M-KAI began his game development life on the MSX with RPG Izumic Ballade, before moving into the shoot-em-up arena with Kanzen Kouryaku Kyokugen and Pleasure Hearts. The distinct design hallmarks of these early works — leaning toward lightweight, unpretentious fun — have remained present throughout his commitment to the genre.
Qute Corporation released the Wonderwitch in 2000, a game development device for Bandai’s Japan-only WonderSwan handheld. To encourage sales, a software coding competition was held with a 500,000 Yen cash prize and the promise of a commercially published game. M-KAI’s Judgement Silversword — a vertical scrolling shoot-em-up — took the crown, thus beginning a long-term collaboration with Qute to produce his future games.
To understand Eschatos’ heritage means examining Judgement Silversword and its sister title, Cardinal Sins. Standing tall as bonus extras on the opening selection screen of this Switch release (as they did in the Japan-only Xbox 360 release back in 2011), they’re so utterly brilliant, that, to the right parties, they could justifiably command a release all of their own. Moving at breakneck pace, they constantly evolve with music and motion, enemy formations and life drops; tied together with a simple array of weaponry and dazzling explosions. Cardinal Sins introduces quick-fire rounds based on the Seven Deadly Sins, implementing different rules and play styles for each. Sloth, for example, doles out extra lives constantly, but one misplaced shot and the icon is easily destroyed; while Gluttony is geared around hoovering up shiny gold point icons from converted enemies.
Eschatos takes the blueprint of these WonderSwan entries and revs into a higher gear. It uses the same design tenets, the same uncluttered, unbroken cavalcade of ideas, and brings them to dazzling fruition. A direct descendant of M-KAI’s WonderSwan projects — and to the keen historian his MSX works, too — it retains the underpinnings of rampant, untethered action, while transporting the material into a 3D field.
Structurally, everything still operates on a 2D plane, but Eschatos cleverly uses 3D to elevate its dynamic range. This is achieved by utilising the camera in ways not many shoot-em-ups ever have, moving around your ship to create unique perspectives, sweeping segues into new terrain, and drawing back to cinematically impose giant adversaries spewing lasers at a miniature craft. It’s a risk, frankly, to toy with the genre in such a way. It can — as seen in titles like Silpheed or Nanostray — hamper accuracy and spacial positioning at critical junctures; yet Eschatos pulls it off with extraordinary aplomb. Rather than confuse or constrict, the movements of the camera create an increased sense of dimension in a game already moving like a gale-force wind. That said, it’s not an exact science: the occasional odd angle can confuse, forcing you to adjust quickly lest get caught out by lasers or scenery collisions — but on the whole it works far better than it rightly should.
M-KAI stated that he dislikes increasingly complex scoring systems bogging down the modern shmup. Eschatos, then, puts less into scoring and more into raw intensity. Despite this energy, it maintains the same ease of entry for newcomers as its WonderSwan predecessors. A brisk 30 minutes in length, it positions itself as a rollercoaster ride: a constantly soaring, ever morphing series of events not punctuated by set stages, but instead just one long, explosive race against an onslaught of minibosses and giant motherships. As it travels from land, through the clouds, and into space, it achieves an inspired sense of journey on par with Taito’s Layer Section.
The faster you dispatch enemy formations increases your score and allows something for leaderboard diehards to work toward. Extra lives drop regularly to keep you motivated, and your ship commands a straight shot, a wide shot, and a shield that can be deployed at will. Neither Bullet Hell nor traditional shoot-em-up, but instead landing somewhere in between, the core of Eschatos is how straightforward it is to pick up and play. There are no power-ups to worry about, and flitting between shot types to negotiate encroaching enemies and missiles is all the strategy you need. When incoming bullets become too dense, your shield — able to soak up a generous amount of fire before needing time to regenerate — allows you to comfortably push through; while frequent item drops can be tactically pinged to erase on-screen bullets and popcorn enemies.
Your alien adversaries walk the line between 1950s, B-movie-styled flying saucers, and typical Japanese tech armada. It makes for an unusual aesthetic; colourful and slightly cartoony, but bringing with it a sense of levity that suits the action perfectly. You become so at ease with its colourful orbs, spheres, ovals, and reckless use of the colour purple, that its graphical characteristics become quite enchanting.
Commit to the game long enough and it cleverly rations out continues, ensuring you need to actually play it and improve before you can see the whole thing through. By the time you’ve managed that, you will be unlocking option screen bonuses that dole out game parameter adjustments, wallpaper, and other little rewards.
Special mention must go to the exemplary score by Yousuke Yasui, who also worked on the Dreamcast’s Under Defeat. His upbeat, long-form soundtrack is married perfectly to the game’s pace and flow; an inspired, toe-tapping buzz that captures a sense of the old-school with its dreamy synth and punchy arcade ditties.
Eschatos is a culmination, of sorts, of everything M-KAI (and long-time collaborator Mach) strove to achieve with the shoot-em-up medium. It offers purity in a genre that often muddies itself with complex frippery. It initially seems relentless, demanding, and near out of control, hammering you with ever-changing enemy formations, lasers, and bullet showers; smartly disguising the fact that it’s an exercise in design harmony that doesn’t require an education to get into. At heart, it’s still an '80s Famicom game, just reengineered in such a way that you’ve never played anything quite like it. And, when you’re in the midst of its maelstrom and it seems like it’s never going to let up, when it does finally end it seems altogether too soon.
For all its virtues of simplicity, spun together with such exciting, action-packed spectacle, many point to it as the best shoot-em-up in recent decades — but it isn’t quite fair to hand it that distinction. Superb, certainly, but there are still levels of detail and depth in titles like G-Darius HD or Ketsui Deathtiny that hold their own on entirely different terms. While its thrilling, unique, fat-free gaming experience is like little else, there are some who may still prefer a little more to chew on.
That said, with three titles that stand toe-to-toe in stature, and an all-new Eschatos ‘Advanced’ mode that blasts everything up a notch with power-ups and point-drop rushes, you owe it to yourself to experience what is essentially a revitalising victory for a dangerously played-out genre.
Conclusion
The ultimate M-KAI package, this three-strong historical evolution is the purest distillation of the developer’s vision for the shoot-em-up. Eschatos’ beautiful bombast will suck you in, fire up the adrenaline, and spit you back out with an instant just-one-more-go mindset. If that’s not worth diving into, why are you playing games at all?
Comments (39)
Definitely looks worth a try if the price is good. There are far too many shmups out there, so nice to see reviews like this to help sort them.
99% great review, but those last few words just seem so unnecessary. Nobody ever writes that sort of stuff about other genres, but no review from a big site ever seems complete without some sort of similar comment when it comes to shmups.
I just don't get it.
I mean, sure, we all know it's not a genre that is or likely ever will be as popular as it was back in its arcade heyday (and Eschatos isn't going to do anything to change that either), but dangerously played out? There are inventive new shmups being released constantly these days - maybe moreso than ever before. Of course, they don't get much mainstream traction, but they still keep coming and I don't understand why so many are unable to resist including some little dig at the genre, especially when it's done under false pretences.
(Sorry, I know that's a bit of a long ramble over just a couple of words in an otherwise glowing review, but this isn't the first time I've seen something similar and it kind of grinds my gears.)
"If you’re only after deep and detailed scoring, it might not be your thing"
these cons that could just as easily be joys dont really belong in the cons column if you ask me. why not just phrase it as a joy? you already did in the body of the review:
"The distinct design hallmarks of these early works — leaning toward lightweight, unpretentious fun — have remained present throughout his commitment to the genre."
sounds like a joy to me! ☺️ cant wait to finally play this!
Nice review.
What a SHMUP. this is. One of the Switch's very best and being the huge fan of the genre that I am, I don't say that lightly. It gets a 10/10 from me.
@riccyjay
i agree completely! why cant we just LOVE this genre without a caveat?
how many driving games are there? how many gun games? sword games? IMO shmups are no more played out than those genres and they were more challenging, interesting and beautiful to begin with.
its not like this is a new thing, either. similar nonsense was said about raiden project in the early PSX days, going on 30 years ago!
"its not 3D or anything but its cool if YOU like it..."
Why did it cost more than the HAMSTER games though? If it dropped to $5 I may pick it up. Also Cardinal Sins (sounds like Cardinal Syn)? Huh I must had thought of the wrong game.
@Specter_of-the_OLED it's worth every penny. Trust me. I can't stop playing it since day one. One of the best shmups in switch library.
A few days ago they updated the "best shmups on switch" list and my first thought was "where is Eschatos?". Now i understand why. Because they were still reviewing it.
This one is a lot of fun! A must have for shmups fans and a real treat for people who like action games in general. The addition of the 2 mobile prequels is a very nice feature as well.
@riccyjay every genre is 'played out' in reality so why do they single out shoot em ups?
If anything, the genre is going through something of a big renaissance right now.
Waiting to hear about a physical before I buy
@TomMassey - I really want this! Do you or does anyone know if there is a Flip Grip the OLED Switch?
The camera can be a real problem with this game. Having a solid grasp of your position and the play space around you is vital in shmups, and this is the first one I've played in a long time that really feels like it screws that up. I feel like the score should have been dropped a couple more points just based on that alone.
@Specter_of-the_OLED The Hamster games are straight ports of Arcade games from the 80's/90's, where as this is a port of an Xbox 360 game from 2011 that was only released in Japan. Includes 3 different modes to play, one of which is brand new. On top of that, it includes 2 earlier shmups from the same developer as well as a progression system that unlocks various stuff the more you play. The whole package is incredible and can't really be compared to the Hamster releases in any way, shape or form. It's like saying Mario 3D All-Stars should cost the same as VS Super Mario Bros.
Great game purchased last week !!
A 9 for this? What a twist.
Nooo i really didn't want to buy a new game right now, my backlog is absurd (as I'm sure is true for many). This was really looking interesting to me, & now I'll probably have to buy it. 😥
@jarvismp
Sorry buddy, I've got no idea if there's a Flip Grip or similar for the OLED Switch, but I'm sure it would be a popular device if someone brought one to market. If all else fails, 3D printing actually works excellently for this kind of thing.
@-wc- other genres that were around at the dawn of the gaming era have evolved so much in many ways (driving, fighting, etc). It would seem to me that SHMUP gene has always been pretty much the same, dodge bullets on a 2D plane. Ofc, I'm not a diehard fan if the genre, so this is just a guess from someone who enjoys maybe 1 or 2 games in this genre per generation.
@Specter_of-the_OLED it sounds like it has 3 full games in it, right? The hamster games are usually just 1 older emulated game with nothing new to the gameplay, only the quality of life portions (save states, rewind, etc). That's my guess on the cost.
@Tom-Massey Nice one! Cheers.
The soundtrack of this game is absolutely NUTTY
@X68000 @-wc- @riccyjay
Fellas, you're making me commit a cardinal sin of my own here by making me reply in a comments section, but for the sake of clarity, I'm the last person looking to offend my favourite videogame genre. Perhaps the phrasing didn't land right, but the idea was to put emphasis on just how unique Eschatos is.
Someone mentioned shmups going through a 'renaissance', but honestly, they've been going through a renaissance for the last two decades. It's always been an active genre, from X360 to PS4, and now Switch - but the format of most shmups tends to be essentially the same: either danmaku or... not danmaku.
Great as something like Fantasy Cotton is - as a recent example - it's still a shmup in a format we're all very familiar with, and it's fairly rare to see something as original as Project Starship X or Radirgy (also a pretty old series) flipping the medium on its head.
Many of the Shmups appearing on current-gen are anywhere between 10 - 20 years old now (Even Eschatos has hit a ripe old 11), and what's new tends to revisit well-established formulas with new patterns and the occasional juggling of mechanics.
I didn't mean to infer anything derogatory at all by the phrase "dangerously played-out", and if that's the way it came across, I sincerely apologise. I write for mainstream sites, but if you check my portfolio I'm anything but a typical mainstream journalist. I hoped, considering the degree to which I gargled Eschatos' balls in this review, as well as taking time to map out its heritage, that that would be communicated better.
Anyway, genuinely sorry again if you felt I was dissing the majestic shooting game, I'll be more attentive to my wording on the next one!
https://muckrack.com/tom-massey-2
@jarvismp From what I've read, the creator of the Flip Grip is working on a new version for the OLED.
@Tom-Massey
no apology necessary! i think ultimately we (or I, speaking for myself) knew what you meant in this case, but the sentiment broadly is pretty common and has been for so long its become a cliche.
thanks for clarifying in any case!
@OorWullie Excellent to hear! Cheers.
Neither bullet-hell nor traditional shooter... Based on what I read in the review this sounds like a vertical shooter I can manage. I may have to go ahead and wish list this.
Yeah a lot of my favorite games end up being bullet hells...I love them but at the same time they frustrate me. Like, even on the EASIEST difficulty (not the training one or whatever where you can't die of course, lol) there are plenty of time where I'll still die constantly. lol
Also, how many homing weapons does this game have, because those are always my favorite. lol
Like, in Raiden V there's an alternate plasma weapon where you fire multiple shots that go after enemies. Ended up loving that over the classic and basic purple laser. xD
@Tom-Massey
Appreciate the response, Tom. And no need to apologise at all - I don't think the comment goes so far as to come across as derogatory. In fact, I think it's almost precisely because your review is so good - in both the sense of being ball-gargingly (lol) positive about the game and of being well-written with an understanding of and ability to explain the game's place in the genre and specific reasons why it's so unique - that that final comment stuck out.
And, while I do get the idea that most shmups today are not pushing the boat out, I don't think the majority ever were (think of the ratio of tired military shooters in the late-80's / early-90's to actual classics) - but nor were or are the majority of games in any other genre. As someone said earlier, most racing games are just racing games, most platformers are just platformers. True originals are few and far between, not just in the various genres of video games, but in movies, music, books etc too.
Also, it's not so much the single comment in this article on its own that frustrates me as much as it is the near ubiquity of something similar in so many shmup reviews - especially when taken in tandem with its absence from reviews of almost every other genre.
Overall though, I have to say, I'm far more pleased to see this game getting reviewed on a big site like Nintendo Life (who, by the way, I think do an incredible job in keeping on top of shmup news and reviews etc) by someone who clearly knows what they're talking about than I am in any way bothered by a very short comment at the end.
@Joeynator3000 I ALWAYS go for homing weapons. It's cheesy, of course, but they're always fun to play and I can focus on staying out of harm's way. I'm not the greatest shmupper and I'll take a cheesy weapon if it helps me stay alive.
Eschatos sounds right up my alley, and it's already been recommended to me. I think I'll be buying it soon. Hype intensifies...
@riccyjay If anything, Metroidvania is severely played out, week after week of weak release (lol). Shmups are coming out like candy, and they almost all taste great. There's an important saying I live by:
"You can never have enough shmups in your gaming library."
-Sun Tzu, 1964
@FishyS This is literally one of the best of any system. Irrespective of price it's an essential purchase.
@riccyjay @-wc-
Thanks to you both for your responses, I appreciate your understanding.
Hmmm... This sounds pretty fantastic, so I just might have to get it so I'll finally have an excuse to buy a Flip Grip. Then I'll regret it when I end up buying 30 other shmups on my Switch that I've been holding off on and never finish another game again.
@kurtasbestos Welcome to the World of Backloggery, where you will never finish your backlog and learn to be content with never being content.
@Kilroy To be fair, I've been in the World of Backloggery since... hmmm... probably since when I was in college and in danger of not being able to graduate and I finally learned how to prioritize other things over video games in my life. I kind of miss not having responsibilities.
@kurtasbestos 100% agree! I had to stop playing OG Diablo II if I wanted to continue college, lol.
Coincidentally, I got a chance to try Pleasure Hearts recently, and I absolutely loved it. I'll definitely be picking up Eschatos, and hoping for a port of Pleasure Hearts someday, too!
@JJtheTexan I just popped back in to see if there were any new comments and saw yours. Just watched some gameplay of Pleasure Hearts there, it looks really fun. I hope for a port of it too. Eschatos is the very definition of fun. I actually now reckon it could be my favourite SHMUP of all time. I own around 100 of them on Switch and Eschatos has jumped to the very top of the pile. Amazing stuff.
@OorWullie I got to play Pleasure Hearts on original hardware - an MSX2 PC from Japan! It is an astonishing game — it does things that should not be possible on a machine that was just slightly more powerful than a Famicom / NES. It's a lot of fun, too! The developer released it for free online, so if you ever want to try it, just download it and find an MSX emulator.
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