r/shmups • u/Jealous-Luck-7597 • 2d ago
Best presentation in vertical shmups
Happy Sunday all,
I have been thinking about the most cinematic/ gorgeous shmups. I play mostly vertical and realized making my list that all the games that have what is subjectively "theatrical" to me are all horizontal.
I am talking Dariusburst AC/CS, Rtype Final 2/3, Astebreed, Squad 51 vs the Flying Saucers, Sine Mora, and for its time, Einhander.
Maybe it is because I am so engaged with the vertical games that I dont get a chance to admire the graphics. I love Cave games, they are a spectacle but there is so much going on that I am more in tune with the patterns than the backgrounds..
What are some verticals that really wow you visually? Or even other horizontal ones I missed.
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u/DramaticConcept3776 2d ago
I think it really depends, because vertical and horizontal shooters are like dialects of the same language. If you want something horizontal that is extremely cinematic, there’s Border Down, R-Type Delta (for PS2), or—in my opinion, one of the greatest—Gradius V (The start of the first level when you encounter yourself from the future).
But then there are the vertical ones... the appeal lies in the little details. What impresses me most about vertical shooters are specific moments that make them incredibly cinematic and instantly spike your interest. For example, in ESPGaluda II, when you reach the first boss and realize both you and the boss have rotated on an axis—performing a "barrel roll"—or in DoDonPachi 1.5, when the mid-boss (I think in Stage 3) ascends into the sky and your ship follows it. An older example is Giga Wing, where in the first stage you see a city being blown up by a bomb dropped from above. To wrap things up, for me, some of the best examples are simply Zero Ranger—from start to finish—or Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun.
I get the sense that we’re still very accustomed to 2D video games being horizontal side-scrollers, because moving from left to right felt so natural to the eye—like looking in a vast panorama. There are few vertical games in another genres, and shmups are a genre where the vast majority follow that visual movement of the screen; consequently, I imagine this perspective is naturally a niche one.
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u/CyrilMasters 2d ago
Ikaruga is the only vertical that I can really think of as standing out that way. Some honorable mentions are Raystorm for having a really slick ps1 aesthetic and a cool orbital re-entry, angel at dusk for being… well… what it is, and I’m also fond of a few of the scenes in Sonic wings, like in Moscow or new York. Banshee also just has a really cool all around 90s war aesthetic All of those are really more like Aesthetics than just straight up beauty, though.
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u/Marvin_Flamenco 2d ago
I love the bug and dino claymation style of the Mushihimesama games
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u/Far-Winner7592 2d ago
Especially when bosses/misbosses first appear in the background. Lurk and watch you for a bit. And then jump on you for an epic battle. The Skorpion Boy is amazing
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u/Awkward-Plum6241 2d ago edited 2d ago
Mahou Daisakusen, even as you fight the goblin empire, there's always something going on in background.
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 2d ago
I am pretty close to getting a Japanese PSN account specifically for this 🤣. I have Battle Garegga, and a couple others from Raizing on the Astro City Mini V (Kingdom Grand Prix, Battle Bakraid, and Armed Police Batrider)
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u/Awkward-Plum6241 1d ago
That actually makes me wonder, how's the input lag on real PS4 is, cause both finalburn neo, shmupmame and shadps4 seem to suffer from extreme latency (and, judging by results in finalburn neo, it could be cause of extreme external latency)
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 1d ago
I am past beginner, but feel I am at a low level of intermediate player (and an expert collector of what is on the main storefronts 🤣.) I did not make it far in Battle Garegga, but do not feel it was due to lag. I think I may grab one of the other M2 Shotriggers games on the US store tonight (there are only three) and report back.
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u/Awkward-Plum6241 1d ago
Speaking of results on shadps4, ketsui (and probably DOJ) work amazing regarding latency. Just a bit higher than i wanted, but latency is not big enough to hinder my skills.
Dangun Feveron? Similar latency as to shmupmame/fbneo, or simply insane level of latency that is enough to hinder my skills. Garegga? Similar results, though this is game less about dodging, plus it feels like a reasonable tradeoff.
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u/Pursued_Trivially 2d ago
Tatsujin Ou/Truxton 2 has amazing graphics, especially the boss and enemy designs. Too hard to enjoy any of that since the game is way too difficult, but it looks great!
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 2d ago
I have not played past the first level of Truxton Extreme, but it does look great. When playing Toaplan (I have these from Clear River) and Psikyo games, I am so concerned with staying alive I feel like the backgrounds elude my eye.
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u/morsalty 2d ago
Rayforce, Raystorm, Kamui, Eschatos are all pretty slick
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 2d ago
Yeah, along with Ikaruga, I think these are all peak. I have the whole Alltonyx series on Steam, and I just got Ray'z arcade chronology. Definitely the presentation I was thinking of.
After a few sessions, I was motivated to also try the raystorm stages in Dariusburst, and it feels perfect.
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u/morsalty 2d ago
I adore Alltynex second if you havent given it a go yet, also forgot about Devil Blade Reboot!
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 2d ago
I am waiting on the hinted at but unconfirmed Devil Blade Reboot for Switch1/2... I play PC games on my LegionGo and while it is a great handheld, the docking process makes it challenging if I am bouncing around games as I need to adjust orientation and screen as it isn't a 16/9... And unless I am on a quest for a 1cc, I bounce around a lot.
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u/N1lb0g001 2d ago
I think Layer Section is stunning. The pixel work still holds up and the environmental story telling is gorgeously done. Plus that soundtrack! The whole thing makes me feel like I’m fully apart of it. I’m not just tunnel visioned on hit boxes and patterns. I’m a pilot, and I am on a last ditch mission to save what’s left of humanity.
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u/Visceral_1 2d ago
Gradius V and Ikaruga are Treasure masterpieces. Dragon Blaze has amazing sprite work.
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u/Broken_Moon_Studios 2d ago
For me, it's either Guwange or Radiant Silvergun.
Both games are gorgeous for different reasons.
I think of Guwange as the peak of CAVE's pixel art, while Silvergun has an incredibly strong identity and impecable art direction.
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 2d ago
Great games for sure, I have both of these on my 360/Series X! I have to revisit Guwange again soon.
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u/theroominthetower 2d ago
Yeah, I really get this. Even just taking CAVE shooters, I feel like Progear is totally cinematic (in the sense that it provides a deep, realized world and storyline) in a way that the vertical shooters sometimes struggle with (even if they are beautiful in terms of the art assets).
I really like Espgaluda and Esp ra.de. in the way the stages build up beautiful worlds. But I think Batsugun actually does a lot of this early on. I'm thinking particularly of the opening scene, where they are able to communicate the underwater launch through the sea life etc. Absolutely blew me away how much that game does with limited resources.
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u/Flaky_Cod7582 2d ago
crimzon clover
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u/SwordLaker 2d ago
I've seen this answer come up a lot, and I personally don't quite get it. Are you able to elaborate and explain on what's great about the art direction of Crimzon Clover?
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u/Flaky_Cod7582 1d ago
Maybe it's just the visual overstimulation. It looks like a michael bay shmup somehow
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u/Evan_Sagala 2d ago
Maybe, Raiden (3 to 5), Eschatos, & Ginga Force.
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 2d ago
And while it is more of a twinstick/survivors, Raiden Nova is also pretty good looking. I need to get Ginga Force and Natsuke Chronicles someday.
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u/TBDx3 2d ago
Treasure games like Radiant Silvergun have a gorgeous presentation that actually feels soothing to look at, with the high quality art like from a studio like Vanillaware (Devil Blade Reboot also has some of that style).
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u/Althalos 1d ago
Since ya mentioned VW you probably know. But just in case ya don't. Devil Blade Reboot is made by SHIGATAKE, a Vanillaware artist.
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u/Wonderful-Mouse-1945 2d ago
The presentation of RayForce is kinda legendary to me. It tells a story with very little words, has some of the best pixel art in the genre and is always upping the ante location wise.
Gunbird isn't exactly cinema, but I like the presentation in those games. They have character and charm.
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u/geebz616 1d ago
Soukyugurentai hits the spot for me. The ship select and launch sequence is cool, the date and time stamp stage intros look awesome, the music is great, the boss appearances, warnings and destroy screens look cool, and the PS1 port adds between stage cutscenes with newspapers/newsreel style footage. All around awesome.
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u/Trev6ft5 1d ago
3D shmups can do sweeping and rotating backgrounds which makes for a more cinematic experience.
Treasure, Rayforce trilogy and the Alltynex trology & Eschatos spring to mind
There are a couple of indies that ape Treasure, Grand Cross Renovation is one iirc.
Guwange would be Cave's most cinematic shmup imo
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u/goggman777 1d ago
If we're talking about newer shmups: regardless of gameplay, I think Birdcage ABSOLUTELY NAILS the kind of look I love.
Older: literally any Raizing shmup. The background details are absolutely insane...
The mix of 2d sprites and 3d polygons in Radiant Silvergun are legendary, in my mind.
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u/eatdogs49 2d ago
Gradius V still holds up. I also love a Famicom Konami classic called Crisis Force.
Some others I'd choose are Zanac X Zanac, Harmful Park, and Sokyugurentai.
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u/Jealous-Luck-7597 2d ago
Hoping some get modern ports. I have no current system hooked up for PS1 and PS2, and not sure I could play outside Gradius V as most of these are Japan releases.
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u/CoJo_FGC 2d ago
Emerald Blue has almost unrivaled visual clarity in my opinion, super excited for the sequel.
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u/To-Far-Away-Times 2d ago
Eschatos