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ARCANACRA - Blisteringly difficult free flash shmup
RainbowDespair
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I discovered this addictive little game called ARCANACRA today. It's a free bullet hell shmup, but unlike most games of its ilk, it's in flash so you don't have to bother with installing it.
Here's the link: http://www.yomogi.sakura.ne.jp/~si/SolidImage/cml/arcanacra_bl/v04_e.html
Or to play it in full screen mode: http://www.yomogi.sakura.ne.jp/~si/SolidImage/cml/arcanacra_bl/arcv043.swf
Controls:
Z - Fires main weapon & side weapon
Shift - Fires lock-on weapon(Can be used simultaneous with the main weapon, but side shot doesn't work while you're using it)
X - Bomb that destroys everything on the screen
The power-up system is pretty simple. You have 3 weapons you can power-up: Front Shot (your main attack), Side Shot (shoots little bullets with a little wider spread than the main shot), and Targeting Shot (Lock-on Attack that shoots missiles). Each weapon starts at LV1 and can be powered up to LV4, however you can only have one weapon at LV4 at a time.
Oh and I highly recommend playing the game in Display x 2 mode otherwise it's very hard to see what you're dodging.
So far, I've only gotten to level 2 though it says that there are 6 stages.
Here's the link: http://www.yomogi.sakura.ne.jp/~si/SolidImage/cml/arcanacra_bl/v04_e.html
Or to play it in full screen mode: http://www.yomogi.sakura.ne.jp/~si/SolidImage/cml/arcanacra_bl/arcv043.swf
Controls:
Z - Fires main weapon & side weapon
Shift - Fires lock-on weapon(Can be used simultaneous with the main weapon, but side shot doesn't work while you're using it)
X - Bomb that destroys everything on the screen
The power-up system is pretty simple. You have 3 weapons you can power-up: Front Shot (your main attack), Side Shot (shoots little bullets with a little wider spread than the main shot), and Targeting Shot (Lock-on Attack that shoots missiles). Each weapon starts at LV1 and can be powered up to LV4, however you can only have one weapon at LV4 at a time.
Oh and I highly recommend playing the game in Display x 2 mode otherwise it's very hard to see what you're dodging.
So far, I've only gotten to level 2 though it says that there are 6 stages.
RainbowDespair on
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Battle.net: Fireflash#1425
Steam Friend code: 45386507
It's so goddamn difficult!
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire,
How is this fun?
Honestly, I swear I'm not trying to troll, I'm just lost as to how something like this game is enjoyable. Can a big shmup fan give me some insight on the appeal? I really am curious.
There are a few different types of shmups. This one is what's called a "bullet hell" shmup, which is where you're given a tiny ship, one hit kills you, and both you and the enemy have incredible firepower. Most of the time, the whole screen will be covered in bullets.
These games are more "zen" than anything else, really. They are games that are all about getting into a zone and staying there. Weirdly, I find that they aren't frustrating at all. I play, sometimes I do extremely well, sometimes I do extremely poorly... there isn't a ton of tension. It's relaxing.
It's funny, because this is pretty much word for word how I would describe my thoughts on Rock Band. But games like this....just make me angry. I do understand the feeling though, so more power to you I suppose.
As to why some people like this sort of game, Syrion explained it nicely. It's challenging, it's fair, and when you're doing well, you feel like a god.
And I'm sorry that so many people are having difficulty starting it. Just clicking the screen with the mouse and then pressing z on the correct menu item did it for me.
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire,
I like this.
The funny thing is that it was more or less unintentional. I just opened up Photoshop and made a 100x100 image and mirrored it horizontally. It looked like the ship from Metroid Fusion had sex with a croissant. You can't tell from the screens, but the boss name next to the health meter is "Croissant".
Listening to that fucking beeping noise at the start title.
Click on the actual flash window (the part where the game is visible). Press Z.
Happy times.
I noticed it doing that as well when I went to the full screen website. I didn't notice that problem with the other website.
Oh and my top score so far is 294,744. Died near the beginning of Stage 3.
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire,
The powerups remind me a LOT of CHO REN SHA 68K. I haven't had any luck getting bonus powerups in that fashion, but I'm gonna keep trying to see if it works.
EDIT: Maybe not... the powerups spin around you like you might expect, then when they get to fast, the screen says "ITEM BROKEN..." and the powerups go flying away. Heh, that's pretty interesting.
EDIT2: Why do I keep forgetting to use my Bombs in these types of games?
People aren't retarded, it's really just not starting for some, myself included.
Same for me, makes it very difficult.
But apart from that it's not bad. Pretty decent side note of a game.
This is a really well-put together flash game, here!
Actually there are a a few other similarities I've picked up as well. The spinning enemy types in stage 4 have the same sort of shooting and movement patterns as enemies in Cha Ren Sha's 3rd stage. Both are also invincible until they open up from their shells. The initial enemies in stage 5 resemble Cha Ren Sha's stage 4's first wave in both movement, shot type and placement during their entry into the stage.
I also recognize a lot of other enemy types and placements in other stages that can also be found in Cha Ren Sha.
This is pretty good game. 813418 after reaching the stage 5 boss. Boy that top score is going to be hard to beat.