Psyvariar

Retr0gamer

Just got my copy from www.play.com yesterday and I very pleased with it. Basically it's a 2d scrolling shmup with 3d graphics. However like most 2d shmups it's got a gimmick and the gimmick is the buzz system. By flying extremely close to enemy ships and bullets your ship will 'buzz them and add to your level up meter. When the meter is full your ship will level up. The buzz system makes this a much different game from other shmup games. Because of the need to level up, the extremely leanient collision detection and the ridiculous amount of bullets on screen the game encourages reckless gameplay. In most shmups you would try and avoid a hail of bullets coming towards you. Psyvariar rewards you with flying into the stream of bullets and inching your way through them. Later levels and the harder bosses will give you a real adrenaline rush.
There are two modes of play included in the game, a carbon copy of the arcade game and an easier remixed version with nicer graphics. The game also includes a demo of a japanese gamer beating each stage with 1 credit.
There are some problems with the game. The stages are extremely short, the bosses take longer to beat than the levels themselves. Most of the graphics are naff (although there are some nice effects like the city stage). I also found the game very easy but I've read that the if you do well in the stages then you get to choose much harder stages at the stage select after each level.
You won't find this game in any of the shops in Dublin. I asked everywhere for it and they just looked at me as if I was speaking a foreign language. www.play.com are stocking the game and for the stupidly cheap price of £14.99 sterling (about 21 yoyos). If you're a shmup fan then you should buy this game now. It's a steal at the price. Also the yanks aren't getting there hands on this (well I think they aren't). I'd like to thank the Explosiv label for having the balls to bring out an obscurity like this to Europe. And thanks to whoever on boards recommended this game. I wouldn't have known about it otherwise. (soz I forgot who it was)

DiscoStu

actually i thought it was ****.
the graphics are piss poor, the stages are way to short the bosses are a joke as you dont actually have to shoot them as they just die anyway. the game itself is _far_ to difficult but not in the same way ikaruga is difficult as with that there is always a logical way to come from each section to the next unscathed, in psyvariar it just feels like the designers ramdomly decided to throw the waves at you instead of the meticulous attention to detail that treasure obvioulsy put into each and every bullet hurled at you in their masterpeice.
anyone considering this dont, do yourselves a favour save your money its not even worth the €17 that gamesworld are asking for it. go out and get ikaruga, silpheed or even download dodonpachi and fire it up in mame. those are far more fulfiling shooters than psyvariar can even hope to be.

Retr0gamer

Looks like I should have waited until Gamesworld got it in for much cheaper.

I'll admit that this game is nowhere near as polished or good as games like Ikaruga or Einhander. However I thought the price was right and really enjoyed it. However I can see where discostu is coming from since the game is a matter of taste even between people who like shooters. I know another shooter fan that didn't like it at all either. It's probably a try before you buy.

The voice for the warning sign before the boss in the remix version brought back memories of salamander

rainbow kirby

If this is psyvariar for the ps2 then game in tallaght has it for €18.50.

BLITZ_Molloy

I picked it up for €16 in Gamesworld in Ennis. Shop assistant had alot of trouble pronouncing the title.

The graphics are natty but I'm quite enjoying it. The emphasis isn't on shooting the enemies, it's just the buzz initially.

You need to keep replaying the first level trying to maximise the buzz (and thank god the levels are short because they're ****ing hard) and then you try to incorporate killing the enemy into the gameplan.

I can get about 1000buzz on earth now.

All in all a very unique, if somewhat inaccessable kind of game. I wouldn't play it for more than 30mins at a time but I can see myself popping it on quite often. The scope for improvisation is much greater than Ikaruga which is more reliant on memorisation.

Deadwing

Sounds like it'd be a great game for skangers. "Ahhhh im on a bleeeeedin deadly buzz!!!"

amp

/me trademarks the term "shmuppet"