[AC] [360] [IOS] [MOB] Espgaluda II

[Jedah]

http://insomnia.ac/reviews/custom/espga ... review.php

Another great review icy. It really gives an informative picture about the game. From the video you published it seems like an axtremely challenging game. The mid boss could be a last boss in many shooters (at least a first form final boss), but the common enemies are not that inspiring. They fly too quick to notice, pop-corn enemies are more memorable in DoDonPachi. Is this game going to be ported to a home console? What are these machines you mention on the Ports section of your review?

[icycalm]

Hey Jedah, I am glad you enjoyed the review. The game is certainly hard, but as far as Cave shooters go the difficulty is just about average. DOJ, Ketsui and both Mushihime-samas are much harder. The 3rd stage mid-boss is indeed quite extraordinary for a Cave game, though I wouldn't say he's tough enough for a final stage boss.

As for the popcorn enemies, it's not that they fly by too fast, it's that the player is so good that he kills them before you have a chance to get a good look at them. Check the game's official page:

http://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/espgaluda2/index.html

Click around and you'll see all the stages, enemies and character designs. I think the art is excellent throughout.

As for a port, it should have been out by now. The last Cave port was Ibara; Espgaluda II, Pink Sweets and Mushi Futari should all be in line to get ported, but Cave hasn't announced anything. This fact is very worrying.

The FOMA 90xi series are Japanese cell phones. Cave released a game called Espgaluda II Trial Version back in October, which apparently includes only the first stage of the arcade game.

http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/games/articl ... ws103.html

I have absolutely no idea how it plays, but I doubt it retains the Kakusei modes...

Edit: Actually, looking at that screenshot in the article, it looks like it does!

[icycalm]

About a year or so ago I got into an argument with Gaijin Punch and EOJ, over whether Espgaluda II was an easy game to clear or not. I will leave the details of the argument for another post (they mostly revolve around poor reading comprehension on the part of GP and EOJ), but in the meantime I'd just like to bring up zlk's opinion on the matter, who is a player just as accomplished as GP and EOJ. This is how he rates Cave's shooters in terms of difficulty to clear (note that in games with two loops he is assuming that the player clears both of them):

Lower end:

Death Smiles (rank 1, no canyon) < Espgaluda < Guwange < Esprade < Espgaluda II < Ibara < Dangun Feveron (without TLB)

Upper end:

Progear no Arashi < Mushihime-sama Ultra Mode < Dodonpachi < Ketsui (Ura Loop) < Dodonpachi Daioujou

http://www.cave-stg.com/forum/index.php ... 93#msg4293

Note that he's left several games out, presumably because he hasn't played them enough, or hasn't had a chance to play them at all.

[Recap]

Is Progear no Arashi a two-loop game?

[icycalm]

I think so. I remember GP talking about a Japanese girl who managed to clear both loops after several years of practice. This is her website:

http://banana.chu.jp/

Edit: Oh there you go:

プロギア２周ＡＬＬ１．４億。

[icycalm]

Rumors of this had surfaced earlier, but it's now official via Cave's latest festival:

Espgaluda II BL is coming spring next year, there will be arrange modes done by both Yagawa and Ikeda, enhanced 360 mode as usual, new character as well.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p502920







http://videogamerx.gamedonga.co.kr/zbxe/1243578

There seems to be some confusion on the port's title. Famitsu reports it as simply "Espgaluda II", while the Shmups blabbermouths call it "Espgaluda II: Black Label" and the Korean idiots I just linked "Espgaluda II: Black Level", lol. I'll stick with Famitsu for now.

[El Chaos]

http://postback.geedorah.com/foros/view ... 7617#p7617

http://cave-game.cocolog-nifty.com/blog ... 9/tgs.html

Tanto éste como Futari estarán en en el TGS 2009 en versiones practicables, espacio de Microsoft.

Both Espgaluda II Black Label and Mushihime-sama Futari 1.5 will be available at TGS 2009's Microsoft booth, in playable form.

[raphael]

Espgaluda II seems to be region-free, but only in its standard edition.

Japanese developer Cave is bringing its arcade bullet hell shooter EspGaluda II to the Xbox 360 in Limited Edition and Standard Edition. For those players living outside Japan, which should they buy?

"The Limited Edition of EspGaluda II will be region-locked to Japan because we didn't have enough time to get the application in before pressing," says Cave producer Makoto Asada. "However, we were able to make the standard edition region-free in to show our appreciation for the support we have from overseas fans."

So to review: If you do not have a Japanese Xbox 360 and want to play EspGaluda II, then get the Standard Edition. If you do have a Japanese Xbox 360, get whichever edition you like.

And if you don't have an Xbox 360, well, then get your butt to the nearest Japanese arcade!

EspGaluda II will be released on February 25. Bundled with a two disc soundtrack, the game will be priced at ¥7,329 (US$85). There is a limited edition bundle with a faceplate — yours for ¥9,660 ($111).

http://kotaku.com/5471899/if-you-want-t ... -this-post

I coudn't get a Japanese transcript. Brian Ashcraft says: "Source is me talking directly to Cave."

[raphael]

Espgaluda II Black Label Normal Edition now officially confirmed as region free.

Thank you

Thank you for the warm messages from all over the world.
Espgaluda II Black Label Normal Edition is region free.
But I'm afraid new games after Espgaluda II Black Label won't be region free.
I assure you that Espgaluda II Black Label Normal Edition will be the last region free game for the time being.

Cave

Makoto Asada

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

[icycalm]

http://arcadefever.blogspot.com/2010/03 ... party.html



Dave_K's house, lol.

[austere]

Spring 2010 ESPGALUDA II for iPhone/iPod touch

http://www.cave-world.com/en/

[austere]

Cave has released more information about the iPhone/iPod Touch port. It's going to be out this Saturday!

iPhone mode
This mode features controls unique to the iPhone/iPod touch, allowing players to unleash an Awakening Pulse against the enemy by touching parts of the screen! Use this attack together with the high risk, high return scoring system to maximize your high score!

Destruction at your Fingertips: the Awakening Pulse
1. Touch the screen to unleash an Awakening Pulse! This attack will transform enemy bullets into green Spirit Stones and protect your character!

* In iPhone mode, your character will stop moving while in Awakened Perception. Make sure to destroy any incoming bullets!

2. The longer you are awakened, the higher your Gold Multiplier will climb.

3. Build up as many bullets on screen as you can in order to transform them all at once into gold! Push that high score!

Arcade mode
Experience the excitement of the Arcade version on iPhone and iPod touch! Play ESPGALUDA II from the palm of your hand anywhere, anytime.

"ESPGALUDA II" CAVE's first application for the iPhone/iPod touch will be distributed at the AppStore starting April 10th (Saturday) for a special commemorative price of US$4.99, UK £2.99, EU €3.99 to celebrate our first iPhone/iPod touch game!

More details are available at the port's official page:

http://www.cave-world.com/en/games/espgaluda2.html

There's also a demonstration of the "iPhone mode" using "simplified controls" on Cave's official YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt-Jaz1oRAU

[raphael]

I just found a typo in the review:

Or how the difficulty in Espgaluda suddenly jacks up near then end ...

By the way, both Xbox 360's "Arrange" and "Black Label" modes as well as iPhone's special "Iphone Mode" are great... and even more different in their rules (both from the arcade and each other) than Ibara Kuro is from Ibara.

[icycalm]

Fixed, thanks!