Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

DoDonPachi Resurrection Deluxe DaiFukkatsu Review - Microsoft Xbox360

Collapse
X
Collapse
  •  

  • DoDonPachi Resurrection Deluxe DaiFukkatsu Review - Microsoft Xbox360

    DoDonPachi Resurrection is known in Japan as DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu. It comes in various guises: Xbox 360 1.5, Novice, Arrange A (ver L), Arrange B (ver B). Version 1.51 (paid DLC) and Black Label (paid DLC or Japanese standalone). If you get the Japanese standalone Black Label, you also get a Ketsui cross-over mode on the disc (not covered in this review). The UK Deluxe Edition was used for this review, published as a budget release by the amazing Rising Star Games in Euro-land. It is the fifth instalment in the DoDonPachi series and for newcomers, you can expect bullet hell, having to slip the middle few pixels of a ship through the gaps in between screens full of bullets, creating pathways in the mind's eye and using game features to get away with more than you rightly should.
    Click image for larger version

Name:	6.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	44.0 KB
ID:	2742762
    Whilst Resurrection is essential for shmup fans, it's also approachable by those new to the genre because, even though the DoDonPachi games are notoriously hard, there are novice modes (for normal and black label) that, until level 5 are pretty much survivable for newcomers with a little practice. Those with shmup skill and experience will 1cc the first loop of the novice modes fairly swiftly.

    So what makes Resurrection so special' Primarily the gameplay, which is tweaked to perfection, but also the varied arrange modes which turn play-throughs into completely different experiences, all worth spending lots of time on. In addition, there are different shot styles to select which in turn have their own rulesets. So before getting into the detailed complexities of the gameplay, just know that this is a game that requires some tutorial, be it by reading the manual, or by checking guides online. There is so much to learn, but a little time spent reading up in the first few hours of play will give huge rewards, not just in terms of maxing out the scores, or surviving as long as possible, but also just the sheer enjoyment to be had when playing it as intended, rather than just blasting everything in sight.
    Click image for larger version

Name:	4.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	65.6 KB
ID:	2742766
    The first thing to choose is one of the three ships. Each ship has shot (tap) and laser (hold), with corresponding fast and slow movement respectively. Type A has all firepower concentrated forwards, so is vulnerable from the sides, but can move fast. Type B swings the shot in the direction of movement to the left or right so can be hard if lots of ships and bullets are chasing you across the screen, but is less likely to get into this situation in the first place when mastered. Type C has a wide shot spread but is slower and weaker at chaining bullets. Already you can see that just the choice of ship will make for quite different approaches.
    Click image for larger version

Name:	1.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	94.3 KB
ID:	2742763
    Then you must choose a shot style. Bomb style allows manual strong bombs and will do a weak auto-bomb for you when hit. Whilst Power style has auto-bomb, it cannot use bombs manually, instead introducing a button to swap between normal mode (low firepower, fast movement) and boost mode (high firepower, slow movement). Strong style allows manual bombs as well as auto-bombs and has increased firepower overall, so is great for rookie survival (in 1.5 arrange), but not for scoring since rapid enemy destruction may cause action dips where there is nothing to shoot, and the chain is therefore lost. Rather than quickly finding one style that trumps the others, you will find that the variety on offer adds to the replay value immensely, as the challenge of relearning the levels is a massive draw and makes you wonder how they could ram so much into one package.
    Click image for larger version

Name:	5.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	83.7 KB
ID:	2742767
    The main game play hooks are chaining and Hyper. Destroying something will fill the combo gauge and if another enemy is destroyed before the combo gauge empties, then a chain is started. Holding the laser on something prevents the combo gauge from falling. The combo gauge is locked during boss battles. In addition, shooting down enemy ships increases the Hyper gauge. Once full, this can be unleashed as a massive offensive weapon. The Hyper cancels bullets and lasers, with cancelled bullets adding to your chain count, so it can be used to quickly build a high chain. However, deliberately avoiding using it when full will provide a multiplier which increases in line with the chain count. This aspect makes you want to leave Hyper until the last possible second, trying to survive without it, and produces moments of such intensity while you risk all for score, that alone would make this a worthy purchase, but there is so much more on offer.
    Click image for larger version

Name:	2.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	76.0 KB
ID:	2742764
    In Xbox 360 1.5 mode, the risk here is that if your combo gauge falls to minimum, you will lose the chain count completely if the Hyper gauge is maxed out. If the Hyper gauge is not full, then the chain count will gradually decreased until you do something about it. Balancing the ability to Hyper cancel bullets for the chain against the multiplier from not using it is a delicate dance, especially when you consider that each activation of the Hyper during a level increases a hidden rank, making it harder to cancel the bullets and risking empty combo gauge. It is easy to figure it out once you see it all in action though, so as long as you think about cause and effect while playing, you will quickly pick it all up and be gagging to play around with the endless possibilities.
    Click image for larger version

Name:	3.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	78.5 KB
ID:	2742765
    There are several other aspects to keep in mind too which vary depending on arrange mode. Bees litter the levels and contribute in different ways. For example in 1.5, green bees build Hyper and golden bees give score bonuses (grab them when switching colour to get both!), but in Black Label, the golden bees act as bullet cancels for the chain. There is a second loop of levels which can be accessed if enough bees are collected. To top things off, there is a secret 'Ura' path unlocked on the first stage (protect the silos from the tanks and have full Hyper at the warp point) which provides different mid-level bosses and more bees per level. Staying alive from the mid-boss point onwards is necessary to stay on the Ura path. Anyone seeing the Ura second loop is probably a gaming god.

    1.5 and Novice modes are fantastic fun and will keep seasoned veterans and newcomers hooked for hours on end. Its traditional chaining system will soon become second nature.

    The Arrange A mode mixes things up a little by providing Hypers as power-up icons, collecting them for bigger bonuses when fired, but they all get used at once. In Hyper, normal shot mode allows the combo to build without cancelling bullets, at least until overwhelmed when you might want to switch to the boost shot mode which cancels bullets, but the enemies get more fierce and the Hyper gauge drops quickly. It's a great addition.

    The Arrange B mode is a whole world of psychedelia which warrants large sections of the manual all to itself. The whole way the levels play out can be switched between what are referred to as grids by picking up different coloured bees. The grids range from normal to totally bonkers, the latter involving bullet swarms throughout the levels. There's even a grid that only appears when you are achieving a high score! Various perks can be chosen before starting as well as the level of choice since the play time is only one level long. Glowing numbers above each enemy type show their rank and in an almost RPG style, each individual enemy type is tracked so that if you are constantly hit by one, they will get easier on subsequent plays and harder if you pick them off regularly. It's bewildering at first with the sheer amount being thrown around the screen, but once you settle into the rhythm, it's a highly addictive mode that adjusts to your skill, and the light show is fantastic.

    1.51 is dirt cheap DLC, so is worth a punt, although the differences between 1.5 and 1.51 are minimal, pertaining to minor game play tweaks such as getting more points for a laser kill than a shot.

    Black Label is an absolutely essential DLC purchase though, bringing whole new facets to the game and coming with its own Novice mode. Instead of using Hyper to cancel bullets for quick chain count, you must cancel the bullets by destroying the enemy that shot them, or collect a golden bee. Additionally there is a completely new 'Red' gauge which is filled by holding shot and laser at the same time. Once in the Red, the game ranks up for higher scoring (and dying!) potential and Hyper increases rapidly. Turning on Hyper while in the Red unleashes a maelstrom of screen activity and is ridiculously fun due to the intensity of it all.

    The graphics in all the modes are pin sharp, and it's easy to make out which things to avoid. Lasers and shot are colourful and satisfyingly meaty, whilst the enemies have been created in a way that gives them a solidity, making them a joy to destroy, from the giant mecha girl bosses to the smallest of tanks and the legendary bees that sparkle invitingly.

    As a standalone budget release Dodonpachi Resurrection is one of the best shmup deals ever. Adding on the cost of the Black Label DLC brings the total package towards a full price release, but if you have any love of the shmup genre, you'd be crazy to miss this shining example. Hours and hours of quality entertainment await.
      Posting comments is disabled.

    Categories

    Collapse

    Latest Articles

    Collapse

    • Motion Gravure Review - Sony PS2
      by Archives
      In this image-obsessed industry, it's critical that a game projects a strong sense of identity. With an identity comes a target audience. Sony have arguably captured the 'twenty-something male' flag and, to consolidate this position, Sony Music Entertainment releases this: a game featuring nothing but scantily clad females. Oh, and some very nice scenery.
      ...
      21-08-2023, 12:13
    • Devil May Cry 3 Review - Sony PS2
      by Archives
      Family reunions tend to follow one of two distinct protocols: everyone meets up, reminisces and has a good old chat and a laugh; or everyone meets up, reminisces and remembers why it’s been so long since they last saw each other, the evening ending in a ferocious argument. Why is this relevant to this Devil May Cry 3 review?
      The latest meeting of the divinely comedic twin siblings of Dante and Vergil falls rather violently into the second category. Something about their murdered mother’s amule...
      06-09-2022, 08:30
    • Silent Hill 3 Review - Sony PS2
      by Archives
      Fear. It’s something that collective consciousness values as a desirable commodity, especially in the pop culture spin of everyday modern life - An element that mainstream entertainment likes to use in distilled form when it comes to getting a rise out of our adrenaline glands. Whether it be watching the latest slasher flick, experimenting with the next extreme sport or avidly reading the current best-selling horror fiction… On the whole, we take pleasure out of being scared. Read this Silent...
      11-07-2022, 13:50
    • Viewtiful Joe Review - Nintendo Gamecube
      by Archives
      Pink Lycra. There just isn't enough of it in video games. So Capcom have bravely stepped-up to the plate and given us a game, starring a Hot Pink hero, clad in a spandex jumpsuit, that isn't afraid to be laid back and humorous in style, whilst containing some rock-solid gameplay at its core. Like a piece of candy with a stone centre, Viewtiful Joe is sweet and tempting to the eye, but underneath is solid rock. Our hero is introduced in the opening cut-scene as a bubble-headed, California-accented Sk8r Boi, o...
      15-05-2022, 11:48
    • Castlevania: White Night Concerto Review - Nintendo GBA
      by Archives
      Castlevania: White Night Concerto is the latest instalment in Konamis Castlevania series. It is the second title for the GBA, but the first Castlevania game appeared on the NES back in 1987. It is ostensibly a platform game, like its predecessors. Certain things have remained constant throughout the series- in all but a couple of Castlevania outings, the main protagonist (in this case Juste Belmont) brandishes a whip. Secondary weapons are also available. Again these weapons are the same as tho...
      03-04-2022, 15:57
    • Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Mugen no Frontier EXCEED Review - Nintendo DS
      by Steven Walker
      For the uninitiated, Super Robot Wars Original Generation Saga: Mugen no Frontier (Endless Frontier) is an action-RPG spin-off from the popular Super Robot Wars series. The player has to use attacks to keep enemies in the air in order to do maximum damage, and string together as many attacks as they can. Timing and knowledge of characters' moves is the key to success. SRW OG Saga: Mugen no Frontier EXCEED is the sequel, and goes to show that a follow-up can be better than the original.
      T...
      04-01-2022, 15:20
    Working...
    X