Just some more indie shmup selections that have been keeping me busy for the better part of the last month.

1. PatriotDark

A mostly traditional vertical shooter. What I like most about it is it's design. No eccentric, organic/mechanical, beast infused enemies here, just military fighter pilot styled ships and tanks. You have two ships to choose from, Suika and Moruten. Moruten has homing shots, so it's pretty much easy mode in this shooter, good for beginners.

Not much else to say about PatriotDark. It's just a nicely designed STG with tight controls and fun gameplay. A good time waster. Oh, and it's been called a doujin tribute to DoDonPachi, so that should give you more incentive to check it out.



Download PatriotDark

2. StellaVanity

When I first saw this shmup, my first thought was "Touhou smashed together with Blue Wish Resurrection visuals", and that's pretty much what this is! There are so many colorful objects on the screen at one time that it can be pretty difficult to tell apart bullet from a background object. Some might not like this, but you get used to it(I promise!).

Currently, only a trial version is available which lets you play two stages in either a Normal or Pandemonium difficulty setting. The full version will have five stages, and no release date has been set as far as I know.



Download StellaVanity

3. Diadra Empty

An arena shmup that has you battling on a rectangular battlefield against legions of weird bugs, monsters, and dragons, as well a HUGE, EPIC boss battles. DE was actually my first experience with an arena shmup, and I enjoyed it quite a lot. The ambiance achieved with the atmosphere leaves you feeling like you're flying through the clouds, and it's all backed by a very calm and soothing soundtrack. A great combination for this game.

You can fire in either direction while playing, and you can fix your position(east/west) with the A key. Z key will give you a speed boost, X is your primary shot, and your C key is your special(in some cases, must be held in to charge). After each level, you can use the gold you obtained during your play through to purchase an upgrade, such as an upgrade to your speed, shot range, or shot power. There are also a lot of different shot ranges and specials that can be unlocked and chosen before you start the game.

You can grab the trial version from the link below, and the full version can be bought from a good number of Japanese doujin shops(Tora No Ana being my favorite). It can be a bit slow from the start up, but the pace picks up before the first boss battle, and it just keeps escalating from there. Don't sleep!



Diadra Empty

4. Strike Witches STG

As the title of the game blatantly points out, it's an STG based on the Strike Witches series. I've never watched the anime yet(I intend to!) but my mate says it stays pretty true to the original material.

It's a vertical shooter, and you can choose from five different teams, with each team consisting of 2 to 3 girls from the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. What I love about this STG is how your team will, in fact, work as a team. For instance, in the first team, the first character will be the main pew-pew shooter, the second character will be firing the specials, and the third character deflects the enemies bullets with her sword. It's a gameplay mechanic I've come to really love about this game. You're also rewarded with sketches of your team members once you've beaten a stage.

Strike Witches STG, like Rozen Diadem, is a shmup that will surely please the fans of the series it's based on, but also provide the hardcore shooter fan with a fun experience. Also, loli lovers.



Download Strike Witches STG

5. Hatsune Miku STG

Something I just found recently, but it's been around for a while. Made by Ichigo-Citron, the same bros who did the Rozen Diadem Rozen Maiden tribute shmup. What is there to say about this? It's Miku related, so go play it. Complete with NicoNico mascot enemies and leek missiles. Pretty fun as a few minute time waster.



Hatsune Miku STG

This is all I have this time. Enjoy!