TriggerHeart EXELICA

yeah i love smashing enemies into other enemies - its a lot of fun. easy mode is actually rather easy, so it doesn't take much effort to clear it without continuing (capture enemies and release them instantly to clear the bullets and enemies around them when things get tough)

Input lag is alright, however game lacks 4:3 resolutions, and enhanced edition exists, so i can't really fully recommend this port.

This is love wrapped up in a SHMUP.

Exelica always seems to get forgotten by even the most knowledgeable STG fans... I have no idea why! This is still, after years, my favourite shmup/danmaku shooter! (I even have the Nendoroid haha) While it doesn't look or sound like the absolute best of the best, the grappling mechanic is such a lot of fun, and I think it has quite a bit of depth and replayability. It IS a bit of a memorizer especially when attempting the no-hit run achievement (must be on Normal) but you'll constantly keep getting better at using the Anchor to keep danger away. I think it's just a very well designed and balanced shmup. Also love the character designs! The game itself supports TATE mode, though the main and setting menus will stay landscape. I'm not entirely sure why you'd get Exelica ENHANCED over this one; this one is way cheaper, also includes arrange mode, plays great and is just closest to the arcade original. Plays great on Linux/Proton too. (TIP: You can set Anchor rotation to auto-rotate in the settings! Much easier for arcade/fighting sticks.)

Perfectly fine shmup with Interesting capture mechanic, good character designs. Maybe a little overpriced, so wait for a discount.

Recommended as it’s a good game but not recommended depending on various factors. - I bought this for my Steam Deck. On my laptop it ran fine, but my Steam Deck the frame rate was incredibly slow with no way to increase it. I checked multiple avenues to see if there was a fix and couldn’t find one so I ended up refunding. This was around launch time so if there is a fix now this is a non issue - This is quite literally a port with no updates. If you aren’t expecting anything new and just want to own this on Steam then you’ll enjoy it. If you’re looking for anything new then you’ll probably want to skip.