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[Bebop]

I haven't tried Radiant silver gun I would hvae loved. But I suprised that you did not like ikaruga even a little.

[guillermo]

I like speed; I like to dodge bullets; I like it when you enter in this zen-like state of mind where you are just staring at your screen, not thinking, nor blinking, just moving at light speed and performing perfectly, and when you are out of it you just wonder how in the hell you did that.

Cho Ren Sha, AWESOME! Simple and retroish, yet, fast and furious!

Vacant Ark, Great gameplay, good pace too.

I also agree Ikaruga is amazing. Bullet-eater for life!

[RobF]

except I'm already tired of the glowing vectors.

I'm so far ahead of the curve on that trend.

Also Bob, you're sick in the head!

Pfft, says the man with no respect for Tempest. But yes, I am. Its true.

RE Ikaruga/RS - maybe its because I've only ever played Radiant Silvergun under emulation (no Saturn/out of my price range by a long chalk) but its never really clicked in the same way as Ikaruga did.

Plus, the thought of that many weaponry mechanics scares the beejesus out of me, I can barely cope with the switching in Ikaruga unless I'm truly zoned on it (Which is something thats increasingly difficult in this house with a rampant child). But then, I guess it was never really designed for fumbling around with a hocked up joypad configuration on a PC. (See also early Williams titles under MAME for only really being of true value on a cab)

Still, when the ability to raise the finances to lay my hands on a copy and a Saturn arrives - its one I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into and if I don't gel with it, at least it shouldn't be too much trouble to shift the copy on afterwards.

[Anthony Flack]

Don't get me wrong; I can appreciate Ikaruga, but I just couldn't claim to actually enjoy playing it. Perhaps I'll give it another chance next time the Dreamcast ends up under the TV, but all that flippy-switchy to-and-fro just does my head in. Whereas the seven fire buttons in Silvergun sound like they will be a nightmare but they very quickly become second nature and you start to wish that every shooter let you continuously adapt your attacks to suit the situation.

Also, Ikaruga looks very nice, but it's a kind of dry, bloodless aesthetic. I thought Silvergun would be the same but it's actually quite human and touching, and with wacky Guardian Heroes-style cartoons. The chaining and other extras may be a little too clever for their own good, but it's strictly optional, and the number of new ideas packed into the game's (enormous) levels is really quite ridiculous. Really, I could go on and on, but I guess what I'm saying is I like simple, straightforward shooters - but for some reason, this ridiculously complex one is one of my all-time favourites anyway.

[DrDerekDoctors]

Not played RS yet (for me, Treasure peaked with Bangai-O and Rakugaki Showtime) but I agree with Anthony about Ikaruga. I can appreciate it but I don't really enjoy it.

Also, its very desaturated in appearance which I didn't like. I loved that look in Ico because it accentuated the loneliness and desolate feel of the location but I like my shooters to be a riot of colours.

[Prospero]

I'm not really a huge fan of shmups these days (and certainly don't see the attraction of the bullet hell phenomenon), but I have enjoyed a few down the ages - SWIV on the Amiga and the stonking Tyrian for PC. Warblade is a very enjoyable indie game, although whether it falls into a pure shmup category is debatable (since, and it seems shameful to say this with the polish it has, it's "just" a glorified version of Galaxians / Galaga). I do tend to agree that vertical shooters are where it's at, though. I never got on with R-Type at all.

Mind you, Silkworm for the C64 was great fun, and that was side-scrolling...

[nenad]

And to think we've trusted you with remaking 3D Deathchase...

That game went far off of being the straight Deathchase remake now. I'm pretty sure it'll be just shooting, shooting and more shooting  

But look at the bright side. It won't be glowy. Not a slightest bit.

[DrDerekDoctors]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[nenad]

Thats not an illness, thats right thinking.

People can be categorized according to their dorbell type. There are two types: chime bells and buzz bells. The buzz's are just wrong. So are their owners. Same with shooters. It's obvious that horizontals are plain wrong - they don't massage the brain waves in a proper way, just like buzz bells. Of course, this whole distinction would be  completely transcendental to a buzz bell owner.

[nenad]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Do I see another Arsecast award coming my way? :D

[DrDerekDoctors]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Do I see another Arsecast award coming my way? :D

Yes, this one comes with an actual prize, too. From my actual arse.

[nenad]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Do I see another Arsecast award coming my way? :D

Yes, this one comes with an actual prize, too. From my actual arse.

Oh, in a couple of years that particular artefact will worth a fortune. 

[Anthony Flack]

It's obvious that horizontals are plain wrong - they don't massage the brain waves in a proper way, just like buzz bells.

Look Gradius V in the eye and say that.

[nenad]

It's obvious that horizontals are plain wrong - they don't massage the brain waves in a proper way, just like buzz bells.

Look Gradius V in the eye and say that.

I'd have no problem saying that to Gradius V. There's no amount of polish nor superb gameplay that could win me over. I just don't feel comfortable in horizontal scrolling environment. Like holding a spoon in the wrong hand.

[Anthony Flack]

Perhaps you could wire up a controller with the sticks rotated around 90 degrees and play it on an upended TV.

How do free-roaming shooters like Bangai-O sit with you?