Castle Shikigami 2

[James]

Well, it finally came out for the PS2 at $10 on Saturday, and I managed to get my copy today. The good news is it looks like a game from the Shikigami series rather than "Mobile Light Force 3". The bad news is it's got the usual quality XS Games translation.

Ignoring the crap voice acting and almost completely nonsensical dialogue, the game itself is a fairly solid horizontal shooter. Bullet hell once it ramps up, special power attacks that are nicely varied from one character to the next, using the power attacks puts you in as much trouble as it gets you out of, etc. It's ok, a good use of $10 if you've got the time, but that's about it.

Now for the good stuff- quotes from the game box and manual.

From the back cover: "The time: 2006, the distant future." Is a year and a half really that distant?

Manual, describing a Main Menu option: "Boss Attack: This is a mode for enjoying to battle with only bosses.:

Aaargh!!: "The demon god's and their mystical castle..." and then two sentences later "Can the hero's of recent legend..." Stupid apostrophed plural, Hulk smash!

Describing the charge shot: "Hold down (square) to charge up the Mobile Light Force 3 attack." There's a bunch of other Mobile Light Force 3 references throughout as well, athough I've seen none of them in the game itself.

There's other stuff in the manual too ("If the player get winnings..." is particularly good) but that should be enough for now. I'm really just amazed that we get this kind of engrish on a current-day project more than anything else, I guess.

James

[Josh]

I stole this game from the internet.

[James]

*GASP!*



There goes my faith in humanity.

James

[AaronChance]

I paid far too much for the Japanese version long in the distant past. Good game though. Especially liked the unlockable options.

[Dipstick]

Ignoring the crap voice acting and almost completely nonsensical dialogue, the game itself is a fairly solid horizontal shooter.

Err, I thought The Castle of Shikigami 2 was a vertical shooter? Or is this different from the Dreamcast game I have (Shikigami no Shiro 2)? Or am I just massively confused?

-Dippy

[JM]

According to the feedback at Xs's forums, tate mode is intact. What a pleasant suprise.

JM

[SoldatoJ]

According to the feedback at Xs's forums, tate mode is intact. What a pleasant suprise.

JM

Wow, so a TATE mode is confirmed? I have the GC ver., but for $10 I may as well get the PS2 ver. also. Are there any other enhancements over the Gamecube version?

Oh yeah, and engrish RULES.....("lip my stockings....")

[Despair]

$10 is a good deal.

[jarrod]

I wonder why XS passed on the GC/Xbox versions?

[Shapermc]

Damn it! More money out of my pocket. Good thing I canceled my DS pre-order.