Cave keeps churning out AAA quality shmups and we keep buying them , nearly two and a half years have passed since the original Arcade release and finally Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu has come home to consoles for the Japanese Xbox 360. If you are a shmup fan and have been against the fence about picking up a Import 360 there is no better time then now. This may be Cave's best release so far for the System and that is saying something as half their back catalogue is playable for 360.
The graphics are the same high quality 2d sprites Cave is known for and the soundtrack is classic Mananbu Namiki with a thumping Trance beat. The game features Novice mode (for beginners) , Xbox 360 mode (Arcade Mode) , and a few Arrange modes A + B that mix up the gameplay a great deal and extend the replay value of the package. The Xbox 360 mode is a the basic Arcade mode with enhanced graphics and the same gameplay as the 1.5 Arcade version which features a 4 button setup with a dedicated button for Hyper. The chaining in the game is easier to maintain then prior games in the series and makes for more enjoyable experience.
My favorite mode so far has to be the 1.51 version that is included only in the 1rst run Regular edition and the Limited Edition. It features a more conventional 3 button setup reminiscent to Dodonpachi Dai Ou Jou and a less demanding Extend system that any decent Cave player should be able clear 1CC. The hyper is tied to the same button as the bomb in this mode similar to DOJ and the difficulty seems tweaked to a point that it is almost as if it is a ARRANGE mode in itself. If you have a chance make sure to pick up the 1.51 version as this is a important part of the game and really fun to play.
The game options are very deep with a easy to access menu. The video options have support for both 16:9 and 4:3 televisions and monitors with a wide arrange of zoom options as well make fitting to your viewing window easy and painless. This is a welcome addition as the last 2 Cave ports (Deathsmiles 2X + Guwange) omitted a option for 4:3. Not only has Cave crafted a worthy addition to the Dodonpachi franchise they are adding to it by releasing Dodonpachi Black Label February 3rd 2011 as DLC and a retail release.
With so many games modes and deep scoring systems added with the welcoming change to the chaining system this game is easy to pick up and play and is rewarding for both intermediate and hardcore gamers. I highly recommend it's purchase immediately. You would be crazy not to. I score this game a 10/10
1 comment:
With the Black Label release coming out in Japan this coming February, which version is the "definitive" version to have?
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