Best PS2 shmups...please advise

[ssbomberman]

Folks I am not a hardcore shooter fan, but I do like colorful, bullet crazy stuff. I really enjoyed Mars Matrix, Border Down, Gunbird etc. and I've playing some of the older Cave stuff on roms lately and enjoying them.

So what are the top 3 PS2 shooters? Should I get Mushihimesama, ESPgaluda, Dai Ou Jou, something else?

Thanks, ssb

[g0zen]

Gradius V

[galvatron]

I second gradius V since it's about half the price of all those other games. Mobile Light Force 2 (Castle of Shikigami) is another cheap, but good one. The sequel is good too.

I'm really enjoying ESPGaluda when I can put down Tekken 5 long enough to play it. Whereas Galuda lets you take it at your own pace, surviving and scoring horribly, Dai Ou Jou immediately commences kicking your ass. Depends on what you like more, but they're different enough to warrant getting both...Mushihimesama is one I haven't really figured out...neat artwork and the usual intense bullet patterns. Oddly, I've heard nothing but bad things about Raiden III...

[1CCOSA]

If you like your shmups "colorful and bullet crazy" you can't go wrong with either Mushihime-sama or DoDonPachi DaiOuJou. Just bear in mind that DaiOuJou, although an excellent shooter, has very tough chaining. I personally find Mushihime a little more enjoyable. edit: Mushi also has nicely varied difficulty modes (excluding the insane ultra mode which literally covers 90% of the screen in enemy fire, ha).

[Clash!]

R-Type Final is one of the best shooters around, has like 900,000 ships to unlock. Levels have different seasons, Its R-type, its just all around great.

[Tain]

Gradius V is the best thing Treasure's ever done, though I'd love to try the Cave PS2 games.

[Cowutopia]

Rez?

[Changeling]

Your PC plays alot more shmups, if ya know what I mean . R-Type Final and Gradius are both great games, and you need to pick those up immediately. If you can only get one, get Gradius.

[Grave]

Gradius V wins.

If you like the bullet-crazy stuff, though, you'll probably eat up Mushihimesama and DDP DOJ. I'm not a huge fan of vert shooters so my opinion on them is completely irrelevant. I didn't play either one for that terribly long, but it's pretty safe to assume that for what they are, you'll dig them.

I need to get a copy of R-Type Final one of these days.

[RoleTroll]

I just picked up Gradius V at Toys R Us for $15. (You know, $30 green sticker.) There was a good number at my local store.