Post by Sanguine-Oni in Just finished normal mode. Impressions:

Viewing post in Just finished normal mode. Impressions:

Last level made me uninstall. Like the above comment, it has too much difficulty. Tried several times and couldn't get the boss below 3k HP. Here's the issues: 1) You have brought bosses back. That isn't fun when you have to face the real boss, but it is fine because they are killable. The real issue is number 2) You have one enemy that spawns and spams fodder enemies that are just too damned tanky. Reapers and snowmen that died in a hit in the stage they were from now SOAK bullets. Each one is like a mini-boss in how tanky they are, and there are just too many on screen. Add to that you'll never stop them from spawning because that boss enemy that spawns them in spawns in too late into the stage. The boss spawns in shortly after and covers it like a f-ing shield. It is unfair to make an enemy that is neigh invincible, especially while having to face a real boss simultaneously.

Edited for a typo.

Hornblase6 days ago

Appreciate that you took the time to challenge the boss repeatedly and write about your experience. The final round only has a normal mode so once you clear it, you are done with that level. There are many ways to clear this level and some of them are listed in the spoilers section. If you don't mind spoilers, here's also a video that shows a solution.

Sanguine-Oni6 days ago

I think I see the issue. Your resource video is severely outdated. It is over a year old. The enemies I called tanky are dying in a quarter to half the hits it takes me to kill them with a fully maxed out ship. Meaning, somewhere along the lines, they got upped in their HP, be it intentional or not. That one ship that summons them is the sole factor between making your game decent and garbage. I'll add it is also a different color, being bright orange at parts for me, further proving it was modified since this video was uploaded. Removing that enemy or weakening it would solve the problem I see MANY people stating they have in comments with the game being unbalanced for stage 9.

Hornblase5 days ago(-1)

I assure you that all the updates since then were either cosmetic or rewards oriented. I have made a video just now just to illustrate that the same strategy still works. I should mention though that the game cannot be beaten in mobile devices but that wasn't really the intended experience. I was actually afraid that the game might be too easy to figure out because the strategy for level 9 can be pretty simple but I guess it might need a bit of experience with frenetic play styles to pull off comfortably. You are right about the carrier sub boss though, it really is the hardest part of the level as it's supposed to cause the player anxiety as it takes about 3 bombs to beat. Because of your comment, I am planning to release an easy mode in the future where the enemies will have drastically reduced HP. I was just curious though, did you try beating the game with 3 assistant drones? Some people think it's harder with them on so I suggest trying a run without them. Please post any more issues or observations.

Sanguine-Oni5 days ago (2 edits)

I have no clue how to even obtain assistant drones. You don't really have a good tutorial, if there even IS one. The menu for navigating all features is a random screen with some images that bring you to things like the collections and some for upgrades, but nothing is clearly marked or displayed. As for your "three bombs" statement... that is absolutely false, as I have used ALL my bombs EVERY TIME,*EXCLUSIVELY* waiting for that boss to spawn before using them. And it does. Not. Die! So, either there is an issue with the Windows version, or that is completely falsified information.

I'm not trying to sound rude, but that reply pissed me off as it completely ignored several things I stated in an evasive way while feeling demeaning as well. For one thing, you lack a proper management screen. If you want people to find all these features other than the 'this is locked behind patreon' BS, then maybe label things clearly. Secondly, how can you say nothing has been changed when that video shows the enemies dying in LITERALLY 2 hits, maybe three, and the reaper and snowmen take 5-6 for me with all my blasters and everything at max / level 6? Third, you ignored how the stage boss COMPLETELY BLOCKS ALL DAMAGE from that carrier boss once it spawns. Didn't even note that. Failed to comment on it. Because THAT is the REAL issue. Not the other crap. Being able to actually DAMAGE the carrier boss would allow it to eventually die and let the player focus on the stage boss.

Anyway, no need to reply, I'm done with the game. It was a typical shmup. Enjoyed the hand-drawn art style and evasion of AI use. Sincere kudos to that. Gameplay was about as expected of a generic shmup, but that is understandable as there isn't a lot you can do to deviate there. Having customization and the ability to grind upgrades was my favorite part. Wasn't a fan of a few of the enemies and bosses, particularly the one that dive-bombs at you for impact damage, and a couple enemies that travel off screen (top or bottom) then stay there indefinitely, like the one in the base / training area tended to do (the tiny orb). Also, disliked the confusing map. I kept thinking there was a secret path I could take because you pre-display hard mode paths without explaining how the hard mode areas unlock after beating the final boss. I'll also note, I unlocked a lot of the aliens without doing their stages. They unlocked when I'd get blown up and it would show me a random alien. If I went to the collection screen, they would then be listed, such as the Stage 5 alien being unlocked when I died in Stage 2.

edit: just watched your new video. That carrier boss is out for SO LONG without the final boss appearing. For me, you can count to 3 after the carrier boss appears and then the stage boss arrives; at which point the carrier ducks behind it and stays there, making it literally invulnerable. 3 bombs can't get off in time. By the time the second bomb is on-screen detonating, the boss is already spawned in and in front of it. Again, playing on Windows 11, if that helps too.

Hornblase5 days ago

If you were playing the latest version then that was the same as the video I’ve just uploaded. The bombs are just part of the combo. When you drop a bomb all of the other projectiles and small enemies are destroyed giving you a chance to dash in on a tougher target and fire everything that you can within that window. Then be sure to leave one bomb for the tank before the boss. If the carrier survives when the boss arrives then it’s already a bad run. If you go to the spoilers section, you can see a guy there that figured out everything already and wrote it down.

Just read your edit, I know you’re done with the game but I was curious as to what distance marker does the carrier appear in your run?

Hornblase5 days ago

I haven’t looked at this game’s delivery section code in so long so I’m glad we have a passionate commenter. Here’s the trigger for the carrier.

It is only spawned if the first sub boss was destroyed and the distance should be below 7000. The real clue here is to kill Sky Die as fast as you can. The video shows how. I hope this helps.

itch.io

Viewing post in Just finished normal mode. Impressions: