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[Princess Skittles]

http://twitter.com/Konami/status/75986975588499456

It's official: The #Gradius-inspired #Otomedius Excellent is coming to North America on July 19th for 360! http://goo.gl/XP8mo

http://twitter.com/Konami/status/75987273170165760

And by popular demand, we're offering an #Otomedius Excellent Special Edition complete with pillowcase, art book and soundtrack!

 

[Wario64]

Price? The regular version is up for $30 on Amazon

Edit: Amazon says $50

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZGYZXS/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[sixteen-bit]

Price? The regular version is up for $30 on Amazon

It's $30 for me thanks to the pre-order price guarantee.

Isn't there like $80 worth of DLC though?

 

[Princess Skittles]

Price? The regular version is up for $30 on Amazon

All I have is the Twitter posts, the Facebook link they provided may offer more details but I can't access it currently.

 

[ace harding: private eye]

Why is 360 the only console for shoot-em-ups?

 

[Busaiku]

Why is 360 the only console for shoot-em-ups?

Easy to port to.

 

[Wario64]

 

[bon]

The special edition will be mine.

 

[Princess Skittles]

Xbox 360 is really the greatest shmup console of all time.

PEW PEW PEW, BABY.

Why is 360 the only console for shoot-em-ups?

Sony told developers that they didn't want them on their great console initially.

Once Sony told Cave to fuck off with their Ketsui port, they were welcomed to the the 360 with open arms and the other developers and fans followed.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Xbox 360 is really the greatest shmup console of all time.

PEW PEW PEW, BABY.

If you like danmaku I suppose.

 

[Princess Skittles]

If you like danmaku I suppose.

PC-Engine for non-danmaku?

 

[Brandon F]

Twinbee is in this game heh...

Also, wasn't there something about a Castlevania ship of sorts as DLC?

 

[ace harding: private eye]

This is the second title, right? I played the first and thought it was decent, but not really up to snuff with Parodius or most Gradius titles. Is this one any better? I've been thinking about re-buying a 360.

 

[sixteen-bit]

This is the second title, right? I played the first and thought it was decent, but not really up to snuff with Parodius or most Gradius titles. Is this one any better? I've been thinking about re-buying a 360.

It's supposed to be a bit better and has a bomb-ass soundtrack. Not nearly as good as other games in the genre available on 360 though.

 

[Ahoi-Brause]

Why don't they call it neo parodius in the first place?

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

Region free? Europe?

 

[Yes Boss!]

SE for me. It has tough menus so looking forward to the localized version, for sure.

Regular is $30 on amazon.
SE us $50 on amzon.

 

[A Huge Battleship]

I'm a sucker for shmups, but from what I've seen of this I probably won't be picking it up. Amongst other things, it really seems to lack the charm of the Parodius games.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I'm thinking about upgrading my preorder thanks to the soundtrack.
Actually, I don't even want the game. I just want the soundtrack.

 

[LiK]

changed my preorder from regular to CE. artbook ftw.

 

[Wario64]

changed my preorder from regular to CE. artbook ftw.

Don't lie, you want the pillow cases

 

[sixteen-bit]

Don't lie, you want the pillow cases

Exposed. Though, I myself might be the target demographic what with my erul tron figure :/

 

[Why would you do that?]

Why don't they call it neo parodius in the first place?

It's not really Parodius.

"[Otomedius] is a pun, being a portmanteau of the terms 'otome' (meaning 'maiden' in Japanese) and 'Gradius'."
- Wikipedia

Parodius would be reserved for the titles like the originals, a big Konami love fest. Otomedius is not really that type of game.

 

[Dr Zhivago]

Region free? Europe?

Not looking good. A few UK sites had it up for pre-order and a November release, but seem to have got rid of it now. Plus Contra 4 never got released here.

 

[Reluctant-Hero]

Excellent news. Regular edition order cancelled. CE order has been placed.

 

[VALIS]

So what's in the special edition?

Includes 2-sided pillowcase

Holy shit. I'll pay you $20 extra not to send me that and thus stain my life forever.

 

[The Spoony Hou]

Man, I hate skipping titles in a series... Can I play the first game with a US 360?

 

[sixteen-bit]

Man, I hate skipping titles in a series... Can I play the first game with a US 360?

No

Holy shit. I'll pay you $20 extra not to send me that and thus stain my life forever.

Just get the regular edition. It's already $20 less

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

I have the regular edition preordered. *shrug*

 

[Bebpo]

Hated the first game; curious if this is radically better.

 

[TxdoHawk]

So is there an actual preview that goes in-depth on something beyond "LOLZ ANIME GIRLS ARE YOU FOR REAL"? The last game I played like this was one of the SNES Parodius games, so I have no clue what I'm in for here.

 

[Yes Boss!]

Hated the first game; curious if this is radically better.

Not radically different at all. Pretty much the same just with cooler environments, way better music, and a little more gradius service. If you hated the first, your opinion won't likely change for the sequel. But, you will be able to get this one for a song by fall.

 

[Fortinbras]

Region free? Europe?

.

We can dream.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I for one welcome our danmaku overlords. If it wasn't for curtain fire, shmups would be dead.

 

[bengraven]

What's a danmaku?

 

[Bebpo]

Not radically different at all. Pretty much the same just with cooler environments, way better music, and a little more gradius service. If you hated the first, your opinion won't likely change for the sequel. But, you will be able to get this one for a song by fall.

Is it any tougher/faster-paced? My problem with the first game was that it was slow and easy and boring :\ Nothing like Parodius/Gradius.

 

[Princess Skittles]

What's a danmaku?

Bullet Hell or Bullet Curtain. It's the recent (?) trend of shmups that can end up having the entire screen filled with enemy fire.

 

[sixteen-bit]

What's a danmaku?

It means bullet curtain and is a blanket term for manic shooters. I believe the term was coined by Touhou's creator, Zun.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Bullet Hell or Bullet Curtain. It's the recent (?) trend of shmups that can end up having the entire screen filled with enemy fire.

Pretty sure Cave originated the genre with their early stuff, though I could be wrong.

Touhou is more or less to blame for making it ridiculously popular.

 

[cj_iwakura]

By the way, MS have had their odds with the shmup community. They denied Aksys the rights to publish Castle Shikigami 3 in the US.

Not that anyone bought it on the Wii, but hey.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Pretty sure Cave originated the genre with their early stuff, though I could be wrong.

Touhou is more or less to blame for making it ridiculously popular.

I suppose you could say Toaplan were the progenitors of the genre with Batsugun. Once the studio closed their talent went off to Cave and Takumi, IIRC.

 

[Princess Skittles]

Pretty sure Cave originated the genre with their early stuff, though I could be wrong.

Yes, I think as far back as the original Donpachi, maybe? Or Dodonpachi?

Touhou is more or less to blame for making it ridiculously popular.

Debatable. Especially outside of places like 4chan.

 

[Dambrosi]

Great. So, where's my UK release so's I can get on with ignoring that as well?

I'm a huge fan of Saturn Sexy Parodius and Gradius V, and this game's a disgrace to both. That's not to say you can't enjoy it, and I of all people have nothing against half-nekkid moe babes in mah shmups (witness my purchase of both Deathsmiles and Trouble Witches Neo! as proof), but the Otomedius games seem so bland and uninspired it's criminal, especially since there are no new Gradius (or Parodius) games in planning or development, or even just an XBLA/PSN re-release of Gradius Rebirth, which would do in a pinch.

This series, like no other, is a graphic demonstration of Konami's meteoric fall from grace - from Gradius V to this? How the mighty have fallen.

Oh well, they'll always have their press conferences to fall back on.

 

[TEJ]

Xbox 360 is really the greatest shmup console of all time.

Maybe when it gets an xbla port of Gradius V. I hate the bullet hell genre, but I love raiden/gradius/r-type.

 

[Princess Skittles]

By the way, MS have had their odds with the shmup community. They denied Aksys the rights to publish Castle Shikigami 3 in the US.

Really? This is the first time I've heard that. I wouldn't be surprised, though.

Not that anyone bought it on the Wii, but hey.

I would have, but wasn't too inspired to after Shikigami 2.. and I didn't want to get a joystick for Wii (for one game).

 

[bengraven]

Bullet Hell or Bullet Curtain. It's the recent (?) trend of shmups that can end up having the entire screen filled with enemy fire.

Oh okay, you and the others thanks.

I always just called those "torture porn". As in, I love playing them, but they're torture.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Really? This is the first time I've heard that. I wouldn't be surprised, though.

Aksys confirmed it themselves.

I would have, but wasn't too inspired to after Shikigami 2.. and I didn't want to get a joystick for Wii (for one game).

Shikigami 2 is better, but Shikigami 3 is still really good. And the dialogue is amazing. Aksys went all out. Fully voice acted. And Michael McConnohie is in it.


Shiki 3 was the game I bought a Wii for. Wasn't disappointed.

 

[depths20XX]

Is it any tougher/faster-paced? My problem with the first game was that it was slow and easy and boring :\ Nothing like Parodius/Gradius.

Nope, this game is about as easy/boring as it gets. You'll be able to 1 life clear the game on expert within the first hour. Certain characters are completely broken and make the game extremely easy.

It just makes me wish I was playing Gradius instead.

 

[Princess Skittles]

Aksys confirmed it themselves.

Yeah, like I said, it doesn't surprise me, especially back then.. we didn’t get a retail shmup until Raiden Fighters Aces, right? Microsoft US probably figured these games needed to stay on XBLA only, especially given that they had just put out Ikaruga for $10.

Shikigami 2 is better, but Shikigami 3 is still really good. And the dialogue is amazing. Aksys went all out. Fully voice acted. And Michael McConnohie is in it.

Shiki 3 was the game I bought a Wii for. Wasn't disappointed.

Hmm, I'll keep an eye on it if I see it around then..

 

[cj_iwakura]

Here's some supporting evidence of why the dub is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A-BAsjRlTA