Raiden III on PS2.

It's considered a straight forward but tough game. shmups.com accepts high scores at the easy level which is what I'm ashamed to say I am playing.

I can deal with the game at default level up to level 5 - have done that in practice mode - but I want a run at easy first before seeing if I want to progress instead of moving onto something else.

I've posted a level 5 run earlier in this thread. Will repost what I have so far.

Crikey I find some of those bullets hard to see! There's a lot going on there.

Looks like you can cancel some enemy bullets by shooting them? Nice mechanic if so.

I watched some of an arcade run as well captured from source, and I still found the bullets hard to see! I think it's the big fan of player bullets being similar colour to enemy bullets, am sure you get used to it though.

Props to your efforts Davy, I love seeing someone on a personal journey making gains, keep us updated

The "arcade" level is the default level + 1 in the Raiden III ports. Even the devs knew the game was set too hard in the arcade. There's an arcade level run on youtube and it's nuts - with bosses being point blanked in safe spots and insane aimed bullet speeds. The ship speed is low which makes the game even more unfriendly.

Heh. Checking the shmups.com hi score tables for Raiden III - there are only 14 1-ALLs at arcade difficulty recorded.  4 recorded at normal - I suppose most people there consider Arcade the default. There is a table for easy too though only one score submitted.

I never used to practice individual levels tbh, I always thought I'd waste a good run if I did. That's a problem I know, and if I ever do go back to Ikaruga I'll for sure be practicing lvl4 in isolation.

6 levels in total on Raiden III?

Got to level 7 with 3 lives left after some lv 5 and 6 practice. However the life I had in hand had no bombs and was stuck with the laser. Messed up the pick up at the start of the level and didn't get the wide shot and i didn't recover. 

High score though and I know the end is in sight. The last boss is the final nut to crack....would mean I could get there with a life or two and have a chance. I have to spam it at the minute.

The level 6 boss needs a couple of bombs too.

Yet another level 7 run amongst other poor ones in a weird session last night. Another high score - 13.1m.

Have a few strategies ready for the final stretch of level 6 and the level 7 boss that should improve matters and make runs more consistent and require less bombs.

Awful yesterday. Truly awful.

I have started to lose lives at earlier bosses. Reason being is I'm getting ahead of where I should be so my timing is out at bullet patterns. Switched off. Need to calm t.f.down and regroup.

What a difference a day makes.

Sat down there and got to the last boss - last life with 2 bombs. If I had had another life I would have had the 1CC. Got to level 6 boss with 5 lives! Lost one on the boss. Then had a messy level 7.  

14.4m high score.

Followed up with some level 7 practice and I have a route through the 1st 2/3 of the level.

Need to press on.

Ordered Castle Shikigami 2 for my JP PS2.

I had this first in PAL but of course it was border city at 50Hz but I really liked it. Then I got it for my JP Gamecube complete with little figurine but that has no RGB, so, PS2 it is then for better eye candy - it's a detailed looking game so it will help. I could play the GC version on my Wii using a Freeloader and I'll get 480p that way so it's nice to keep that version though it isn't that convenient to play that way with my current setup.

I really like this one. It has the scrape mechanic which I enjoy and the range of characters on offer with really different weaponsets put replayability through the roof.  Using the secondary weapon is riskier but you get auto gold coin collection . You also get a multiplier based on proximity to enemies when you take them out. Love the design and sounds too. Have my eye on Gradius III+IV too. I had that in PAL  - but it was butchered the same way Castle Shikigami 2 was.

Sounds like it's in the bag, don't get distracted!

A 2-All on Ketsui still seems pretty far off.  I can get deep into the second loop but never with enough resources.  Cleared the first loop with a single death today, meaning I had more than enough bombs to clear the second, but the jitters got the better of me, as usual.  My mental game sucks.

I'm only now starting to realise it's mostly a mental game.

Of course there are some achievements that are only possible with talent and dedication. A 2-ALL of anything is in that territory. And probably beyond me. But I believe that most games can be 1-ALLed with dedication and the right frame of mind. Cave games seem intimidating but they are quite generous with resources usually.

That's what I like about the genre.

Went ahead and ordered Gradius III + IV for my JP PS2. More for being a completionist than anything else. I have 1 and 2 for Saturn, Gaiden on PS1 and V on PS2. The series lost its way a bit with III and IV - they suffer from that syndrome that means a 1CC is gone once you lose a life. They play like really cruel coin eaters but maybe I will review that opinion.

Good channel that. I comment on most of his videos.

The event includes a couple of versus sections where 2 players play side by side for high score.

Filled my Raiden III high score table up with level 7 runs - added another couple of them today.

Got to level 7 with 4 lives and screwed up on one run  :[

I need to do some really focussed level 7 practice to bring this home.