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[keanerie]

Picking this up tomorrow with Brawl.

 

[Teasel]

@Teasel
Do you ever...sleep?

nah i'm just good with the

Spoiler

trap dungeon beside it's only 16F long

i have also unlocked the

Spoiler

food god dungeon

and the

Spoiler

final fei problem dungeon

but those are giving me problem the

Spoiler

food god dungeon

is soooooooo boring even in the snes version... well this makes so that i unlocked every bonus dungeon that was in the original... so i should be missing (and correct me if i'm wrong)

Spoiler

the dungeon you get from the bungee jumping event which is full of level 4 monster and you should bring some powerfull equipment,the kigni tribe dungeon which again you can bring item in and is in the F15 town and the prosecution of the main dungeon which is in the golden city and is full of tainted insects (again i should bring some uber equipment)

 

[LordGek]

nah i'm just good with the

Spoiler

trap dungeon beside it's only 16F long

i have also unlocked the

Spoiler

food god dungeon

and the

Spoiler

final fei problem dungeon

but those are giving me problem the

Spoiler

food god dungeon

is soooooooo boring even in the snes version... well this makes so that i unlocked every bonus dungeon that was in the original... so i should be missing (and correct me if i'm wrong)

Spoiler

the dungeon you get from the bungee jumping event which is full of level 4 monster and you should bring some powerfull equipment,the kigni tribe dungeon which again you can bring item in and is in the F15 town and the prosecution of the main dungeon which is in the golden city and is full of tainted insects (again i should bring some uber equipment)

Ohh, you mean you solved the main questy for THAT dungeon when you say you cleared it. I'm pretty sure it still goes MUCH MUCH deeper.

Yeah, I think that's it Dungeon-wise.

 

[Diseased Yak]

So based on this thread (and Parish's review) I picked this up. Man, what a game!

On my first playthrough, I made it to 12F, and I was level 11. A large tank killed the lost girl that I was escorting, leveled up to a Dadster Tank, and crushed me in 2 hits. Goodbye Polearm +4 and Hide Shield +3, I hardly knew ye.

 

[Error]

this game is so good, Im at Cryptic Rock Valley. I like how I couldnt get past floor13 with Oryu before but now Im about to go to floor 15 alone. I was a bit stingy with item usage but now I use them more often specially staves. amazing amazing game, so much fun.

so sad to see the media trash it really. I want Shiren 2 and 3 to come here but with the look of things, that'll end up being wishful thinking.

 

[TreIII]

this game is so good, Im at Cryptic Rock Valley. I like how I couldnt get past floor13 with Oryu before but now Im about to go to floor 15 alone. I was a bit stingy with item usage but now I use them more often specially staves. amazing amazing game, so much fun.

so sad to see the media trash it really. I want Shiren 2 and 3 to come here but with the look of things, that'll end up being wishful thinking.

Save your "wishful thinking" for Shiren Wii. If this game sells decently, that might add more incentive to them to give that game a localization.

If that happens, that might be all the more incentive for them to give any other possible Shiren games the same treatment for the DS later on. But one step at a time, I say. :lol

 

[Error]

wow only 3 reviews in GR (the game's being out for days now) and of those 3, 2 are 6.5 for a whooping 72% average.

the hype is not there, I really want to see Shiren III here but really this one genre that media has trashed since I can remember. even the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon got shitty scores, Izuna also.

is it because the reviewers don't get the genre? I don't really understand, Shiren is an excellent game and in no way a fucking 6.5.

 

[TreIII]

is it because the reviewers don't get the genre?

That, and the difficulty, among other things.

The gaming media of today, which caters most to casual gamers, doesn't take too kindly to that which could be construed as being "utterly hardcore". So, of course, they're going to put games on blast that don't push the graphical capabilities of the hardware, doesn't have an easy-to-get interface and has a difficulty that has no shame in its game for taking you to (old-)school.

So, I'd still like to think that the hardcore sect that will ideally develop for this game will just do more to be a loud voice to scream to Sega and other powers that be to port S3 over here. I would gladly get behind such a cause.

...If not...my future Wii Freeloader will definitely be on hand to take up another job... :lol

 

[ethelred]

It's turn-based. That means archaic, slow, dated, and (as IGN put it) janky.

 

[Error]

it's sad, the game is hard yes but it's the awesome kind of hard. the game strikes a fantastic balance between random situations, strategy and luck factor. the game never make it seem like it's a matter of luck or too random, if you died it's because you screwed up somewhere. I mean even when I fell into a monster house, it was my fault that I used the blastwave scroll in the floor before, against just 2 enemies... when I could've saved it for a situation like the monster house. I have died a lot of times already (around 7 or 8 times) but I dont really mind, you are seeing stuff you couldn't see before each time you die, you get better at the game each time you die.

I'm really impressed with atmosphere of the game, it's hilarious at times. I really didn't expect much story in the game (and there isn't really a lot of story) but it has a some really charming and funny scenarios like the dude that was starving and asks me to give him the only riceball I had when I was about to eat it.

Music is fantastic, Sugiyama is an incredible composer. the music he crafted for this game is really really good stuff. graphics are charming SFC 2d so they are pretty nice. the only complain I have is the hideous boxart, but that's not really the fault of Chun Soft now is it? (sega of america :sigh)

 

[Xristot]

So does anyone have any advice for this game? I've made around 20 runs and have only made it as far as level 20. Sometimes I feel like I get way too much of one thing and not enough of others, effectively killing that run.

For instance, the last run I did, I got tons of shields but not a single weapon until level 10. Should I be back tracking at all?

I don't know, I feel like I get into many unwinnable situations. Mostly due to back luck. Like 2 of those huge full map rooms in a row. Each of them had over 20 enemies easy. I was so close to escaping the 2nd one too (after killing most of the baddies).

I'm definitely loving the experience but I feel like maybe I'm doing something wrong. Not backtracking enough? I don't know.

I have been saving a few weapons and such for a really good run. Mostly gold weapons that I fix up with the empowering scrolls.

Also, I still haven't gotten the female companion. Is she the one that

Spoiler

blinds you on the road?

 

[Error]

So does anyone have any advice for this game? I've made around 20 runs and have only made it as far as level 20. Sometimes I feel like I get way too much of one thing and not enough of others, effectively killing that run.

For instance, the last run I did, I got tons of shields but not a single weapon until level 10. Should I be back tracking at all?

I don't know, I feel like I get into many unwinnable situations. Mostly due to back luck. Like 2 of those huge full map rooms in a row. Each of them had over 20 enemies easy. I was so close to escaping the 2nd one too (after killing most of the baddies).

I'm definitely loving the experience but I feel like maybe I'm doing something wrong. Not backtracking enough? I don't know.

I have been saving a few weapons and such for a really good run. Mostly gold weapons that I fix up with the empowering scrolls.

Also, I still haven't gotten the female companion. Is she the one that

Spoiler

blinds you on the road?

you should keep weapons stored at warehouses for a situation like that. I always try to leave a weapon in Mountain Top Warehouse for that reason.

about the female companion

Spoiler

you need to let her blind you twice

then you'll see a scene at Bambo Village if you die in the game

 

[Xristot]

you should keep weapons stored at warehouses for a situation like that. I always try to leave a weapon in Mountain Top Warehouse for that reason.

I actually have a few weapons at Mountain top, but I've been beaten so much by this game that I feel like taking it will only lead to me losing it. I know it's a stupid thing to say since you get loot so easily, but I just always feel like the run in not sustainable.

 

[Error]

you cant be so stingy about items and think about future runs. you gotta think like you want to beat the game in the current run instead of going "well I'll leave these items for the next run" I mean it's good to store shit for a future run but I don't recommend going overboard with that.

when I stopped thinking about future runs and I started using my items more often, I made some really good progress in the game.

 

[Aeana]

I think stockpiling items to create a good inventory for your real run is a decent strategy, but it's one that seems nerfed in the DS version. It was easier to get really nice stuff in the early levels in the SFC one. :\

 

[whiterabbit]

Finished my first run.

Do you mean you actually beat the game?

 

[Aeana]

Do you mean you actually beat the game?

I finished the main quest, yes. It's not very long, provided you don't die.
I'm working on all of the sub content, now.

 

[whiterabbit]

Sweet! The fact that it can be done gives me a glimmer of hope, but I typically die in the very first few levels after I leave the canyon...it just seems random to me at this point.

 

[Xristot]

you cant be so stingy about items and think about future runs. you gotta think like you want to beat the game in the current run instead of going "well I'll leave these items for the next run" I mean it's good to store shit for a future run but I don't recommend going overboard with that.

when I stopped thinking about future runs and I started using my items more often, I made some really good progress in the game.

I understand what you mean. I tend to use everything I have on me. I only really stockpile good weapons. But sometimes when I'm at the mountaintop village, I feel like it's all downhill from there. So I keep the good weapons away until I can find a good strategy.

I hate those damn tanks.

 

[LordGek]

Yeah!

Cleared Table Mountain!

I really love how the Big Boss fight is nasty, but you are free to come at it from many different ways. While I don't think how I managed it was that "noble" (more akin to kicking somebody in the nuts after they'd already fallen down), but a win is a win, eh?

The only cheesey bit is that now I've cleared the Table Mountain BEFORE unlocking a few of the sidekicks and items...I hope this doesn't mean those items can't appear in the Post Game Dungeons yet.

 

[Aeana]

Yeah!

Cleared Table Mountain!

I really love how the Big Boss fight is nasty, but you are free to come at it from many different ways. While I don't think how I managed it was that "noble" (more akin to kicking somebody in the nuts after they'd already fallen down), but a win is a win, eh?

The only cheesey bit is that now I've cleared the Table Mountain BEFORE unlocking a few of the sidekicks and items...I hope this doesn't mean those items can't appear in the Post Game Dungeons yet.

Did you throw mamel meat at it?

 

[Teasel]

Yeah!

Cleared Table Mountain!

I really love how the Big Boss fight is nasty, but you are free to come at it from many different ways. While I don't think how I managed it was that "noble" (more akin to kicking somebody in the nuts after they'd already fallen down), but a win is a win, eh?

The only cheesey bit is that now I've cleared the Table Mountain BEFORE unlocking a few of the sidekicks and items...I hope this doesn't mean those items can't appear in the Post Game Dungeons yet.

i don't think you can't access any postgame dungeon before unlocking the special items... anyway i unlocked the

Spoiler

ravine of death and tainted path

i'm missing the

Spoiler

kigny tribe dungeon on the town on B15F

what do your note say about it?
oh also

Spoiler

THAT FUCKING FOOD DUNGEON IS SO DAMN ANNOYING

 

[blu]

finally got shiren today, together with brawl, but that's not so important. the important thing is that shiren is mine!

WFC 1289 7892 6268

and i believe i registered everybody who had posted their WFC till this point.

 

[BlueTsunami]

I accidentally got Dungeon Explorer instead of Mystery Dungeon on Friday. God was my face red...

But I've got Shiren now. I'll probably switch between Zelda and Shiren.

 

[Fady K]

This game looks pretty badass, and while I'd love to pick up every badass-looking RPG Im just really turned off by the idea of starting ALL over from level 1 from the beginning of the game when you die. I understand hardcore, and I like it in Etrian Odyssey and Dragon Quarter, but this kind of hardcore is ugly for me.

 

[Beavertown]

played an hour or so.. seems ok.. does it get any better?

 

[Aeana]

This game looks pretty badass, and while I'd love to pick up every badass-looking RPG Im just really turned off by the idea of starting ALL over from level 1 from the beginning of the game when you die. I understand hardcore, and I like it in Etrian Odyssey and Dragon Quarter, but this kind of hardcore is ugly for me.

It's somewhat comparable to Dragon Quarter, because the main quest itself is fairly short -- it can be completed in about two hours if everything goes your way. The difference is that the state of the world is retained when you die, which I think is a fairly important aspect of the game. There are quests and storylines in the towns that only progress every time you pass through the town, so dying is actually beneficial in this case, as it allows you to make another pass through each town.

Once you learn the mechanics of the game and the behavior of the enemies (and possibly stockpile good items into the warehouse), the game itself really isn't that difficult. Think of it as an arcade-style dungeon crawling experience, as that's pretty much what it is. The player needs to "level up," not the character.

 

[BlueTsunami]

I think people are so hung up on numbers that the de-leveling aspect seems painful but it wasn't that bad in Dragon Quarter, I actually enjoyed it. The mechanics of the game is so off beat that its a breath of fresh air to me.

 

[Fady K]

It's somewhat comparable to Dragon Quarter, because the main quest itself is fairly short -- it can be completed in about two hours if everything goes your way. The difference is that the state of the world is retained when you die, which I think is a fairly important aspect of the game. There are quests and storylines in the towns that only progress every time you pass through the town, so dying is actually beneficial in this case, as it allows you to make another pass through each town.

Once you learn the mechanics of the game and the behavior of the enemies (and possibly stockpile good items into the warehouse), the game itself really isn't that difficult. Think of it as an arcade-style dungeon crawling experience, as that's pretty much what it is. The player needs to "level up," not the character.

Do you actually always start off at the same point once dead though? Or there are checkpoints of sorts?

 

[Error]

Do you actually always start off at the same point once dead though? Or there are checkpoints of sorts?

there are no checkpoints. you die you are sent back to the first town in the game without your equipment or items and you are back to level 1.

 

[Teasel]

well i have cleared the

Spoiler

food god dungeon

so i have started to grow some equipment for those DS extra dungeons and then something nasty hit me... where is the warehouse pot? i have searched it everywhere but i couldn't find it (for those that doesn't know,it's a nice little pot that sends your katana+40 back to the warehouse if you find yourself in a "i'm dead" situation) also i still don't have any idea to how unlock the

Spoiler

kigny tribe dungeon

 

[FoxSpirit]

there are no checkpoints. you die you are sent back to the first town in the game without your equipment or items and you are back to level 1.

So... the game basically resets???

 

[Teasel]

So... the game basically resets???

you get to keep stuff you conserved in the warehouse and the result of various sidequest...
what i don't get is this attitude... i have never seen someone going "OMG! everytime i die at pacman my score get reset to 0 and i start back from stage 1?"
i understands that this line of thinking is because this game is a rpg but again don't think of this like a normal rpg,remember that the main dungeon of the game can take a little more than a single hour to complete and it takes less than 10 minute to reach level 5

 

[Llyranor]

That's actually the appeal for me. Actual consequences to dying is a good thing. Actually developing a game around it and having the world keep going in spite of you even more so.

 

[blu]

you get to keep stuff you conserved in the warehouse and the result of various sidequest...
what i don't get is this attitude... i have never seen someone going "OMG! everytime i die at pacman my score get reset to 0 and i start back from stage 1?"
i understands that this line of thinking is because this game is a rpg but again don't think of this like a normal rpg,remember that the main dungeon of the game can take a little more than a single hour to complete and it takes less than 10 minute to reach level 5

i don't get what's so hard to comprehend either. not only death, but a voluntary return to the hamlet demotes you to lvl 1 (did it at least 5 times tonight, in search of a particular NPC). basically, the game has all over it written in neon letters:

this is NOT a leveling game, this is an inventory management game - you learn to recognize, use, upgrade and save artifacts.

heck, this is my first shiren, and first serious rogue endeavor altogether, and its concepts feel absolutely natural to me. the game simply rocks, i'm so glad i listened to the yay-sayers in this thread.

-- a former proud owner of a +6 plated mastersword ;p

ps: Oryu is one hell of a chick, but i'm all over her.

ed: for truth and greater justice.

 

[FoxSpirit]

you get to keep stuff you conserved in the warehouse and the result of various sidequest...
what i don't get is this attitude... i have never seen someone going "OMG! everytime i die at pacman my score get reset to 0 and i start back from stage 1?"
i understands that this line of thinking is because this game is a rpg but again don't think of this like a normal rpg,remember that the main dungeon of the game can take a little more than a single hour to complete and it takes less than 10 minute to reach level 5

Well, the thought of completly wasting many hours of gameplay is not appealing to me. I didn't know about the warehouse and other things, pradon me.
I mean, I finished Contra 4, I am used to a game teaching me through death, it was just the thought of playing the game for 5 hours and then dying and then... everythings gone? That's why I asked because that appeared fishy to me.

So many manys for your reply and next time... don't jump to conclusions about my attitude so quickly ;-)

 

[LordGek]

This post is very sneaky secret spoiler fun for Teasel, read at your own risk.

Spoiler

kigny tribe dungeon

Spoiler

There is some guy in the upper left of the ravine village you must speak to THEN once back in the initial hamlet talk to the messenger, and finally talk to the dog who should be the only one left in town after talking to the messenger.

 

[blu]

a few tasty morsels from shiren3, the game we will likely never see:

http://www.chunsoft.co.jp/games/shiren3/page1.html
http://www.chunsoft.co.jp/games/shiren3/page2.html
http://www.chunsoft.co.jp/games/shiren3/page3.html
http://www.chunsoft.co.jp/games/shiren3/page4.html
http://www.chunsoft.co.jp/games/shiren3/page5.html
http://www.chunsoft.co.jp/games/shiren3/page6.html

weep.

*weeps*

 

[Lakupo]

I dunno, I didn't believe we'd get Shiren here at all a while ago, the fact that it's even here changes the landscape quite a bit! The localization producer spoke in your usual vague marketing speak about Shiren 3 in an interview last month, but I think the cult following the game is managing to gather (and threats of a low print run driving people to the stores even more -- it works for Atlus) could go a long way to getting Shiren here. We need to tell Sega how easy it would be to bring it over. How little work they actually have to do! Like not paying for new ugly cover art!

 

[Daigoro]

whoo! just picked it up.

yes the cover art aint great, but the manual smells wonderfull!

just watched the intro so far, cant wait to dig in and get my butt kicked. i love a good roguelike and this one looks promising.

ill be back with friend codes and whatnot when i get a chance to wander around and my feet wet.

ps. talking weasels rule.

 

[blu]

whoo! just picked it up.

yes the cover art aint great, but the manual smells wonderfull!

just watched the intro so far, cant wait to dig in and get my butt kicked. i love a good roguelike and this one looks promising.

ill be back with friend codes and whatnot when i get a chance to wander around and my feet wet.

ps. talking weasels rule.

i've been suspecting for a long time, and now i'm convinced, that that's actually a ferret - a subspecies of the genus generally called weasel.

and speaking of the boxart, would somebody be so kind and provide print-resolution version of the JP one? please. so we can all ceremonially burn this disney porn abomination of an NA boxart.

 

[FoxSpirit]

i've been suspecting for a long time, and now i'm convinced, that that's actually a ferret - a subspecies of the genus generally called weasel.

and speaking of the boxart, would somebody be so kind and provide print-resolution version of the JP one? please. so we can all ceremonially burn this disney porn abomination of an NA boxart.

I support this request, pretty please.

 

[Teasel]

so... i have made an uber sword,got it in my adventure log,went to ravine without bringing a warehouse pot because i can't find one for god sake and then proceed to get killed when a tank killed two monster and became the strongest monster in the game and lost it... now i don't know what to do,raising weapons is sooooo boring but it's pretty clear none of the DS exclusive dungeon are doable without a decent equipment
oh yeah and i unlocked the

Spoiler

ceremonial chamber

 

[blu]

a dadster tank owes me a +7 mastersword, plated. it better have one next time i pass by cave mountain spirits.

the bastard leveled up after he came on top of a brawl in a monster house (i believe) - by the time i got a clear view of the room he was finishing off the last opposition; my swift hiding behind a corner did not save my ass from the devastating shell-blasts which just blew the wall off. and of course, that happened right after Oryu had failed me one floor before.

on a positive note, my ~200K points did not grant me even a bottom spot in this month's ranking, which means at least 100 people are playing the game more seriously than me - yay! ; )

 

[Error]

I managed to get to floor 24 today, the game is so sadistic I actually look forward to how the game is gonna try to kill me sometimes.

getting to a new floor full of new monsters is probably the hardest part of the game, since you aren't familiar with those monsters and sometimes you pay dearly trying to figure out wtf they do.

 

[whiterabbit]

Well, the thought of completly wasting many hours of gameplay is not appealing to me. I didn't know about the warehouse and other things, pradon me.
I mean, I finished Contra 4, I am used to a game teaching me through death, it was just the thought of playing the game for 5 hours and then dying and then... everythings gone? That's why I asked because that appeared fishy to me.

So many manys for your reply and next time... don't jump to conclusions about my attitude so quickly ;-)

Ultima Online!!

 

[blu]

while waiting for my ds to recharge i finally took the time to read the whole interview Lakupo provided a link to, and one question made me fall into contemplation:

Speaking of tweaks the box art gives Shiren a different feel. Maybe it's just me, but I recall Shiren being a carefree character with his happy demeanor on the Super Famicom box and his optimistic smile on the DS box. He looks like a fierce warrior on the US box. Why the change?


Sometimes packaging needs to be revisited to communicate new features the game has, or to be appropriate for different market segments. With Shiren, we had a few things to consider; we had to create art that resonated with gamers in the US, but it also had to convey the new edge of this revamped version. In addition, when you look at the story, it is primarily about Shiren undergoing this incredible journey, overcoming obstacles, defeating new monsters, and finally arriving at the lair of the Golden Condor. It’s a tough journey, and we wanted to portray that.

so is that (a) how japanese perceive western civilization, or (b) how western civilization perceives itself? either way, Keith, dude, a friendly advice: next time a simple 'we screwed up the boxart, sorry, please don't judge the game by its cover' may actually make you look like a better man.

 

[Night_Trekker]

Just received my copy today and got to Mountaintop Town. I'm not crazy about some of the changes (especially the music... I wish they had just kept it exactly the same), but most of the changes are minor and a few of them are actually for the better. And surprisingly, not all of them make the game easier.

 

[Error]

I dont know whats wrong with he music, I love it. got any samples of the SFC version music there?

 

[Night_Trekker]

I dont know whats wrong with he music, I love it. got any samples of the SFC version music there?

A quick search of snesmusic.org says the music is "undumpable", for some reason.

Like I said, it's a minor thing. The music is almost the same as the SFC original and it's all good. There are just small changes I don't like, like the opening to the music in Mountaintop Town. It just sounds kind cheesy now.

By the way, my friend code is 1547-4907-4500 if anyone wants to add me. I'll add the codes posted in this thread so far to my roster.