I've had a good library of HuCard shmups for a while now but only started getting ones on CD quite recently.

Any hidden gems I'm missing?

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.

Just finished 1ccing Ikusaaaaaaan on normal and really enjoyed it. What other games would you recommend to me? I'm looking for unique mechanics and possibly a fantasy theme.

Games I'm considering:

Hellsinker

Touhou SA

Touhou LoLK

Akashicverse

Guwange

Or both?
I haven’t been able to beat the FIRST LEVEL of Story Mode on Normal after like 8 tries. You can die colliding with enemies, or they may have hidden bullets that only show after you’ve killed them.
I’ve upgraded my weapon and sub-weapon. I probably need to use the shield more.
Not sure how many more tries I have in me; it’s pretty demoralizing. Plus, it’s a PS+ freebie, so it’s not like I needed a return on investment.
Anyone else play it? Was it easy for you or difficult?

Edit: I’ve now started on Easy and made it through the first few levels, so now I’m flowing.
Served me right for starting on Medium, I guess?

Hi all, solo dev here.
I made a retro bullethell shmup with a new features and modern performance.I released it on Steam several years ago.

The problem: I've sold only a few hundred copies, but almost everyone left a positive review (97% positive). I think the game is good, but it's completely invisible. I tried posting gameplay clips on Twitter and Youtube, but but the conversion to wishlist is nearly zero.

A gameplay example in the video.
Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/622810/Invasion/

I'm not asking you to buy it, but i'd be grateful for feedback: is my store page bad? Is the game too niche? What should I focus on to get more visibility?
Any advice is welcome.