' to me.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 01#p799401

I don't see how the lasers are that bad. The transparency makes them a little hard to see but I quickly adjusted. They're clearly telegraphed beforehand and they're never made impossible to dodge like in DFK, since you can't simply cancel them with your laser.

Now, I'm with you on the stage and enemy designs being kinda bland on a functional level. Progear had so much more variety and character in how its levels were laid out. So far there's nothing really memorable like the gigantic snowstorm of bullets at the end of Progear's second boss.

I don't know how far this guy had got when he wrote this, but having been up to the stage 4 boss I can safely say there are some cool moments in here. The barrage of enemies as you arrive at the port at the end of stage 4 is pretty damn cool, and the previous stages are no slouches either. It's nowhere near as fancy and distinct, aesthetically, as most other Cave shooters, but it's still great stuff.


http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p800820

AK Arcade and Zetsu scoring is all about controlling enemy fire, similar to Progear. But with AK you can use the Phantom mode to position bullets more easily and without as much knowledge of enemy placement or attack patterns.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 59#p800859

If those vids that have almost constant slowdown from stage 2 onwards are at all accurate, then I still don't recommend it to a newbie, even if that makes it easier (which I kind of doubt, but whatever), simply because who the fuck would want to play a game with constant slowdown?

You're forgetting that slowdown only really happens whe you are playing for score and know exactly the right time to cancel bullets. Slowdown isn't given, it is earned. A newbie trying to get better eventually seeks out how to create slowdown even if they are not interested in scoring, if only for pure survival.

As in Galuda 2.


http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 28#p804928

I'm I the only one completely pissed when I have tons of suicide bullets in front of my ship, lots of katana ready to fire ten slightly top the stick to reposition and fire the katanas upwards? Makes for so much of the score that I have trouble going on without it affecting my game... ;)

You're playing the Type B ship obviously - you need to be aware that each of the different pilots have differing behaviour when using their katanas.

Type A's katanas always fire fowards. They'll be a bit wider if you fire when moving backwards, tighter when moving forwards.

Type B's katanas fire in the opposite direction you're moving. Not moving or holding backwards will shoot them forward, you can fire them in any direction by moving the opposite way and firing them.

Type C's katanas are either tight or spreadshot or depending on whether or not you're moving.

[icycalm]

A very nice trailer of the port showcasing the HD graphics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=farzs6mYwzY

[icycalm]

Akai Katana (Xbox 360) Slash, Origin & Climax Stage 1 with Kikyou & Botan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VixHBsRTWU

Useful video to get a quick idea of how different the modes are. Also makes me feel good about myself because I can score four-five times better than him.

[icycalm]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 84#p805484

They are both in my top 5 favorite Cave games, ESPGaluda2 happens to be #1.

I feel strongly that the scoring mechanics are equally complicated. What is so amazing about both games is that the resources you collect from enemies can also be used defensively as an aid, or to create risk-reward situations for highscore - both are brilliant in that way.

I got past the stage 5 midboss yesterday, and scoring a respectable 175M to boot. It's definitely among the easiest tier Cave games, but I am wondering if it's just the Shin/Slash mode that I am playing or if it applies more or less to all of them.

[icycalm]

Yep, looks like I am playing the easy mode:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=38826

—Regarding the system and the difficulty in the original version, did the “shin” system take the same form as in the latest version?

Koizumi: We created the fighters and the human characters in advance, and then decided what we could do with them. First there was the demand from IKD that the game should attract new users... Not just the maniacs that usually play STGs. The current “shin” system was the result of us thinking what it would take to make a game in which anyone can play.

I guess I could switch to Zetsu/Climax, but it's too different and I'd be wasting all the effort I've put into the game so far. Same goes with Arcade mode, which I wouldn't play anyway because it looks shit on the 360. So I'll finish Shin and then, a few months later, I'll see if I can get hold of the PCB to experience the original game too.

[icycalm]

214M, but still haven't seen the fifth boss. I reckon I must be a couple of screens away from him. Really great game. And the music starts out lameish, but gets more and more epic as you progress. By the fifth stage it has reached Ketsui levels of awesome, and the fourth stage's track is reminiscent of Mushihime's stage four. They even have a sameish sort of blue/water theme. As soon as I clear it I'll start on Zetsu mode.

[icycalm]

http://postback.geedorah.com/foros/view ... 516#p15516

http://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/nesica/akaikatanasin/

Capturas a la resolución nativa bajo Nesica y fondos de escritorio: http://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/nesica ... n/gallery/

Julio.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 90#p926690

It should be noted that Shin on Nesica is different from the X360 Shin mode (in a sense of a Black Label or 1.5 version, not in the sense of it being an entirely different game). Many tweaks and changes, and overall more difficult. Similar to how Ibara Kuro is different, yet an evolution from, Ibara Arrange.