Shooter recomendation needed

[Afterbirth]

I'd recommend Mame. Start off with something like Starforce (or Megaforce), Twinbee or 1943 as these are quite easy, then progress from here. All the aforementioned shooters here are pretty hardcore. And while on the DC tip, no one mentioned Ikaruga yet, this too is a very good shooter with some superb gameplay. I'd stay away from the late Capcom/Cave/Atlus games until you've had more pratice.
Mame also hosts R-type Leo, and xXx which are both very good. The latest version of mame also has a genre folder option, making finding the games much easier.

[Magnakai]

If you've got a PC, Cho Ren Sha's a great little shoot em up. I think it's a remake of an old MSX game. It's a lot of fun, and under a meg's download.

http://www.freestyle-freeware.co.uk/games/crs/

Also, Thunderforce 2 for MAME is a pretty easy shooter as far as they go. It's quite fun and you never really get pissed off with it (unless you die and lose your power-ups!)

[Soi]

hi! i don't think psyvariar is a good game for starters, you should try something more "old school" for improving your skill and pattern knowledge, as somebody said strikers 1945 2 (psx) is a really good choice, and you can find it cheap

I'm tempted by Strikers 1945 II, as it is cheap. From what I've read it seems to be simple, with a no nonsense kill everything system. If I like that I can move onto something more deep. Good plan? Or straight in there with the DVD special edition Psyvariar?

By the way, I notice that all shooters seem to have a constricted aspect ratio, and have black bars at the side of the screen. I have a widescreen telly, and presumably this will mean that only a very small fraction of my tv screen will be used to show the game. Is this a huge or widescreen owning shooter fans? Before anyone mentions it, there is no way I could physically move my tv on its side even if I wanted too.

[Saurian]

New skool shoot em ups play totally differently man,

You wont be "graduating" from games like Strikers onto games like Psyvariar as the whole play style couldnt be more different - the genre has changed. If you want to get into modern shoot em ups the games to be playing are:

Dodonpachi series
Dangun Feveron
Dimahoo
ESP Ra De
Gigawing
Ikaruga
Psyvariar
Progear
Shikigami No Shiro

[Jashin]

Any opinions on Shikigami No Shiro, Saurian? I've got an aqua PS2 with DoDonpachi coming tomorrow, so I'd value your opinion...

[John Beaulieu]

Shikigami no Shiro is the best next gen shmup - better than Psyvariar and slightly better than DoDonpachi Dai jou

the reason its better is due to the very nature of attaining an high score - it utilises the buzz system and a tension system as a score multiplyer - tension is achieved by getting as close as possible to enemy ships/objects before destroying them - at the end of each stage you get your average tension multiplayer (out of 8)

the enemy patterns can be intense with levels 3 onwards becoming a test of reflex and memory plus daring - you can milk every bullet pattern for its full points potential whilst then getting up close and personal to enemies and so getting the highest multiplyer

boss models/patterns are very similar in look and feel to Es pra de(Spelling??) .

[dgnr7982]

Es pra de(Spelling??) .

It's Esp.Ra.De and how dare you say anything is better than Dodonpachi ft:

[Heckler&Koch]

For a next-gen console shoot em up, Shikigami no Shiro has poor graphics. I quite like the scoring system as Camps says. There's plently of better shooters to be had though.

[Saurian]

Es pra de(Spelling??) .

It's Esp.Ra.De and how dare you say anything is better than Dodonpachi ft:

Psyvariar is better than Dodonpachi. Much better. In fact it pisses on it from orbit. (and Dodonpachi seriously ROX!)

[John Beaulieu]

For a next-gen console shoot em up, Shikigami no Shiro has poor graphics.

shmups aren't about the graphics

camps

[Heckler&Koch]

Sorry, its always about the graphics with me.

[Saurian]

For a next-gen console shoot em up, Shikigami no Shiro has poor graphics.

shmups aren't about the graphics

camps

OMG Camps man! It's all about graphics man! and ANYTHING by Treasure is automatically best of the genre!

Didnt you realise?

[lordcookie]

I was playing Shikigami No Shiro on the xbox last night, it is really enjoyable and the scoring system is excellent. I also thought the graphics were much better than games like dodonpachi dai-ou-jou, but like camps said that really isnt important.
Psyvariar is the best modern shmup I have played by a long way, followed by Shikigami No Shiro, Ikaruga and Dodonpachi Dai-Ou-Jou (I really didnt click with the last one).

[Saurian]

Sorry, its always about the graphics with me.

You'll miss out on loads then man - modern shoot em ups are judged by the depth of the system it introduces to the player. Both Shikigami and Psyvariar are pretty abstract but in some places both are actually REALLY beautiful - for example in Psyvariar when the screen is full of literally thousands of projectiles your ship is getting so much charge out of it, it becomes light with plazma pulsing into it from all angles. Add to that the graze effect of lasers buzzing of the craft and everything else - it's amazing to look at!

[Henning]

Like
- XII Stag
- Sonic Wings Special
- Strikers II 1945
- Zero Gunner 2
- Ikaruga

Collecting dust
- The Layer Section serie
- Giga Wing 2
- Mars Matrix.

Most wanted
- Ketsui (AC)

A question is GEKIOH PSX any good?

http://www.gexpress.com/images/product/original/719593050100f.jpg

http://www.gexpress.com/images/product/original/719593050100b.jpg

Publisher: NATSUME
Type: Shooter
Players: 1 or 2