Haha, that's awesome. Reading you comment reminds me of a particular review I once saw, producing those feelings sharper than any other. It was years ago, but to this day I reflect on it while editing. "If I even elicit an iota of that wow factor, I'm grateful". Thanks, man!

Do they give you the option to turn the anime characters off?

I appreciate it, thanks-this comment as well as the other. It’s been a while since I released something, but I intend to return to the rhythm with the next video I have planned on Dodonpachi DaiOuJou. At the very least I can say I designed a thumbnail I’d adapt to a poster or arcade stick.

This question left me pondering, whether certain games/series qualified. Are they cute, adorable, or moe enough? You can count the other games from Outside (developer), Cosmo Dreamer and Redneg Allstars; Cotton; Touhou (official and fan); Deathsmiles; Sister Royale; Hazelnut Hex; Mamorukun Curse; Trouble Witches; and ProtoCorgi. Lines blur with some, where they have endearing elements--and can be considered cute 'em ups (which does surprise me)--but aren't the image that comes to mind: Mushihimesama, Gunbird, Muchi Muchi Pork, and Pink Sweets.

Haha, I love the expression. You're bound for some great times; if your like me, always looking forward to the next playthrough. The soundtrack, to this day, makes each feel fresh. When I'm doing graphic design work, there are few songs I like creating to--and Eschatos is on the playlist. That's a hell of a pick-up; I'm happy for you.

Haha, thanks. With the whole vibe of the game, man, I was inspired to. I decided on it early on, but I'm often surprised when things go from an idea to reality--a veces resulta en algo totalmente diferente. It ended up being one of my favorite parts.

The Black Labyrinth took me by surprise, becoming my favorite episode. It's the sort of DLC where the developer wants to push the envelope, taking what they've learned and dial it to 11 (with the core already 🤘). Amid Evil and Dusk are a perfect combo.

Thanks, man, I hope to make more like it.

I appreciate it, thanks. It's been a while since, but I recall wondering how to go about ZeroRanger. Trying to pack all the points that matter in an engaging way is something I'm still trying to improve, so the fact people can appreciate my efforts way back feels great. Without a doubt, I want to give all these games justice.

Your bound to have a good time 🤘Also, if you play on PC, check out the Redneg Allstars demo on Steam. The developer originally released it as a free game in 2019, but is expanding on it for later this year. I was surprised there were unlocks and kept going.

I recall watching the playthrough a while back, it's incredible. You were playing as if training specifically on Chaos for months, on stream day 1. It makes an unforgettable memory, the sort of thing that comes to mind when you think of amazing gaming moments. Legend.

It completed went under my radar until you brought up. Thanks, man! Upon reading the comment, I stopped what I was doing to catch footage-and I can’t wait. I’m always in the mood for quality bullet hell and the developer continues to deliver. I’m going to install the demo as soon as I’m free, but I can already say it’s a day-one game.

Did a quick check online out of curiosity: the Switch version has both online leaderboards and replays 👍

@@solojonathan wow nice. Im surprised since quite a few Shmups dont seem to have that on Switch. Thanks for checking 😁

@@cesare4214 For sure, man 🤘 Yeah, I don't get it, especially since it's more than capable and has become a go-to for shmups.

@@solojonathan yeah it is. Even when no TV/Monitor is available you can play in Portrait mode, giving you quite a big screen. Together with the 8bitdo arcade stick its like owning a mini arcade cabinet.

Haha. I think part of the reason is when a jumpscare hits, you scramble to get away and the tank controls makes it easy to run into walls. Man, do I have nostalgia for it.

I have fond memories of getting headshots; the visual feedback of gunplay is nice. I haven't touched the sequel, but I am curious what it improved upon. Some of the maps were small, which is conducive to the old school approach, but with dead ends or invisible walls could feel weird. Still, it was a game when I planned to call it a night, turned into 2 more hours from the adrenaline, lol.

For the longest time Akai Katana was something I felt I was missing out on. Before it's re-release, I recall watching gameplay and looking up the cost of getting a used Xbox 360 for it. Seconds is all it takes to realize the game is fun, something you need to play. I can say now the opinion was true, and that it's probably my favorite horizontal shmup.

@@solojonathan I bought it for the 360 about 5 years ago. Played it for a few hours and thought it was cool. When it released for the switch/ps4, I bought it again and then learned the mechanics (watching videos) and it has become one of my most played shooters.

@@MC-hammered I’ve had that experience with Raiden 3 on PS2, so I think that’s awesome, haha. It’s funny how when a game clicks, it’s feels like you’re experiencing it for the first time. Everything makes sense, the gap to the 1CC no longer a chasm. The last game that happened to me with was Ketsui: when I saw a player earn an extend on the first stage, that compelled me to research what was going on. From it, I started to put two things into practice: point blank while dodge across the screen in a “U” motion. This has had a huge impact, especially in Dai-Ou-Jou.

Definitely. I like how authentic it feels to slasher movies, being both memorable and tense. The material is instant classic/nostalgia. Composer MXXN has several bad-ass tracks that tick all the boxes and he comes across as a cool dude: I wrote him an email about his music when I was making the review and he was quick to respond, open to further questions. Makes the music sound that much better.

I appreciate it , Noah, thanks, man. When I was piecing the clips together, I kept being reminded of our discussions on Bloodborne and God of War (2018). It’s crazy to think how much time has passed.

Blasphemous 2 holds a definite position among my favorite games this year, too, and I was continually amazed how the foundation of the first game kept evolving. Watching the short documentary series released for Blasphemous 2, how the staff wanted to stand out amongst the crowd with the first and how they felt the added pressure in the sequel because they've done so, it's crazy that they could still push things further. I would have been content with just more of the same, so I kept smiling from everything new. The collector's edition is something I know I want. By the way, I like that you used the protagonists of Shin Megami Tensei 3 and 5 in your profile picture. Nocturne is probably my favorite in all of SMT.

@@solojonathan Indeed, Blasphemous 2 accomplished the impressive task of improving upon something that I already thought was nearly perfect. Nocturne is also my favorite SMT game as well as my favorite game of all time.

@ophidianmind333 Really? That’s awesome and I could see why. Nocturne captured me immediately. Until that point my exposure to the franchise had come, like many, in the form of Persona. It’s weird to voice since it is one of the series’ more championed strengths, but I always emerged from them (P3-5) wanting the social aspect reduced and going heavier on grinding. Not only did Nocturne start with the bad ending that most games are attempting to avert, it was almost pure gameplay. And brutal, where it’s common to be destroyed by press turns. What I still find hard to believe is just how graphically impressive it is, especially since I was expecting it to resemble Persona 3 and 4, at the time. After Monster Hunter 4U, SMT 4/Apocalypse are my fondest memories of playing on 3DS.

@@solojonathan Mainline SMT is my favorite thing in gaming. With the brutal challenge of the press turn system, the dark and difficult subject matter, and the willingness to not pull any punches when it comes to the story and the fates of characters, those games could be called something like hardcore JRPGs. 😆

Sincerely, they could. I don't think I've encountered as many no-win scenarios as SMT, where party composition or one poorly cast decision can be so damning. I favor playing on hard in every genre, but late game Strange Journey had me reconsidering, lol. It can feel like shounen anime/manga, where somehow in the most insurmountable of odds, you manage a miracle. It's such a rewarding feeling.

Yes, fully translated: intro, descriptions, and endings.

Each of the three complement one another so strongly, making for a singular identity. Other games may share in their traits, but Blasphemous and Bloodborne feel one of a kind, a source of inspiration. You’ve reminded me that I’ve planned to cover Bloodborne for a while, with a full playthrough already recorded and some rough thoughts written. I need to finally put something together.

I think it’s the first time someone has remarked on my editing, so I definitely appreciate the comment 🤘 I’ll be honest, before I started making content, transitions were something I was conscious of but never gave much attention to-unless it was too jarring or cool. Now, it’s heightened my appreciation of media as a whole, feeling like there is something to learn from everything.

You're in for some fun, for sure 👍 The first game routinely goes on sale or is bundled for cheap (around $5 USD)--a definite example where value far exceeds the price.

It's been a while; I hope things are going great. Life ebbs and flows, so no worries. It's just nice to see you around 👍

This comment struck me forcibly. Thank you, I can’t overstate how appreciated they are. All I can say is that I’m highly motivated to piece my next videos together, to try to make them as best as possible 🤘

Haha, thanks. When I heard the difference in voiceover, I was amazed by how much it altered the tone for me. Since the dialogue is spoken in a formal and poetic Spanish, when I only ever hear it spoken casually, it stood out and made everything seem more grave. It inspired me to deliver a few lines in it. It baffles me I never heard of Icey before-the game looks great. I went ahead and bought it. The contrast from Chinese to English is massive from the samples I heard. It reminds me of Final Fantasy 16, where I was of mixed opinion of the English, but as soon as I heard it in Japanese I was sold. I had planned to review that game and for the sake of footage to illustrate the difference in voice track, I decided to swap to English when I was about 80% through. Man, I was now impressed and proceeded to watch pivotal scenes on RU-vid. The tonal difference again, wow, I ended up preferring many of them in English. I’m not sure if you’re a fan of Dragon Ball Super, but the Broly movie has moments that I prefer to watch in Japanese, Spanish, and English.

It truly is: Spanish brings out a different tone to the games, where it heightens just how insidious the miracle can be, fueling our resolve to stop it. A reason, I know for me, is due to not being accustomed to hearing more formal and poetic Spanish. When I speak it or consume content, it's always casual; in Blasphemous, the difference forces you to take notice, that what's being fought is something serious. Eviterno was my favorite boss--and one of the two I referred to as finding harder, lol. The other was Lesmes, which took me by surprise with its added phases. These where great, where it felt that timing and memorization where vital. If they did add the 3 things you mentioned to new game plus, especially for the other bosses, that would be great. Even if I found many of them easy, they were still fun, but level-up the challenge? 🤘 I was biased towards choosing Veridicto since it was a heavier weapon, haha. I think it was Dark Souls 2 that made me start preffering them, when a single blow can deal what would take others several. It suits the game, for sure, and igniting it feels as satisfying as it is effective. Ruego Al Alba had a perfect balance of damage to moveset that I started defaulting to it once I found it, though, becoming my go-to. I can't wait for what's next for the game either.

I’ve have the game in my immediate backlog, something to clear before the year end 👍 Just knowing System Erasure was behind it made it golden to me, something that needed to be checked out. ZeroRanger stands as one of the most memorable shmups I’ve ever played, and reading that Void Stranger also has its surprises, man, I’ve been meaning to start it (it launched around games I been waiting for, bleeding into the next, unfortunately). Declaring it your game of the year gets me more pumped about it. Many cool things came out this year, so when someone declares something their favorite, you take notice.

It makes sense; it doesn’t sound bad at all. Each remake has infused fresh ideas alongside their mechanical changes that has made them feel new. Even with knowledge of how events will unfold, your routinely taken off guard when the pacing or means of arriving there can be so different. Not only do the remakes feel like they honor their source, but, disputably with RE3R, can stand alongside them in their own experience. Yeah, I want more of them, too. While Resident Evil 4 made the pivot into action, it still felt survival horror. It may have played differently, but the tone aligned with the series. RE5 was the entry where I felt a departure. I’m eager to see how Capcom will tackle it, especially since one of its more contentious points is what made the entry so popular: a partner/co-op.

I appreciate the comment, man, thank you. Trust me, you always wonder if you did a game justice or how your end result will be perceived. Reading someone enjoyed something you made, the news has you eager to start on the next project.

I appreciate, man, sincerely. One thing I strive not to do is misrepresent a game: I can relate my subjective experience with it, backed by gameplay, but I don’t want to illustrate it for what it’s not. Even though I think it sucks I got it wrong, I’m glad you pointed it out to avoid the same thing in the future. Plus, it has me keen on doing some reading, especially since I do plan to cover more shmups and 2D games. It feels understated to say how cool I think it is that you’ve been involved in those fields. For me, creative work has changed how I perceive the world-you become aware of texture, patterns, order, etc. I can only imagine when what’s being made is interactive.

@@solojonathan Thanks for taking it as intended - I’m looking forward to more of your coverage. :) Out of the three, I’ve done the least work with pixel art which is probably why I have a lot of respect for the people that do it so well. Before I got into predominantly doing music work, I had a ton of luck in terms of being able to get into 3D animation in the 90s really early. By the time I had my first laptop in 1995 and was raytracing in POV-RAY I’d already been doing vector art and raster art on my dad’s desktops for years. So by the time I got into middle school the CTO for Alias|Wavefront (whose customers were animating for Star Trek: Voyager) was already trying to recruit me for their high school program. It’s really wonderful to see how much more new artists today have access to, in terms of both free tutorials and tools. :) Anyway, it’s been nice getting back into it more again recently after decades of mainly working in the music industry and composing music for indie game developers like One More Story Games (great people). Apologies for the long ramble but if you ever want any thoughts, I’m more than happy to talk about the old days. Wish I had musical stories to share about shmups but other than Virt (Jake Kaufmann, 360 arrange for Ketsui, etc.) the people I interacted with haven’t done a lot of shmup work.

I don’t mind in the least, nor I do I regard it as rambling. It reminds me how I wish RU-vid had a chat function or message system in place-sometimes you do want to have long-form discussions. It’s easy to supply thought when the topic is something of interest. To be acknowledged so early on, and by someone notable, too, it’s a crazy thing to think about. Like you said, it’s a stroke of luck to have already been playing around with the tools in the epoch. The difficulty you must of had to achieve the results you wanted when the tools were so primitive, by contemporary standards. In middle school and receiving recognition?🤘 The first time I used Photoshop, for instance, was with version CS1 and cropping out hair-while retaining individual strands without artifacts-was a dream skill. Now it’s been reduced to a few clicks and resources to learn how are torrential. Moreover, what’s long been seen as industry secrets have been laid bare, made digestible. Creativity has truly flourished since. I’m grateful for the resources. Haha, that’s awesome. Virt actually produced my favorite version of Ketsui’s Stage 5 theme. No matter the genre of game I’m reviewing, when the time draws for its thumbnail/wallpaper, I tend to play shmup music-and it’s a song I loop. In fact, I’ve long planned to cover the game with it being my foremost choice for the video. I’ve desisted since I wanted to get to a point that I could capture the coolest footage possible to honor them, so the aim has long been an organic 1CC. With the release of DaiOuJou Re:incarnation, though, I’m changing stance. It’s a reason why I’ve appreciated your correction yesterday: I want to keep evolving how I cover things and topics like Cave, I want to ensure I get it right. Being aware of when you’ve erred makes you more fault-finding.

Thanks, man, and I second opinion about Cave🤘 They arrived at the perfect formula for shmups; no matter how intense, it’s always fun-games that you could play for years, but always feeling fresh. Yesterday felt like a holiday with the release of Dodonpachi DaiOuJou.

Congrats, man🤘I know stage 5 can get intense, as if the game wants to force a game over. Not just that, the nerves that sets in, especially at the boss. 5 spare lives is an accomplishment.

Separate Ways reminds of Wolfenstein The Old Blood: taking the elements I enjoyed most from the main game and focusing almost exclusively on them. There is little down time, with action flowing into action. While I thought the enemy count was good and some encounters did take me off guard, you got me thinking about some inventive scenarios that I think would suit Separate Ways. What if there were moments that played more like mercenaries in enemy flood and, like the El Gigante fight, you ran very low on ammo by design? Man, that sound fun. If not officially, I hope I see it as a mod. The grappling hook was something I didn't realize I wanted. Going back to playing as Leon felt weird since I've now grown accustomed to it. Same with removing shields: I always approximated the head with the rifle, but I felt the ammo loss when I'd miss; late game metal shields could get annoying. With how Wesker plays in Mercenaries, I'm looking forward to RE5 and Code Veronica remakes--him fighting Chris is going to be more 🤘.

@@solojonathan I hope we get to see re5 remake next :) co-op would be so fun

Thanks, man, I appreciate it🤘It was a fun edit and I can’t wait to make more like it.

I appreciate it, thanks 🤘 I enjoy playing aggressive: it looks as visually fun as it feels. The only thing I wish I could have featured more was the dodge; I realized the mechanic too late into the game.

@solojonathan same, i discovered the dodging mechanic by using a controller. It's weird It's not told in the first level

​@@gabrielblanchard3081 Haha, I'm glad I wasn't the only one. Definitely is weird: I learned about it while gathering footage of Cultic's options--after beating the game, lol. It's kind of funny how even if FPSes generally use the same keys, how it's sometimes easier to discover or do things with a controller. That's happened to me with a few games. Since the slide is so versatile, I figured it was taking its place.

Haha, thanks. I try to color within the lines.

The most memorable wins are when you doubt you'll make it through and pull a miracle, where it feels like effort has finally taken form. It was the second biome that did that for me: I was stuck on it for a while, mainly surviving long enough to reach the boss. I set the game aside for some time, but I kept thinking about it and when I returned everything began to click. The want to keep going is one of the Returnal's strengths: you get further each time, bettering your approach and deepening the mystery and purpose behind everything. Also, it just feels too rewarding to overcome the odds. That's it's the first game of its type your playing is awesome, honestly: it may not be one of the easiest but I would say it's among my favorites next to Dead Cells. I want to say I'm confident you'll beat Returnal if you persist, since I felt that when Selene was improving so was I 🤘

@solojonathan yeah the amount of happiness I felt when I beat the first boss was insane it's almost addicting lol. But I have been playing some spiderman 2 for awhile and can't stop thinking about playing returnal more

Haha, I'll say this much, I've had Returnal since launch and I've never un-installed it. In the endless mode of Returnal, you can weild maxed out weapons with 4 weapon traits and your health bar can be extended past double. It's a rush to feel so powerful, especially when enemies can hit just as hard--ending your run in 1-hit at that point. When it comes to the story, the only other games that have given me it's vibe are Alan Wake and Control so it definitely stands apart. I'd have a hard time deciding what to play between it and Spiderman 2, though. They are both the sort experiences I was hoping from the PS5.

@solojonathan I finally beat it today! I was so pumped definitely gonna do some more playthroughs now and the tower

@@Kasha0211 Hell yeah, congrats. I know it was a rush to get through; I vividly remember how my heart raced getting to the final boss. I love how the biome drives the feeling that this is it, a test of all you’ve been through, with its bullet patterns and music. That’s even despite fending off against annoying squid-things, lol. It’s funny how different things are once you clear the game, how much easier it feels. There is a true ending you can get by collecting something called sunface fragments in each biome and beating the game again. The ending will still have you asking questions, but I think that ambiguity is what makes Returnal more intriguing. You give things meaning. The tower has its own ending, too, along with first-person sequences. I can see you spending most of your time there, since it’s where the gameplay shines most. Again, congrats, the news is awesome.

Thank you for watching! I definitely intend to proceed, having made a few thumbnails for future videos I'm using as wallpapers. Everyone has their own approach with them, but I'm sure we all feel that our ideas are taking material form and get pumped to release something.