RD 2002: Doujin/Freeware Game Reviews: Suguri

By request, here's my review of Suguri.

Suguri is a fairly popular doujin shooter with some unusual elements. You control the game's titular character ~~Shana~~ Suguri through 7 horizontal scrolling stages... actually, I'm not too sure if it's really seven. I'm just basing that on the stage select screen. I can't get past stage 2 on easy, but hey just because I can't beat it, it doesn't invalidate this review.

The background music is amazing. Technically, I'd say the tracks are on the same level as ZUN's music for the Tohou games, but I'm no music major so don't take my word for it. I just know that I love the BGM for stage 1. Graphics are excellent.

The graphics are excellent for an indy title. Suguri is a 2D sprite but the enemies, projectile effects and backgrounds are rendered in 3D.

The gameplay looks simplistic at a glance. All you do is shoot and avoid enemies and projectiles. There's a lifebar (shield, actually), so you can take more than one hit. However, when you actually sit down and play this game, it can take some getting used to. First of all, Suguri can take two different weapons with her into battle. You can change your weapons from the options menu. Each weapon has its own characteristics. The machine gun is the only reliable weapon for me so far (I've had this game for years, but never really played it much.) The beam laser is powerful, but there's a recoil time that stops your movement for a fraction of a second. Since the enemies and projectiles are always coming, this means you have to time your shots carefully to avoid taking damage yourself. Then, there's a power level gauge, which when filled, allows Suguri to perform a super shot based on the primary weapon you've chosen.

You unlock more weapons by beating stages. Suguri doesn't shoot straight forward like in standard horizontal shooters, she locks on to enemies when they enter a certain range and shoots straight at them (about mid-range based on the screen). This adds an extra level of challenge to the game, if you already don't have your hands full dodging the bullet-spamming enemies. Also, sometimes the bullets just fill the entire screen before you can kill the enemies. To equalize, buton 3 (or keyboard "C" by default) boosts Suguri forward or you can control the direction she accelerates at by using the directional keys. This allows for quick dodges and lesser damage in case you get grazed by a bullet.

There are end-level bosses with visible on-screen lifebars. The bosses are humanoid sprites just like Suguri. (Actually, they're characters from the game's fighter sequel, Acceleration of Suguri) Over-all, this game is a bit on the hard side and the controls are a bit of a challenge, but it's a nice refreshing change from the usual japanese shmup formula.