Akai Katana Shin [JP X360 - 5/26/2011]

[Van_Artic]

I'm starting to get a grips on the scoring in the demo.  What is the general strategy for the bosses?  Try to destroy them with the kantanas when the screen is full of bullets?

while the katanas are out shoot at it with your focused shots, that will turn bullets and lasers into green spheres, that will make life easier for you on the next stage

i just got like 345mil, this game is freakin' amazing, can't wait to see the new stage on the full version!

[EOJ]

Achievements:

http://www12.atwiki.jp/xbox360score/pages/1280.html

Getting 300mil in Akai Katana Arcade will be a good challenge.

[EOJ]

Zetsu mode changes from Arcade mode, and the basics of scoring:

http://www.cave-stg.com/?p=1514

[Special World]

For those of you who've played the arcade version, I was wondering if the changes in Zetsu mode sound like they would really open up the scoring system and remove the ceiling from the game. I'm not skilled enough for it to matter for many years probably, but I'm interested nonetheless.

[SuperPang]

A fair bit, yes. Zetsu seems to be what they wanted from the arcade version. A lot will depend on what they've done with the slowdown. I still think Shin and Limited have a considerably "higher ceiling" though.

[EOJ]

To anyone who has the game and can't read Japanese:

Menus are all in Japanese. Post screenshots here (I don't have the game yet) and I can translate them for you, if you need it.

[Lusche]

To anyone who has the game and can't read Japanese:

Menus are all in Japanese. Post screenshots here (I don't have the game yet) and I can translate them for you, if you need it.

That would be great and would help some of us

[dan76]

I got the game this morning so it's to early to give any valid impressions - though as usual I'm finding arcade mode most enjoyable -  one thing that sticks out is the 4:3 screen options.

You can set the screen option for each different mode, and in Arcade there is the option to zoom like Pork for a 4:3 display. You zoom in, get everything framed up, and yet when you start the game your settings aren't there, the screen is over zoomed. Hit start and go to options, adjust, but nothing happens. It looks like you should be able to adjust from in game but the settings won't alter.

So on a 4:3 crt I'm playing in a small box like DS2, as it's the only way to see the energy of a boss or not disappear of the top and bottom of the screen.

Oh, and I don't seem to be able to enter my initials either...

Still, it's great  

[SuperPang]

Rough menu layout through trial and error.  Pretty obvious stuff but I'll post these anyway;

Shin / Arcade / Zetsu (change with left/ right)

Offline
Score Attack
Practice
Leaderboards
Replays
Options

X = Novice
Y = Achievements
Back = 1P/2P Side

Pause Menu:
Restart
Resume
Controls
Screen
Audio
Save/Load
Quit

Options:
Gameplay
Controls
Screen
Audio
Save/Load

Controls:
Shot
Bomb
Full Auto
Ninja Mode

[lam47]

Got mine today too. Expected it to be in a weeks time.
Can't bring myself to credit feed.

[ratsflif]

Looks great on the cab.  Turning the wide option off disables all the other screen controls so you if have overscan it may be an issue, but not on an arcade monitor.

[SuperPang]

First impressions are very good. Really nice presentation. Zetsu is pretty much how I imagined a port could be when I had the PCB. Arcade seems accurate. The slowdown is very different in the limited version so it's hard to remember but there seems to be plenty of it. Arcade and Shin compliment each other nicely. Hours and hours of fun.

Anyone elses audio skipping though? Mainly in the menus when you first play. I really wish Cave would bug test more. They always seem to go gold early and then bugs arise straight away 

[Dandy_Sephy]

The game is gorgeous, but there is really no excuse for a lack of name entry again. If they have time to give us new game modes, why can't they include a simple thing like name entry?

[ookitarepanda]

Where is the effing 1up? Maybe I missed it somewhere in this thread, but it isn't in the Cave 1ups thread in Strategy.

I'm enjoying this a lot so far. Much of the locales really remind me of progear, as much as that doesn't even need to be said.

[lam47]

First impressions are very good. Really nice presentation. Zetsu is pretty much how I imagined a port could be when I had the PCB. Arcade seems accurate. The slowdown is very different in the limited version so it's hard to remember but there seems to be plenty of it. Arcade and Shin compliment each other nicely. Hours and hours of fun.

Anyone elses audio skipping though? Mainly in the menus when you first play. I really wish Cave would bug test more. They always seem to go gold early and then bugs arise straight away 

I have had no audio problems at all. Have a good look at the disc. I have had a few games not been pressed very well. You can normally see ripples in the foil (what it looks like anyway) If this fails open up the 360 and give the laser lens a good blow. You can even adjust the pot to increase beam strength. I have found a lot of 360s come with the ohms set far too high.

[SuperPang]

Seems to be a Dolby Digital bug.

I wish the new stage was on the PCB, it's the business.

[emphatic]

I wish the new stage was on the PCB, it's the business.

Is it in all modes?

[Chempop]

Enjoying this a lot so far, shame about the over-zoom though, not an issue if you're playing on a cab or monitor with addition zoom options, but on a standard TV you're screwed.  I'm enjoying Zetsu though, but would have preferred playing in 4:3 because I like how much larger everything is, oh well.

Thanks for the menu translation EOJ! NI just discovered that while watching my own replay I can jump right in by pressing select. 

So far I've reached stage 6 (boss down to 1/4 life) in Zetsu with ship type 3.  She doesn't score very well for me compared to type 2, but I like her speed and wide rapid the most.  Her Ninja mode attack shot is short range, but makes it more exciting being required to point blank enemies.

Wishing I had a widescreen LCD for this, any thoughts on the ideal size if I'm sitting directly infront of it?

[EOJ]

Finally got this today. Wow, what a package. Menus are beautiful, options are great. No initial-input for hi scores seems to be Cave's new standard, which is too bad.

I've only played a few credits with each mode, but Arcade mode is my favorite thus far. Much better scoring system than Shin mode. Also, I don't know what smoothing filter they use but it looks wonderful on an LCD. I think this is the only time I've ever preferred smoothing ON rather than OFF.

[lam47]

I find the scoring in Arcade rather odd compared to Shin. Perhaps I am not doing it right. Do you need to reflect lots of bullets then cancel them into gold for the high scores?
I should watch more replays I know.

[EOJ]

Arcade scoring is pretty simple, it's mainly about getting the hit to near 256, and letting the outer gold ring fill up to max, then cashing in. Over and over. Reminds me a bit of MMP and Espgaluda 2. All three modes are excellent, and this is pretty much the first Cave port without some mediocre arrange/extra mode on the disc. Zetsu feels like a Ver 1.5, and Shin feels like a Black Label.

I'm finding Arcade to be fairly difficult, but I think I need to learn how to build up the energy refills faster, which will lessen the difficulty.

[Chempop]

Not sure about Arcade but in Zetsu mode letting as many "E-circles" stay around your option before sucking them in seems key to refilling faster - they either turn into larger circles or after you collect a certain amount grow.  I'm getting closer to facing that final boss!  Somehing tells me he's going to be trouble!

[EOJ]

Yeah, in arcade the green energy orbs will grow over time - I think they either have to be hovering on an enemy or bullets. I've seen some replays and they get more energy orbs with shot than I do but I'm not quite sure what they're doing.

I'm really blown away by Arcade mode. It's much better than I thought it would be from watching replays, in fact it may be the best hori I've ever played (I'll decide later!).  I love Deathsmiles and Deathsmiles 2, but this is just a perfect package of incredible sights, sounds, and gameplay. It has that perfect Yagawa feel (and difficulty level) with a touch of Ikeda, just like MMP.

[Chempop]

Are you sticking with any particular character?  I have by far the most success with Yaezakura.  Her fanning up&down shot is especially useful to position at the top or bottom of the screen as enemies enter, not sure if it's possible that some damage can be inflicted before enemies are even on screen, but they get toasted in a hurry regardless.  Although her Ninja attack shot is short range, it fries things somewhat above and below you as well so you can basically joust into enemies and give them hell - this game rocks!

[EOJ]

I like Type 2 the best atm, but I'm fiddling with all three characters.

BTW getting green energy orbs is a hell of a lot easier in Zetsu than Arcade, the two modes really aren't comparable in this regard.

[Chempop]

Yeah, in arcade the green energy orbs will grow over time - I think they either have to be hovering on an enemy or bullets. I've seen some replays and they get more energy orbs with shot than I do but I'm not quite sure what they're doing.

Thank you!  When I hover my option over enemy bullets the energy-orbs do indeed grow!  This is huge.  I'm able to do much better now that I know this.  Almost broke 200mil and got to stage 7, which isn't a level, just the final boss.

I'm played nearly all day 

[EOJ]

For those curious, there are novice modes for Akai Katana and Shin modes, but not Zetsu.

[SuperPang]

I'm really blown away by Arcade mode. It's much better than I thought it would be.

This seems to have been the impression of everyone I know. It's kinda tragic that it flopped. I didn't realise how much I'd missed it myself actually, namely the orbiting gold. I think the changes in Limited are an improvement to the scoring depth in every way, except for the energy slowing down bullets, which is game breaking in a couple of places.

It's hard to know where to start with the port, I'm loving Zetsu as well.

[dan76]

Point blanking enemies will give you more green energy orbs. I tend to rush in on popcorn enemies, get a ton of orbs on screen, suck 'em onto my option and hover over a few bullets. With the short energy bar (3 lives) it's almost enough for a complete refill.

I'm also using the 3rd character, mainly because I really like the way her option shoots out when using A, and her slower speed. The ninja attack seems a bit stronger - maybe a compensation because it's short.

I'm generally getting to the stage 4 boss in Arcade and stage 5 in Shin - this extra stage is really good. The extra screen width in Shin makes staying back and dodging bullets easier.

In arcade mode I don't know if I should be holding off shooting enemies before I've reflected their bullets a few times. Does the hit counter go up by the number of bullets destroyed by the enemy who fired them? I'm also finding that the circling gold starts going red before I've reached the maximum hit count/run out of ninja sauce, so I guess I need to be reflecting more bullets quicker/finding sweet spots withing the stage.

Pretty damn good.

[SuperPang]

I tend to wait for a few bullets on screen, go ninja, rush in, tap the fire button a few times near the fired bullets to get them circling, then laser the enemy while he's close and repeat. If you stay close to stuff, hopefully all gold goes big before it starts going red or you run out.