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The games developer Cave is not a stranger to shooters, specifically of the manic side-scrolling type. Cave is to shooters what SquareEnix is to role-playing games, an icon. The rigor, dedication, and love they put in its titles has created a die-hard fan base, a very niche fan base. While other developers have raced to try to follow current generation fads, Cave continues to think deeply about 2D shooters and create dazzling games.
The special Ed comes with a very nice long box, A face plate featuring all the loli's and a nice book and sountrack/ Well worth the purchase since we got it at gamestop for 30.00!
DeathSmiles is a side scrolling horizontal shooter, which is a rarity for Cave as the studio tends to favor horizontally scrolling shooters. Cave's first attempt at horizontal side-scrolling shooting was 2001's Progear, published by Capcom. DeathSmiles begins in Halloween Town and takes players through a Gothic Lolita bullet hell. Enemies fly in from the right and left, and players toggle between shooting left with the controller's "A" button and shooting right with the controller button.
This game is amazing, beautiful, and a must have for any shmup fan!! My absolute favorite thing about this Cave game and pretty much every Cave game is that they are fun. There is a giddy craziness. Nothing feels sloppy or half done. It seems that Cave is always trying to figure out how to create each 2D shooter that changes the bar, and this game is no exception. They added the ability to shoot right and left. It's a very simple mechanic, but it works amazingly. The art style and characters (a team of little girls in Victorian dresses) might put off some players, and some players might only be interested in this game because of the deign. The real draw here is game play whether that may be in short sessions or longer play sessions. I have personally played through every mode that the 360 version has to offer, and it never gets old for me. Although, I do wish it was slightly more difficult.
One of my other favorite things about playing Cave shooters is the Matrix-like slow down sessions. There are moments when I wondered how the heck I'm going to make through the hailstorm of projectiles flying at me. There was literally no way out. Well, the gameplay slows down a bit and it ends up being incredibly cinematic. Not to mention one burst of your special bombs, and everything on screen is toast. This shows how Cave understands its own games, and even more, the gamers!
I'm not really the best at these kind of games but I do love them, and over the years, have grown quite good at them. This game, while easy and not very long, offers some incredible gameplay and a variety of different modes. There's a classic arcade mode or xbox 360 mode with updated graphics. There's even a special black label mode that adds an extra beautiful level not seen in the arcade and also allows a level 999 difficulty!!
It's funny, because you have 4 choices. (level 1,2,3....999)
Final Thoughts
If your a fan of shmups, you really can't go wrong. Sure, it's not quite the challenge of Mars Matrix, and the Lolita content might not be for everyone, but if you just get down to good ole hardcore gameplay, you can't go wrong. This is one of the most beautiful, fun, and vivid shmups I have played in a very long time. It is full of replay-ability and ton's of unlockable achievements and I say you would be nuts not to pick this gem up.
9/10
