(11/6/2014 - 11/12/2014) Game of the Week: Shapeshifter

[SamIAm]

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November 6 - November 12: Shapeshifter
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(chosen by mishran)

Sorry for the delay. Believe it or not, I took a vacation last week, then I had a bunch of work to do, then I got sick.

Anyway, I had no idea about Shapeshifter before it came up. It looks like a lot of fun, though, like a freaky version of Legendary Axe. Did anyone own this back when it came out?

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GOTW Schedule:
1. 9/10/2014 - 9/16/2014: Bonk's Revenge (johnnykonami)
2. 9/18/2014 - 9/24/2014: Splash Lake (nullity)
3. 9/25/2014 - 10/1/2014: Gekisha Boy (owlnonymous)
4. 10/2/2014 - 10/8/2014: Parasol Stars (mitsuman)
5. 10/9/2014 - 10/15/2014: Bomberman '93 (_joshuaTurbo)
6. 10/16/2014 - 10/22/2014: Monster Lair (neutopia6)
7. 10/23/2014 - 10/29/2014: Salamander (lukester)
8. 11/6/2014 - 11/12/2014: Shapeshifter (Mishran)
9. 11/13/2014 - 11/19/2014: Download (cabbage)
10. 11/20/2014 - 11/26/2014: Final Zone II (Punch)
11. 11/27/2014 - 12/4-2014: Atlantean (Arkhan)
12. 12/5/2014 - 12/11/2014: Hatris (Necromancer)
13. 12/12/2014 -12/18/2014: Yo Bro (wildfruit)
14. 12/19/2014 - 12/25/2014: Keith Courage (seieienbu)
15. 12/26/2014 - 1/1/2015: Gunboat (nullity) 
16. 1/2/2015 - 1/7/2015: Genpei Toumaden (lukester)

Previous Games:
January 15-21: Battle Royale (TheClash603)
January 22-28: Drop Off/Drop Rock (esteban)
January 29-February 4: Bonk's Adventure (roflmao)
February 5-11: Silent Debuggers (vestcoat)
February 12-18: Somer Assault (BigusSchmuck)
February 19-25: Splatterhouse (FiftyQuid)
February 26-March 4: Bloody Wolf (Jibbajaba)
March 5-11: The Lost Sunheart (Gogan)
March 12-18: Sapphire (BlueBMW)
March 19-25: Energy (PunkicCyborg)
March 26-April 1: Air Zonk (_joshuaTurbo)
April 2-8: Veigues Tactical Gladiator (Punch)
April 9-15: 1943 Kai (lukester)
April 16-22: Lords of Thunder (munchiaz)
April 23-29: Ninja Spirit (csgx1)
April 30 - May 6: Bomberman (SamIAm)
May 7 - May 13: Pyramid Plunder (Black Tiger)
May 14 - May 20: Galaga 90' (nullity)
May 22 - May 28: JJ and Jeff (geise)
May 29 - June 4: The Legendary Axe (Damon Plus)
June 5 - June 11: The Legendary Axe 2 (galam)
June 12 - June 18: Aero Blasters (Phase)
June 19 - June 25: Star Parodier (Inframan)
June 26 - July 2: Alien Crush (synbiosfan)
July 3 - July 9: Shockman (toktogul)
July 10 - July 16: Cadash (Bardoly)
July 17 - July 23: Dungeon Explorer (Gentlegamer)
July 24 - July 30: Military Madness (DarkKobold)
July 31 - August 6: Blazing Lazers (tpivette)
August 7 - August 13: Fantasy Zone (jtucci31)

Rules:
-All members are allowed one submission. When there are no further submissions, we will have a reset and everyone will be able to submit another game.
-Each game may only be submitted once.
-If you wish to retract your submission, please do so at least two weeks before your game is due. Your next submission will go to the back of the cue.
-Please don't submit games that have a high language barrier or will take too long to complete (particularly RPGs).
-Please don't submit games that are too expensive. Below $50 is best. Above $100 won't work.

[jtucci31]

Hurray! I've been waitin to play this for the GOTW. Thanks to Null who I got it from, I'll finally give it a try this weekend.

Hope your vacation went well despite the sickness that followed. Glad these are back as well.

[esteban]

I have not beaten ShapeShifter! I came close a few years ago, then got distracted by something (apricot tarts, or Jem & the Holograms or Spiral Zone). I will have to play it this weekend.

[HailingTheThings]

I have not beaten ShapeShifter! I came close a few years ago, then got distracted by something (apricot tarts, or Jem & the Holograms or Spiral Zone). I will have to play it this weekend.

Truly outrageous.

[esteban]

UPDATE: FOR THE 2 PEOPLE WHO CARE...ShapeShifter is a special game (to me) because a brief segment of the game is a SHOOT-EM-UP (I won't spoil it).

I am a sucker for any game that even flirts with the shoot-em-up genre.

I have not beaten ShapeShifter! I came close a few years ago, then got distracted by something (apricot tarts, or Jem & the Holograms or Spiral Zone). I will have to play it this weekend.

Truly outrageous.

Truly, truly.

[HailingTheThings]

I have not beaten ShapeShifter! I came close a few years ago, then got distracted by something (apricot tarts, or Jem & the Holograms or Spiral Zone). I will have to play it this weekend.

Truly outrageous.

Truly, truly.

Woah! Jem!

[esteban]

...instead of playing ShapeShifter...

[wolfman]

I spent some time with shapeshifter last night. Having some trouble figuring out the 4th boss (cat temple), but found the shmup level Esteban mentioned...

Protip: Avoid the shmup level until you can assume the proper "shape". Man or panther are not the proper shape. 

I find myself enjoying the game much more than I did the last time I played it. Jumping with the panther is a learned skill, and memorization plays a large role, too. Once you figure out how and where to jump, the frustration factor drops significantly.

Also worth mentioning are the nice graphic effects throughout this game. I always knew it had great parallax, but I'm noticing more cool stuff that I'd previously overlooked. Such as the scaling effect of toggling the top menu between "shape selection" and standard display. Lots of cool explosions/deaths in the boss battles, too. I'd heard of this game being likened to "metroidvania" but never made the connection 1st hand before. If only they had polished a few things a bit more and crafted the character controls with a bit more care, the other Iingredients for an awesome metroidvania are all here.

I had to re-read the Duomazov interview of ICOM personnel, and, like the game, I appreciated it more this time around.

http://www.thebrothersduomazov.com/2010/03/lords-of-turbo-pantheon-icoms-dave.html

The only thing that I really disliked are the final bosses. Too tough to fight imo, since all other bosses are way easier to kill...

Otherwise one of my most favourite games. I am sure I would have been thrilled by it back in the day, had the console been available in my country.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Black Tiger is probably the best guy to ask about this game, IIRC.  I think he even made a map ala Metroid, which would've been nice ingame, but, ah well.  I did beat the game, but I used cheats, it's tough & brutal.  One place to save(& 1 save file) really keeps it difficult!

[Keith Courage]

I thought this game was awesome when I bought it at the age of 14 or 15. I'll have to revisit it at some point and see if I still enjoy it. The gameplay, music, and graphic artwork look very original to me. Oh, and yes I did finish the game.

[Black Tiger]

SotN/NitM-style map:

http://superpcenginegrafx.net/img/shapeshiftermap.jpg



Detailed walkthrough with maps:

http://superpcenginegrafx.net/misc/shapeshifter.txt

[HailingTheThings]

The boss in the underwater city is pissing me off. >•<

I'm eating a green jello cube tonight.

Taking your frustration with the game out on your diet is not gonna get you into that new midnight blue size 4 dress any sooner, honey.

<3

[wolfman]

SotN/NitM-style map:

http://superpcenginegrafx.net/img/shapeshiftermap.jpg



Detailed walkthrough with maps:

http://superpcenginegrafx.net/misc/shapeshifter.txt

Neato! 

[_joshuaTurbo]

Note: Backup all save data prior to starting a new game.  !!!

[jtucci31]

Note: Backup all save data prior to starting a new game.  !!!

Is this one of those games that screws with my save files on my Duo R? If so, I'm very happy I have a Tennokoe Bank