Deathsmiles Deluxe Edition (Xbox 360)

I've been obsessed with Death Smiles since I first played it in a Japanese arcade almost two years ago. Since then, I've been patiently awaiting a release that didn't involve me having to import an entire new console to play it. I made do with the two region free Cave 360 shooters and the recent Guwange XBLA release. But they weren't Death Smiles, and the fact that the US got it last summer while the Japanese are enjoying a HD port of the second Death Smiles was a bitter pill to swallow.

But Rising Star Games - after rescuing Deadly Premonition from obscurity - again save the day, with a fantastic package that makes the wait worthwhile. It isn't as lavish as the US deluxe edition, but the plethora of extras make this a great package at a great price. But while soundtracks are cool (and they should be an extra with all games!) it's the game you're here for, and it impresses.

Those familiar with Cave games will notice that the game is easier than the more extreme of their releases in the standard arcade / 360 modes, but this isn't a bad thing. Accessibility is a big aim with this game, and the challenge to 1CC Death Smiles is far less daunting that some of the terrifying bullet storms that will meet you in Guwange and Espgaluda II. It's still tough - and the last few stages feature some pleasantly absurd pink patterns - but not as tough as others. This is a strength, and instead allows the player to focus on high scores. The scoring system is wonderful, and a helpful booklet provides welcome and useful tips on how to maximise your score and multiplier (as opposed to the non-translated Japanese releases thus far, in which you relied on your own skills and obscure internet posts to learn the scoring system in depth). The game is a blast to play through countless times, and the art design and particularly boss design (from mad cows to giant heads) are amongst Cave's best.

For the hardcore, there are multiple extra modes included in the package, including the Cave-standard 'Mega Black Label' content that increases the frequency of bullets and the possible multiplier counter, leading to absurd high scores for the talented. It's a nice rounded package for all sorts of players then - a welcome introduction to the wonderful world of Cave for beginners (and luckily there are a handful of other 360 titles you can seek out should you catch the Cave addiction) and a tricky one to master for those used to their dense bullet formations. Most importantly, it's the first retail release of a Cave game in PAL territories for quite some time, so hopefully it will be a welcome precedent. There are a tonne of region locked bullet hell shooters in Japan waiting to make the journey overseas, not least of them the equally engaging and even higher-def Death Smiles sequel (although the overly flashy backgrounds of that game have already divided fans). So buy Death Smiles not just for the excellent quality of Rising Star's release, but also to support a developer whose unique and intense vision demands to expand from its present Japanese niche!

I'll keep this brief.

If you like scrolling shoot em ups, then you can't ask for more than this.

The control system is innovative yet intuitive.
The action is fast-paced and great fun.
This is a first-class manic shooter.

The difficulty curve is fair for the most part, though the final couple of levels do suddenly step up the action by a surprising amount.

As a package, this is also an absolute bargain. The classic (lo-res) arcade version is here for purists, as well as a wonderfully presented hi-res Xbox exclusive version. There's also an "arrange" mode which offers some real variations on the gameplay (for instance, the ability to control a secondary character with the right stick).
And all three of these modes are available in both regular and "Black-label" flavour, giving a total of 6 game modes.

Another nice perk is the ability to alter the screen size and alignment in the options menu (if, like me, you're still using an old 4:3 ratio TV set, you'll know why this is a big deal).

And on top of all this, the soundtrack CD (not to everyone's taste, but a nice addition) and a disk full of desktop goodies. For the price, you really can't go wrong!

This is a great package - a quality arcade shooter with loads of modes to play.

Most of the modes are a bit on the easy side compared to a lot of scrolling shoot'em ups, but for those new to the genre this will come as a blessing. most levels have a choice of level 1, 2 or 3 difficulty, and I would estimate that level three is roughly equivalent to 'normal' difficulty in most shooting games. In Black Label mode there is a 'level 999' difficulty though - which is ridiculous! Pity there's nothing inbetween!

Don't forget though - continues are for wimps, and score _is_ important!

I'm looking forward to seeing more from this developer released in the UK - maybe a vertical scrolling shooter - and that will only happen if we support this game.