Aka & Blue Type R

[SuperPang]

I won't bore you with the details but it's been a while since I've had to deal with such a jobsworth. Big thanks to Shou for his perseverance as well.

[zak]

I am pleased to confirm your parcel has been cleared and all relevant release docs have been handed to store in order for them to release your parcel to your local depot.

I feel your pain. Dreading the wrath of Corbie on our panels this month

[Monstermug]

Corbie

I never want to hear that name again

[MrJBRPG]

Arcade Hero, with their arcade Arcade Galactic, has uploaded some camera footage of another player trying stage 1, and it is "super hard".



Also, had a weird dream that from the how to play video, featuring two ships being controlled simultaneously through script, that Tanoshimatsu would make a surprise update and feature 2 player co-op mode (Aka & Blue Dual Mode) as an option. The dream game mode would have UI changes would feature faces of the pilots, showcasing different expressions, through being hit, mission success, scores, and even "CONTINUE GAME" by panicking or praying, fearing that their ships would blow!!! Also imagine teamplay mechanics, such as bombs and ally shots (think Raiden 2 player / dual play) playing a role in increasing team score and chains.

[StarCreator]

Also, had a weird dream that from the how to play video, featuring two ships being controlled simultaneously through script, that Tanoshimatsu would make a surprise update and feature 2 player co-op mode (Aka & Blue Dual Mode) as an option. The dream game mode would have UI changes would feature faces of the pilots, showcasing different expressions, through being hit, mission success, scores, and even "CONTINUE GAME" by panicking or praying, fearing that their ships would blow!!! Also imagine teamplay mechanics, such as bombs and ally shots (think Raiden 2 player / dual play) playing a role in increasing team score and chains.

Considering every mechanism that could possibly be used to deliver a software update is physically blocked on current hardware, I don't see this happening. Fun to imagine what could have been, though.

[arcnl]

Also, had a weird dream that from the how to play video

Figure of speech or language barrier i hope, please tell me you aren't actually having dreams about exa

[zak]

please tell me you aren't actually having dreams about exa

What, you don't?

[needaes]

Hi, no restock for A2B?

[SuperPang]

Hi, no restock for A2B?

Email Exa support through the website.

[SuperPang]

I finally got this today!
I've played just shy of 3 hours straight. I haven't done that with any arcade game (any game for that matter) since SDOJ. It has exceeded my expectations.

It took a good hour or more to click. It's like your brain has to rewire itself. Forget everything you thought you knew about using bombs in a STG.

It's hard, oh yes, (I saw stage 3 once) but it does not feel insurmountable. I really wouldn't like to compare it to a particular Cave game in terms of difficulty because despite the obvious similarities, it's a completely different style of gameplay. It feels truly original.

I have no complaints about the bullet speeds. The only hard patterns (so far) are the bosses and midbosses and you're not supposed to be dodging them, you're supposed to be getting the recharge right so you can bomb the **** out of them.

I did find it took a while to get a feel for the hitbox as others have said but I think it's the unusual screen position to be honest.

One thing nobody seems to have mentioned, which is essential IMO, is you can switch the voices off on the mode selection screen in favour of the character telling you which bomb level you're at. I find this makes the game much easier.

The delays have given Tanoshimasu time to really polish the presentation. It kinda looks like a smartphone game but not as much as you might think. They've added a lot of detail and a nice "pencil" effect to the graphics. The HUD really should've been toned down IMO but there are lots of neat little details and animations here and there. I never spotted the subtitles along the top in videos, not that you can read them while playing. I like that you enter your name on a cassette label, little things like that. The tutorial is very thorough too. Soundtrack is good.

Well done Tanoshimasu.

[zak]

I also found the game a bit "easier" if you disable the story mode.

Agreed

Glad you finally got it (and more importantly enjoying it!). I was going to make a lag joke, but that seems to have been milked already

I hope to get back to this as soon as I recover from illness.

[Ikaru]

I have no complaints about the bullet speeds.

I would like some lags for avoid some patterns.Maybye an update soon

[Monstermug]

I finally got this today!
I've played just shy of 3 hours straight. I haven't done that with any arcade game (any game for that matter) since SDOJ. It has exceeded my expectations.

It took a good hour or more to click. It's like your brain has to rewire itself. Forget everything you thought you knew about using bombs in a STG.

It's hard, oh yes, (I saw stage 3 once) but it does not feel insurmountable. I really wouldn't like to compare it to a particular Cave game in terms of difficulty because despite the obvious similarities, it's a completely different style of gameplay. It feels truly original.

I have no complaints about the bullet speeds. The only hard patterns (so far) are the bosses and midbosses and you're not supposed to be dodging them, you're supposed to be getting the recharge right so you can bomb the **** out of them.

I did find it took a while to get a feel for the hitbox as others have said but I think it's the unusual screen position to be honest.

One thing nobody seems to have mentioned, which is essential IMO, is you can switch the voices off on the mode selection screen in favour of the character telling you which bomb level you're at. I find this makes the game much easier.

The delays have given Tanoshimasu time to really polish the presentation. It kinda looks like a smartphone game but not as much as you might think. They've added a lot of detail and a nice "pencil" effect to the graphics. The HUD really should've been toned down IMO but there are lots of neat little details and animations here and there. I never spotted the subtitles along the top in videos, not that you can read them while playing. I like that you enter your name on a cassette label, little things like that. The tutorial is very thorough too. Soundtrack is good.

Well done Tanoshimasu.

Well said. It's exactly how I feel about the game. I guess that's why it grossed double of all the other exa games at location test and also why it's sold out. Back2back bombing is great fun and experimenting when to use it is also fun. Reminds me a bit like Deathsmiles where if you use the bomb in the right place you can fill up the meter straight away but this takes it to the extreme. If Akyrios is half as good I will be buying that too.

[nem]

@Zaarock just cleared the game with 30+ billion.

I heard there's an unlisted Youtube video of the run if you ask him nicely for it

[zak]

@Zaarock just cleared the game with 30+ billion.

I heard there's an unlisted Youtube video of the run if you ask him nicely for it

Nice!

How do you earn extra lives in this?

[Zaarock]

How do you earn extra lives in this?

You get extra lives from destroying the Stage 3 midboss and Stage 5 midboss.
In stage 3 it's the huge turret that shoots snake-like missiles. Hard to recognize as a midboss and it has a lot of health.

So far playing the game I liked 4:3 mode's user interface much more. The widescreen one has a lot of clutter and looks like a copy of the smartphone UI. If you don't TATE you can play the 3:4 display mode in higher resolution, looks pretty nice.
Only thing that bugs me in the 4:3 mode is the black bar at the bottom: since your ship can go halfway inside it watching your hitbox with peripheral vision gets a bit weird. But you can get used to it.

The soundtrack and other sound is great, but I feel like it needs a headphone jack in a real arcade setting for players to appreciate things like the alternate soundtrack select. In a noisy setting you might only hear the bomb / charge announcer. That goes for most games but I get the impression they were really trying to push the sound as a selling point.

[SuperPang]

In stage 3 it's the huge turret that shoots snake-like missiles. Hard to recognize as a midboss and it has a lot of health.

I missed that. Is it even a midboss?

I'm still struggling to consistently get to stage 3 to be honest. Got to the boss once. Early days I guess but I'd say I find this is harder than any Cave shmup, even spam-bombing the bosses. I really like it though.

[cools]

Does it come close to being as good as Crimzon Clover?

[radiantsvgun]

In stage 3 it's the huge turret that shoots snake-like missiles. Hard to recognize as a midboss and it has a lot of health.

I missed that. Is it even a midboss?

I'm still struggling to consistently get to stage 3 to be honest. Got to the boss once. Early days I guess but I'd say I find this is harder than any Cave shmup, even spam-bombing the bosses. I really like it though.

My thoughts exactly. I have barely broke stage 3, but I find it much better than any Cave game I've played in years.