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[sixteen-bit]

Developer: Cave
Publisher: Aksys Games (North America) | Rising Star Games (Europe)
Platform Xbox 360
Genre: 2D Shooting
ERSB: T for Mild Language, Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Partial Nudity
Release Date: June 29, 2010 (North America) | February 25, 2011 (Europe)

Features:
• Online co-op
• Online leaderboards
• 5 playable characters
• Replay save/playback
• Japanese version Mega Black Label DLC included free of charge on disc

Limited Edition [North America]


All first-run printings of the game include the following limited edition goodies:
• Deathsmiles Xbox 360 Faceplate - Not compatible with new 360 design lulz
• Deathsmiles Premium Arrange Album - includes 15 tracks selected by Manabu Namiki


Screenshots:



Videos:
Aksys Debut Trailer
Gameplay 1|2|3|4|5

Reviews:

OXM: 8/10

"You'll need dozens of playthroughs to get a handle on everything that's going on, and Deathsmiles is addictive enough to keep you replaying." [Aug 2010, p.79]​

EDGE UK: 8/10

"Scrolling shooters deserve a Street Fighter IV, a game that reminds casual or drifted gamers what it was that made its genre so entertaining in the first place. It would be fitting if Deathsmiles, with its range of difficulties, high def visual remake, online modes, DLC and freeform mechanics, could be that game."​

IGN: 7.5/10

"The $50 price tag is also hard to swallow for a game that would make more sense on Xbox Live Arcade."​

GAMEPRO: 4/5

To me, this game is well worth the dough -- Cave's superior development quality is more apparent to those who play these games a lot. If you have any interest in these games, it's well worth a shot.​

more as they come.

 

[PhiLonius]

The art kind of reminds me of Odin Sphere.

 

[Pooya]

this will never come out in the PAL land, right? , I hope it's region free.

 

[bistromathics]

i'm not proud of my anticipation for this release, but it's pretty high

 

[thetrin]

I'll have to pick this up eventually. Just don't have enough time to actually devote to it with Xenoblade sitting in my Wii.

 

[yankeehater]

I imported the Japanese version. It was such a good game.

 

[Cmagus]

pre-ordered this cant wait i need more shooters

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Preordered and paid in full.

 

[matmanx1]

Excited for this one. The faceplate will be going on my 360 as soon as I get it home and my HRAP Pro SE will be coming out to play! Definitely the highlight of this month's releases for me.

 

[Quixzlizx]

I've had it pre-ordered since the day it went up on Gamestop, but I don't think I'm brave enough to use the faceplate.

 

[andymcc]

my girlfriend preordered this for me as a birthday gift. :lol

 

[zerokoolpsx]

this will never come out in the PAL land, right? , I hope it's region free.

Region free and xbox games don't even belong in the same sentence.

 

[genjiZERO]

I'm on the fence about getting it. I've got a $50 gift card from best buy. Should I get this, RotAW, or save it for guitar stuff. I guess I'm concerned that the level is ridiculously high and I'll get bored and never play it...

 

[dolemite]

Looks tempting, in more ways than I want to admit.

 

[Dai101]

Region free and xbox games don't even belong in the same sentence.

To be fair most of those locked games are from JP, most US releases are region free.

Also HELL YEAH!!!!! I can fainally play this game without having to buy a 360JP.

 

[Dambrosi]

I knew this reminded me of something...Cotton Boomerang on the Saturn.

Deathsmiles seems to be a simpler game, though.

 

[Babalu.]

never played any shooters like that except maybe a few times at the arcades back in the day.

Preordered this as soon as it was announced since I felt like I needed to try one out and get some more use out of my stick instead of just street fighter and the graphics looked good.


just saw the gameplay videos and feel like canceling my preorder now. Is it really a fucking 4:3 screen with bars on each side? wtf is that about. when was this game made? I thought it was new....

like seriously that shit bugs me and I might have to cancel it now and wait for a true next gen shooter.

I dont watch anime or loli shit so that crap is not a + in my book either.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Is it really a fucking 4:3 screen with bars on each side?

Yes.

wtf is that about.

it's an arcade port

when was this game made?

2007

I thought it was new...
like seriously that shit bugs me and I might have to cancel it now and wait for a true next gen shooter.

Well if you care more about widescreen than playing a good game you could get Soldner X2 instead.

 

[Yes Boss!]

Preordered from amazon. Can't wait!

Nice thread, _dementia!

 

[Kobiekun]

Looking forward to it. This will be my third Cave shooter on 360 and I have yet to be disappointed.

 

[GhostSeed]

Changed my avatar today just for this game.

 

[mannerbot]

wait wtf is with this 2d and 3 button gameplay I thought it was 2010

I'm going to stick with cod5 ok thx

 

[yankeehater]

never played any shooters like that except maybe a few times at the arcades back in the day.

Preordered this as soon as it was announced since I felt like I needed to try one out and get some more use out of my stick instead of just street fighter and the graphics looked good.


just saw the gameplay videos and feel like canceling my preorder now. Is it really a fucking 4:3 screen with bars on each side? wtf is that about. when was this game made? I thought it was new....

like seriously that shit bugs me and I might have to cancel it now and wait for a true next gen shooter.

I dont watch anime or loli shit so that crap is not a + in my book either.

I have played a bunch a Japanese 360 Shmups lately, so I might be wrong, but I am pretty sure you can make it fill the screen in the options. I also hate black bars on my games.

 

[andymcc]

i like playing my shooters in incorrect ratios too!

 

[luka]

wait wtf is with this 2d and 3 button gameplay I thought it was 2010

I'm going to stick with cod5 ok thx

:lol


Nice thread btw. I hope to be able to one day play this myself but I opted for a JPS2 over a J360.

 

[Llyranor]

I should probably get this, but I need to play the crap out of Espgaluda II first, which I've been thoroughly neglecting the past few months.

 

[Daigoro]

whoo side scrolling Cave shmup goodness!

less than a week now.

8/10's wow. not shabby journos.

 

[iconoclast]

Sacre bleu! Zis ees coming out already? I don't zink I can vait anotha moment for zis. Mein Gott.

 

[Lambtron]

But I don't want to wait another week

 

[Dai101]

Sacre bleu! Zis ees coming out already? I don't zink I can vait anotha moment for zis. Mein Gott.

Vat?

 

[iconoclast]

Vat?

Dai! Like, keep your cool, all right? Don't freak out on me.


I'm just poking fun at Aksys' localization.

 

[Noogy]

Wow, it's almost here! My preorder has been taunting me for months.

 

[-PXG-]

Paid in full too

 

[Daigoro]

i have it paid off in full too.

dont think ive ever done that for any game before. in fact im sure i havent. huh.

I'm just poking fun at Aksys' localization.

we know.

 

[shintoki]

Pre-ordered on Amazon 3 months ago. BRING IT

 

[Pein]

is this game going to be stupid hard? If it isn't to insane I'll buy it

 

[mjemirzian]

i'm not proud of my anticipation for this release, but it's pretty high

Regardless of lolis or not, it's a classic Cave shoot em up with great design. Too bad I can't say the same for Deathsmiles 2.

is this game going to be stupid hard? If it isn't to insane I'll buy it

There are multiple difficulty levels, and a novice mode as well. It caters to just about any skill level, so don't be afraid to pick it up.

 

[Dai101]

Dai! Like, keep your cool, all right? Don't freak out on me.


I'm just poking fun at Aksys' localization.

I keed, i keed .....

is this game going to be stupid hard? If it isn't to insane I'll buy it

Not Mushihimesama Futari hard but still a bit hard.

 

[mannerbot]

is this game going to be stupid hard? If it isn't to insane I'll buy it

nah it's painfully easy, the game gives you infinite continues without a code or anything

Over/under on professional reviews that actually say this? :lol

 

[Pein]

There are multiple difficulty levels, and a novice mode as well. It caters to just about any skill level, so don't be afraid to pick it up.

sweet, will buy

 

[mjemirzian]

nah it's painfully easy, the game gives you infinite continues without a code or anything

Over/under on professional reviews that actually say this? :lol

This game is so easy cause I can just keep hitting start and win! By the way what is that number thing scrolling up in the corner and why does it keep resetting to 0? This game is so confusing!

 

[dallow_bg]

Almost forgot I had this ordered from Amazon.

Hate the loli and packaging, but should be very fun.

 

[cress2000]

*sigh* I wish I could afford that Hori EX-SE stick. August is the earliest it'll fit into my budget.

Pre-ordered this even though arcade shooters historically haven't been my thing, but I'd like to give it a fair chance.

 

[iconoclast]

nah it's painfully easy, the game gives you infinite continues without a code or anything

Over/under on professional reviews that actually say this? :lol

IGN prediction:

- I beat this in 40 minutes, and they expect us to pay $50 for this?!
- Should have been on XBLA
- Ugly retro graphics. They should be ashamed to release this after Uncharted 2.
- Made for pedophiles
- Oscar-worthy story

6/10

 

[chespace]

MINE. My first titillating foray into loli-shmup.

 

[Perfect Blue]

Day 1. I am so hyped, FINALLY I get to worship Cave for the gods they are.

 

[To Far Away Times]

My most anticipated game this year.

 

[Daigoro]

MINE. My first titillating foray into loli-shmup.

i must say, im titillated just reading about your first foray.

 

[Ronin]

DeathSmiles and Sin & Punishment in the same week.

I'm feeling weak in the knees....

 

[Bebpo]

My favorite shmup in the last 5 years. Are they dubbing or subbing the story scenes?

just saw the gameplay videos and feel like canceling my preorder now. Is it really a fucking 4:3 screen with bars on each side?

No. X360 mode is the same game in full 16:9 with cleaned up visuals. No reason to ever play the arcade mode. It's just in there as a novelty for collectors.

is this game going to be stupid hard? If it isn't to insane I'll buy it

It's one of the easier Cave shmups. 1CC is still ridiculously hard. But you can get very far on 1CC even if you aren't some shmup expert.