#stg
#stg
by Amr (@siegarettes)
“A game ultimately based on capitalism”. That’s the way SEGA producer Yosuke Okunari described Fantasy Zone, in an interview on its 3DS remaster. Given its roots as an arcade game, that’s not too far from the truth. Amidst its cute aesthetics is a game not scared to play rough, to rob you of both your quarters and the in game currency you use to keep yourself capable of fighting back. The SEGA AGES release gives you ways to adjust how rough you want to play, but it’s still that same arcade game, and it’s gonna make you work. Instead it finds an interesting new way to rebalance the game: creating generational wealth.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Made in the mold of CAVE’s DoDonPachi shooters, Ghost Blade HD takes on its familiar shooter staples, and replaces its anime schoolgirls with cheesecake pinup girls in lingerie. But that’s about as much color you’ll see from Ghost Blade. The problem with imitating the best in the genre is that you’ll be judged on the same standards. By comparison, Ghost Blade can come off as the bar top touchscreen version of a game you already know. Its fine–entertaining and solidly made, but otherwise aggressively average.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Pawarumi
Developer: Manufacture43
Publisher: Manufacture43
Switch, PC, Xbox One, PS4
Sporting a multiple weapon system and three color polarity system, Pawarumi might immediately bring to mind Treasure’s shooter diptych of Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga. But while it clearly draws inspiration from the two, Pawarumi is both simpler and more complex. It frequently overwhelms, but is balanced by allowing some messiness. Pawarumi might be balanced around a triangle of weapons, but it’s often a game of dichotomies.
At the heart of Pawarumi is its three color weapon system. Red lasers home in on enemies, the green wave beam hits a wide area directly ahead, and the blue laser inflicts direct, steady damage in a small area. At first, Pawarumi seem follows the usual STG weapon balance, trading off between covering wider angles and doing direct damage. This is unfortunately undercut by two factors.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
From mechanics, aesthetics, down to the extra modes and gameplay options, Devil Engine is saturated with homage to arcade shooters, new and old. It’d be easy to catalog them, and breakdown every influence it takes from its arcade family. But in the heat of the action, Devil Engine gave me an almost racer like vibe. Momentum is deeply important, and losing it feels a lot like running yourself off the road. Knowing how to control my speed and where to attack the stage’s corners and enemy formations is key. Explaining exactly why is complicated, so let’s break it down.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Presented entirely in white silhouette, SilverFrame translates the acrobatic combat and wild missile trajectories of anime space operas into streaks of white that cut through the shadow of space. Each encounter is a dance between missiles, with your craft changing between jet and mech form, easing from and moving into being the leader.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Sam joins me again to take a look at The Void Rains Upon Her Heart, a corny but very earnest game about loving the monsters that have come to break your heart in the midst on an endless rain.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Sam joins me again to take a look at Imperishable Memories, a shooter that cites, Tohou, Nier, Ikaruga, Evangelion and other big names as inspiration for its angsty teenage drama.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Friend of the site Sam Howitt joins me to take a look at Maiden & Spell, a bullet-hell fighter in the style of Senko no Ronde, Acceleration of Suguri or Tohou Genso Rondo.