[General Discussion] Top Down Shooters: A Lost Gaming Art Form

As far as I know, most top down shooters I've seen always ARE Touhou/Bullet Hell, or if you want to get proper... have a lot of shit going on the screen and more bullets than you'd normally expect. Though you can play Salamander 2 on Hard Mode and get to the asteroid field, that's always a laugh for horizontal bullets. I like the shoot em up genre, but I have a softer spot in my heart for the horizontal rather than vertical scrolling shooters. Raiden DX, ESP Ra.De, and Chaos Field are probably my favorite top down shooters. Mostly because I actually bothered trying to become proficient at them. I think in the end, you can't really argue for or against Horizontal and Vertical as far as gameplay goes. Because, for the most part, you're memorizing bullet patterns or ship placement so the level doesn't crush you.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Qwarky

Sometimes it works, Ikaruga was a brilliant reinvention, sometimes you're stuck with just one more complication to take into consideration as you try to survive. Other people love this, they like their brain overworked with reactions, memorisation and calculation, but for me 2D shooters have always been about atmosphere, visuals and setpieces. Tight controls are like a good battle system in RPGs, they get you where you're going, but they're not quite the focus for me.

I really could not have put it better myself. I'd actually been musing about an element topic concerning 2D shooters, but it looks like I'll be getting sloppy seconds on this point. Great post.

I imagine if there were to be a discussion about memorable shooters, I don't think we'd be hearing about the scoring system of ESPGaluda or any other random bullet hell shoot em up. Granted, I think that's the big distinction between people who play solely for the game aspect and people who play games solely for the experience.

As pointed out already, the fun is in the balance of these two things. At least if you play games for more than just the game itself.

Because it isn't as if you can play for the experience and get much of one out of a shoot 'em up. It just wouldn't be very fun. I've talked to people who can't stand Gradius V because they jump in and realize that it is, apparently, time for them to get blown the fuck up. They miss out on things like "Space-Time Anomaly" or shooting through a Bacterion base at high speed. I will say that the game can be hard as shit without constant play. X-Play had it about on cue when it said that ship placement and memorization don't quite appeal to everyone.

One of my favorite series is Thunder Force, and that game is all about its continuity. It's what makes the series so exciting and memorable. If you play Thunder Force 4, there are huge references to Thunder Force 3. Boss upgrades, a break from the action where Fire-Leo 03 Styx ships from Thunder Force 3 upgrade your ship after you and a fleet of them fail to destroy the enemy's giant mecha craft. In Thunder Force V, you actually get to fight the ship from Thunder Force 4 (the one in my sig and avatar, not so coincidentally). When music and level design and gameplay come together, it's magic.

You can describe these moments with words all day, but again, the experience is really where it's at.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

If all that was what you wanted to say, then that's what you should have focused on saying. Instead of using a hyperbole that went over most everyone's head, including yours I think. Leave that shit in the other thread, dude, please.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I realize that no one's list of whatever is going to match, but some of their comments are just brazenly stupid. That's every show on gaming I watch, though. I'm hoping one day I can watch a program and not feel insulted most of the time. OUTSPONDEDAlso, Elixir can catch the Touhou jab at the Ikaruga section of the feature if he wants to endure the torture./OUTSPONDED

Face value, there were some nice choices. Axelay and Raptor... the rest of it just seems like classic oversight. Somehow I wasn't so surprised when Area 88/UN Squadron topped the list.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

It's a broad sweeping comment-- and you want to get particular about the game in the screen shot they use just to disagree. I'm not going to ask if you're a faggot, Elixir. So, it is definitely JUST about Cave and not the style of gameplay involved in those types of shooters. Thank you.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Nice edit, Elixir. "Fucking moron", was it? Did it happen again as I type this?

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. Sort of. Elixir, when they mention "I'd rather move in my shooters", it isn't targeting just "CAVE." There are other games that PLAY like that, it doesn't matter if they've only played ONE. Even if they don't know others exist, that's what being "brazenly stupid" is. Sort of like what you're doing right now. Let me continue, like you or anyone else have a choice until a mod says otherwise.

I really just have to ask, why? Why do you insist on being the reason being a gamer is synonymous with "worthless?" They, ScrewAttack, mentioned that UN Squadron was better than the arcade counterpart, which shows that they probably played Area 88 in the Arcades or at least knew about it. Of course their picks are mainstream, but I'm sure they at least attempted homework and as "gamers" they say they are, they have jumped into the little internet machine you have. Information and knowledge isn't special if you're the only person that knows about it, and your assumption you do is a pretty large display of your lack of character. Yes, Elixir, this is a lecture now. I am great at them, and you're probably going to be great at trying to trade blows instead. I thank you in advance, but I'll do it anyway.

I don't know if you seem to think that your cataloged set of gaming information is a mystery to anyone but you, it sure does seem that way. Just so you know, it's not.

Again, I know you just have to try and get the last word. That's really the issue here. Who wants to discuss with you when you're so busy hogging the baton in the retard relay? Your word filter isn't because people find you amusing, it's because you're obnoxious and you do this to topics and discussions that could be about learning without the bullshit. Interactions that could be about discourse rather than "I'M RIGHT AND YOU'RE NOT."

Is that what you want? Don't answer. Rhetorical.

I've learned nothing from you. And apparently, you've learned nothing at all from our previous little encounters. This is sad, Elixir. I really don't enjoy this, there's nothing I can do or say to you that you aren't already doing to yourself. ScrewAttack? As mainstream as they are? They are successful in being consistently accessible. That's the difference between them and you. Between you and myself. Again, thanks for nothing, Elixir.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?