Each playable character, which there are six of, has a unique story the revolves around the reasons why they entered in a competition which will halt an invasion of Harvesters that are threatening Earth’s citizens. Rival Megagun is a unique shooting game with a competitive twist.#nintendoswitch #switchgames #rivalmegagunGET YOURSELF AN 8-BIT ERIC SHIRT! Some would say that “Once you’ve played one shmup, you’ve played them all” and while they wouldn’t be technically wrong, you could argue that they each have their differences. The idea is to build up combos which then bank in a meter. It all comes off very juvenile, regardless as to which character you select. Good idea, poor execution Rival Megagun for Xbox One review: Great concept, flawed execution Rival Megagun is a wonderful concept, but it fails to … Their banter was interesting enough to me to put a pause on the action and read what they had to say. I am beyond excited to see what comes next out of the studio, but for now, I’ll continue building the shmup army by getting my friend’s hands on this approachable title. Our reviews can be found on Metacritic and Opencritic. This is a gem of a title, and one not be missed by fans of bullet-hell games, or shmups in general.” Rival Megagun is a shoot 'em up with a competitive PVP twist. Rival Megagun review Reviewed December 16, 2018 Gary Hartley says: "Blowing up your friends. That said, if they’re skillful enough, they can avoid your attacks and blow you up, returning you to your side of the screen in your prior, normal form. Rival Megagun’s unique concept is a concept that excels it, yet holds it back at the same time. Although a story isn’t necessary, I enjoyed the premise and the conversations between each of the characters before a battle. Similarly, they each have their own reason for entering the contest which makes completing the story a must. In truth, this type of split screen shmup formula is one that I’ve seen before, but after passing it around with some friends who have little to no experience with the genre, I quickly realized that Rival Megagun‘s approachability is what makes it stand out. Also, when a player goes into the boss mode, I wish that the divider in the screen was taken away and allowed the player to use the entire screen to avoid shots. Playing against another person is … Rival Megagun Review. Once you begin to fill your meter, you’ll be able to use special attacks. Rival Megagun Review – Frisse toevoeging, maar geen topper. Paul Renshaw - December 15, 2018. I absolutely loved the music and pixel art as well as transforming into a badass boss and destroying my friends in this great competitive shmup. Rival Megagun is best played with friends in versus mode. The balance here is well set, giving you more than enough choice to find a ship that suits your taste. The pilot who wins will be crowned Earth’s greatest Hero and given a large cash prize. When you complete the game, you’ll unlock a series of cards per-character, all of which give you some more insight into the game’s characters and lore. Read reviews and ratings of Rival Megagun from our experts, and see what our community says, too! The game’s controls are tight and responsive, and I didn’t have a problem weaving through streams of bullets. It’s also tricky to track movement when there’s a lot of action on the screen at any given time, not to mention projectiles that will blend with the background. Some more effort on this front certainly wouldn’t have gone amiss, maybe even some enemy super forms. The game has so much to offer for new players of the genre, but it might feel a bit too easy to the hardcore shmup community. This is a gem of a title, and one not be missed by fans of bullet-hell games, or shmups in general. Check out Vince's review to see what it does to stand out! Simply put, if you’re thinking about buying Rival Megagun for the sake of its online competition, look elsewhere. Rival Megagun, while it’s a shmup, does have a story. Rival Megagun’s unique concept is a concept that excels it, yet holds it back at the same time. This game was tested and reviewed on Xbox One. Undoubtedly fun to play with others, it loses its charm when played against the AI. I’d also like to add the game’s pixel artwork is pretty great and compliments its awesome soundtrack. December 20, 2018, 12:38 pm, – The collison detection appears to be each ships core, like a lot of schmups, it is not the whole ship Rival Megagun‘s gameplay has a nice difficulty curve where the beginning of matches can slow, depending on which of the four difficulties the player is playing on, and get tougher as the match continues. Rival Megagun’s competitive spin on the shmup formula is a bold move indeed, and although it pays off for the most part, the game is not entirely without fault. Tumblr. Tags: pc, playstation 4, ps4, review, Rival Megagun, shmup, shoot em up, shooter, side-scrolling, steam, xb1, xbox one Summary Rival Megagun's added wrinkle of competitive gameplay to frantic, well-designed overhead shmup action is an interesting twist, but the limited game modes might not be enough for the amount of money being asked for. There’s a total of three modes for players to take to; Arcade, Versus, and Online. It would have been nice to see some varying level design per-character, or even a chain of events that helps to make each character’s campaign feel unique, but that’s not the case here. In a nutshell, the game is a competitive shmup with an added twist. Two players can play on the system with a pair of Joy Cons, and while it can be a little tricky to make out what’s going on the switch’s diminutive screen, it’s still a blast to play in table-top mode. Pinterest. My Gamertag is Kaloudz The goal is to last for as long as you can, whilst throwing a few curve-balls at your foe in the hopes of sending them to their end, before you fall to yours. Furthermore, there’s no real alteration to the fields of play either, outside of the fact that each character brings with them their own pros and cons. Rival Megagun. – The campaign although straight forward has alternate endings for each character that can only be achieved by beating the final boss without using continues, it is tough! Rival Megagun has unlockables that players will acquire through gameplay. Way back in 1996, now-defunct Japanese developer ADK released a quirky little game called Twinkle Star Sprites for the Neo Geo. Rival Megagun is at its best when played with other human beings, which makes it perfect for the Switch. Players will still be choosing a ship and pilot of their choice and shooting everything that moves in a vertical setup. by Jordan Rudek - December 15, 2018, 8:52 am PST Discuss in talkback! Lastly, players can transform into a massive boss-like ship and enter the rival’s screen to unleash a barrage of blasts against them. Rival Megagun is a competent shmup that throws in a competitive angle to test your skills directly against one another. Rival Megagun successfully blends the tried-and-true shmup formula with a competitive fighter. © 2019 Xbox Tavern. Additionally, each enemy ship shot down builds up the player’s meter which can be charged to send over a special attack to the rival. “Rival Megagun is a tight, accessible, and well-executed game that offers plenty of incentive to return, improve and master its play. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. You can also spawn more enemies onto your opponent’s screen by chaining kills of the enemies on your screen; one new enemy spawned per-five kills in rapid succession. A unique vertical shooter that doesn’t quite stick the landing. Rival Megagun‘s gameplay has a nice difficulty curve where the beginning of matches can slow, depending on which of the four difficulties the player is playing on, and get tougher as the match continues. It was one hell of a ride; creating this, building this, and operating it for several years, but, we all hit a proverbial point that encourages us to move on, and that's what I've done; handing the reigns to the very capable Jamie. Some helpful items will pop-up from time to time; bombs that will completely clear your screen, repair kits that will return your ship to full health, and so forth. Many years ago, a mysterious alien race, the Harvesters, emerged from the black gulfs of outer space. Each character has their own unique attack, special attack, and transformation, which we’ll get into in a bit. The game’s framerate is decent through intense moments, and I actually never saw any significant slowdown, even in those moments when it seemed like there were hundreds of bullets filling the screen. I personally thought this was a cool feature because it made the higher difficulties a little more manageable and gave a variance to gameplay that gives it more replayability in the long run. Studio Ghibli First 3DCG Animated … Rival Megagun lets you battle it out against an AI opponents if you want, but even on Normal, they can be a little unforgiving. WhatsApp. I’ve played some levels that literally took less than a minute to complete, and I’ve played some that have taken much, much longer than that to overcome. It's a neat idea that's been imperfectly executed, but still manages to provide a few hours of head-to-head fun. Now, as of July 23rd, 2019, I no longer operate here at Xbox Tavern. Leaning on the classic shmup formula, the screen is split right down the middle. A.J. Rival Megagun is a split-screen PVP battle shmup (or shoot 'em up, shooting game, STG) where you transform into a huge boss ship - your "Mega Gunship" - to invade your opponent's screen. Want to keep up to date with the latest Xt reviews, Xt opinions and Xt content? December 20, 2018, 7:02 pm, I agree, the online would have been lovely if better populated. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. But Rival Megagun’s tandem system meant the greedy git finally had to share. I take issue with the game’s lack of depth, its desolate online component, and its inconsistent damage detection. – Online is solid as a rock if you can find a match with friends, hoping the Xbox community stuff can sort that out in the long run, cloudtavern In a nutshell, the game is a competitive shmup with an added twist. There’s a total of three modes for players to take to; Arcade, Versus, and Online. Playing Rival Megagun evokes strange feelings in players. The game’s controls are tight and responsive, and I didn’t have a problem weaving through streams of bullets. If you’re old enough, it’s going to take you back to the golden days of gaming. The best thing about the game is that players of all experience levels will find that all of the enemies are relatively easy to destroy and there’s a path out of every scary situation. Rival Megagun is a fun, frantic bullet hell game with a unique competitive mechanic. As mentioned before, these boss battles can almost mean an instant win, so more room to move around during these battles would be nice. The game was nothing if not unique. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. ... Rival Megagun Review – Having Fun with Friends. By pressing the X button (on the Xbox) an attack can be fired at the rival gunship. Twitter. Now, I’ll point out that although the campaign is indeed fun when it wants to be, the plots within are anything but. As a lifelong fan of Galaga and 1942, Rival Megagun is right up my alley. Peace! As the player shoots down enemies and builds up a combo, they’ll send over small ships to the rival’s screen, and once the combo is over the ships will launch an attack on the rival. Does this wild spin on the classic formula prove worthwhile? However, developer Spacewave Software has decided to take the shmup formula and add a competitive twist to it with Rival Megagun. The aim of the game is as straightforward as can be. That said, its aggressively fun concept, its thrilling local multiplayer, and its decent character selection, collectively makes this a fairly worthwhile shoot ’em up. Rival Megagun is a tight, accessible, and well-executed game that offers plenty of incentive to return, improve and master its play. This uncertainty is what makes Rival Megagun so compelling. Rival Megagun is a competitive split-screen vertical shmup (or shoot 'em up, shooting game, STG) where you transform into a gigantic boss ship - your ""Mega Gunship"" - to invade your opponent's screen. These allow the player to customize their ship and add new streams of bullets or other upgrades. The arcade mode serves as the game’s campaign, split into several different character-specific stories. Rival Megagun is a game meant for competitive play against real people. Rival Megagun is a distinct, exciting and considered shmup, and while it does dare to deviate from convention in a genre where compliance is celebrated, it remains authentic to the arcade form. Geeky News. When you’re in this form, you’re sent directly to your foe’s screen in an attempt to lay them to waste, once and for all. Well, there’s a few unavoidable inconsistencies that don’t make a great deal of sense, that, and some poor design issues. The kicker here is that the smaller ship will find an easier time when it comes to bobbing and weaving out of harms way, at the cost of hefty attacks; and the direct opposite for a character who has a larger, sturdier ship. ReddIt. I wish there was a bit more single player to enjoy but the experience you do get is well put together and looks & sounds fantastic. badgercommander Rival Megagun is a unique and competitive take on the shoot-'em-up genre. The retro-inspired art style is pixel-perfect, which is paired with an equally retro soundtrack. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Sudden Strike 4: European Battlefields Edition Review. Reading Time: 3 minutes. Seriously, I’m not sure what’s up with the writing here, but it’s underwhelming. Great! You’ll blast away at anything that makes its way onto your screen, collecting the odd item and building up the chance to use your specials and super form. Enemies of all shapes and sizes will attack from the top-down, and it’s your job to banish them and survive. However, there is more to Rival Megagun than it’s easy to pick up controllers when it comes to the game modes and systems some work really well, while others can use some improvements. Please enter your username or email address. Depending on how long you can survive, will determine the length of each level. The single-player is fun though a little short, but the multiplayer mode offers plenty of options for all-out shooter battles with your friends. You can also customize your load-out, but this is a tedious process that’s achieved in the options menu; via an interface that’s far from accessible and fluid. This site is not affiliated with Microsoft. Rival Megagun Review. With that said the game might not impress, let’s say, hardcore Touhou players because it does keep all of its modes approachable, which I greatly enjoyed. The setup of the game is similar to Twinkle Star Sprites, which I believe is eventually coming to Switch as a stand-alone Neo Geo Classic. 7. Rival Megagun does something different with the vertical shooter genre that I enjoyed. As for downfalls, I think the enemy variance could be improved since each match usually starts with the same enemy types, with the more advanced ones showing up later, but sadly, not all matches last that long, so you don’t see them that often. However, once you completely fill the meter, you’ll be afforded the option to transform into a devastating super form. Maciejewski (crazyaejay): Thanks for reading my review of Rival Megagun. There’s also some differences to the sizes of each character’s gunship. The competitive nature of the game, for me at least, allowed me to play with friends and introduce them to this genre, which proved to work out because after a few matches I was losing. Geeky News. I quite enjoyed the detail on show, despite there not being an abundance of it. Share. Transform into your Mega Gunship boss form to blast your rival head-on in this unique shooting game with a competitive twist. – If you noticed, throwing traps, whilst done with a combo going is different to just burning meter Click Above To Help The Site Through Purchases on CDKeys.com! They probably deserve it." The same cant be said about the generic enemy design, many of which look too similar to one another. There are a host of shoot-em-ups out there these days and some, like Rival Megagun attempt to pull you in with a twist. Playing the campaign with one character is pretty much the same as playing it with the rest. When you’re done with the campaign, unless you’ve the patience to wait for twenty minutes for an online match, you can dive into versus for some two player local competitive play. This isn’t so much of an issue on the game’s easiest setting, but switching it up to anything else is a nightmare. Facebook. The levels don’t really stand out, but they do indeed provide enough variation throughout. Although there’s plenty of options to customize the game modes, there’s not a way to add more than 2 hit points to the ship, which holds some versus games back from being longer and could prevent players for seeing other enemy types. Each of these ships is different and usually end up helping you crush your opponent to get an easy win, but it’s totally possible to beat these ships with extra bombs or just sweet piloting skills. Once you’ve done this, you’ll make your way across a handful of distinctly themed levels, with some uninteresting screens of cheesy dialogue pushing the story along. Several times did an enemy projectile brush up against my ship and cause zero damage, only for another to hit me from equal or greater distance. Rival Megagun Review. It’s hard, especially for a game with a pace as fast as this, to truly chart accuracy and precision when there’s no definitive damage consistency. Each character’s special attack varies, but some are better than others — for example: Nano’s special attack can build walls up on the rival’s screen that can almost cover their entire board, whereas Gen will only send over homing bombs that can be dodged easily. As far as vertical shooters go, Megagun’s mechanically benign. Minoria Console Review – Now for All to Enjoy, Sakura Wars Review – Flower Division, Move Out, Shovel Knight Showdown Review – A Surprisingly Enjoyable Brawler. Love to you all, Mark! I’m unable to judge the game’s online aspects due to the complete lack of a population, but I assume that at the very least, it performs on a technical basis as well as the game’s other components. 0. Gameplay features a split screen horizontal screen where players will avoid hordes of enemies and bullets while building up a meter to attack the rival player. For Spacewave Software’s first game, Rival Megagun shows that they are fully capable of creating fun and addictive games in the shmup genre. The main player occupies the left side of the screen, whereas the accompanying player (or indeed, the AI) takes to the right side of the screen. For instance, one character may have a smaller ship and come with weaker weaponry, whereas another will have a larger ship that’s more capable when it comes to damage output. Groundbreaking, no, but a worthy addition nonetheless. Describing Rival Megagun isn’t an easy task. Let’s talk some more about character capability. Rival Megagun Review (PS4) Spacewave Software Delivers a Sublime Bullet Hell Battler . Review: Rival Megagun (Nintendo Switch) 8. I do commend the decent soundtrack, however, which does well at setting the mood and the theme of the game. Each character comes with their own special weapons and mega gunship boss forms. The Story campaign can be completed in about 20 – 30 minutes, depending on the difficulty level, but the game does have unlimited continues, and you only have to defeat your rival once before moving on to the next so this short of a campaign is to be expected. The graphics hark back to the days of arcades and home computers with names like Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, and Acorn Archimedes. It certainly adds to the difficulty and offers for some interesting online opportunities. 296. SPIDER-MAN’S NEW COSTUME REVEALED IN AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #61. So then, what’s the drawback? Email. Although these combo ships aren’t tough or intimidating, they do add a layer of pressure onto the rival to watch out for them once the player is finished with their combo. The primary gameplay is a bullet hell shooter, but with a “rival” gunship on the other side of the vertically split screen also shooting enemies. Feel free to ask any questions about the game or provide feedback and I'll gladly reply. Though, as for the collision detection, I did try and factor that in, but I just couldn’t find any decent consistency :/ All in all though, it’s a lot of fun when it wants to be . Share Tweet Pin It Share. By. To create this unique formula, the development team nailed the basic elements that make a shmup so timeless. This will require the player to be the first ship that puts a stop to whatever is the source of the Harvesters. You’ll always begin by selecting one of a small bundle of characters from the get-go. All this publication's reviews Rival Megagun (Switch) Review. There’s also an online mode, but after 15 minutes of waiting on PlayStation 4, I gave up trying to find a match, I think an online lobby feature would work better for this type of game on a console. Both armed with copies of the game, we delved into the single player trappings in an effort to get a slight edge over the other, and we came away with the same impressions. Rival Megagun is a surprisingly entertaining addition to the shmup genre. So, begrudgingly, he did. Rival Megagun Review. Mix. These are easy to utilize and consist of missiles and bombs that are sent onto your opponent’s screen. With that said, it’s a must to complete all of the pilot stories, since if you don’t, you’ll be left with just a cliffhanger ending! Want to keep in touch? REVIEW: ‘Rival Megagun’ is a Unique Spaceship Shooter (Switch) 01/27/2019 12/14/2020 - by majorsloth88. Howdy folks! The twist in Rival Megagun is the ability to attack your opponent, but that only goes so far.. 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