Pixel's ガスト "Guxt"

[Necronopticous]

Pixel, the genius and minimalist Japanese programmer, independant game creator, and my personal hero, just recently released his latest game for the PC. It is a minimal top-down shmup in typical Pixel style--a few pixels wide, a few more pixels high, and of few colors. Original BGM and simplistic yet masterfully refined gameplay fuel Guxt's five levels.

It takes less than a minute to download and run. Treat yourself, you deserve it.

Support Pixel (http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA022293/).

(Direct link (http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA022293/desk.html))

[Ramza Beoulve]

That game is amazing!!!! O.O

[Necronopticous]

That's a good word for it.

[Ramza Beoulve]

That's a good word for it.Actually, I think that word don't cover what this game means. Thanks Necro!!! now I can die happy :)

[Maxico]

Oh man, this is awesome news.

However, I would really like to use my gamepad with this and it doesn't seem to be recognising it, which is strange because Cave Story worked with it just fine.

Am I missing anything in Japanese here or am I going to have to find some kind of 'Joy to Key' program?

[Necronopticous]

Apparently it does support gamepads, although I couldn't get mine to work either. The game plays fine with the keypad, though. It's no bullet-hell shmup, so you don't really need the intricate movements of a joypad or stick.

My top Score Attack score is 16650, can anyone top that? (Replay (http://www.JEREMYTIME/upload/20070714-143634-C-16650.replay))

[Zeromus_X]

Awesome, another Pixel game! Definitely going to download this.

[Maxico]

My god, if this isn't hard as nails.
I mean, I had as much trouble with the first level as I did with the entirety of Hell.

That said, I'm realling digging the limited palette style of art and it's all really well done.

I'm still yet to get past level 3, so I'll have to see about high scores when I get that far.

EDIT: The game over screen music makes up for the fact that I see it so much.

[Necronopticous]

Yeah, you've got to beat it once before you unlock Score Attack.

Some helpful advice, in case you were unaware: after you take out a boss, shoot the sockets where the eyes were for shield powerups.

[Roto13]

Maybe my computer isn't running it right or something, because I'm not enjoying this game at all.

[Necronopticous]

It's hard to get into if you don't like pleasure.

[Roto13]

Or boredom. It's too slow.

[Dreddz]

Its a pretty average shmup to be honest. I applaud the people who spend the time to make these games but for someone looking for a good shmup on the internet they might as well just emulate some of the superior console shmups.

I got something like 7000 first try when I played this last night. I hate using keyboards with shmups.

[Zante]

What the smurf? I agree with Roto, this is boring.

[Maxico]

Clearly you're all doing it wrong.

Now it's in no way a genre I'm too familar with, but I honestly havn't enjoyed a shooter this much since Fantasy Zone.
Each to his own I guess.

Also I caved in and downloaded JoytoKey. It's roughly a million times better than my laptop keyboard.

[Dreddz]

Clearly you're all doing it wrong.

So whats the right way to do it? Blindfolded?

[Markus. D]

It wasn't that spectacular to play :3... I suppose I could see how some people enjoy this though ^^~

[Necronopticous]

Like Doukutsu Monogatari before it, Guxt is a work of art. You can't go into one of Pixel's games expecting more run-of-the-mill fodder that plagues the genre he happens to be creating a game under or you'll be sorely disappointed.

I love shmups, and there is a special place in my heart for a good Cave bullet hell game, Raiden, or Strikers 1945, but Guxt isn't meant to compete or be compared to games like this because it's not an arcade game made by a team following instructions and precomposed criteria. It's a minimalist and retro art piece from a single person that embodies superb programming and software design, monochrome pixel art, sound and music design, and game design.

If you find yourself questioning the game's simplicity, or looking at it comparatively then the game is just not for you. It's a sad affair, really.

[Maxico]

monochrome pixel art

The bullets are orange to provide contrast!

I'm going to go out and agree that from a graphic design point of view this game is very slick, I think alot of people take one look at the resolution and instantly ignore all that.

[Lawr]

Thank the Heavens for my Online Translator.

[Roto13]

Art? Cute.

[Lawr]

I love this game the difficulty just makes me love it more.

[Dreddz]

Everyone is off their marbles here. Are you lot seriously trying to seperate this very bog standard shmup which brings nothing new to the genre as a piece of art? Whether you want to debate if games are art at all doesnt matter, what matters is that your making out this game to have many different layers to it than other games and that we are all blinded by its true beauty, or something like that.

All I see is a generic shmup which brings nothing new to the genre and sits very nicely with all the other average shmups. All there is to the game is dodging and shooting, which isnt very surprising as that is the general purpose of shmups. Your asking us not to compare it to other shmups but I see no reason not to as it looks and plays like them, just doesnt stand up to them in the quality department.

[Karellen]

I agree with Dreddz. It's a neat little game and all and I'm impressed that one guy managed to make it all on his own but I really don't understand why people think it's anything special.

[Maxico]

It's a neat little game and all and I'm impressed that one guy managed to make it all on his own...

This is from the guy who made Cave Story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_story), a massive game that easily rivals any comparable game made during the 16-bit era.

This comparatively, is a significantly smaller game.

As for Dreddz, I'm not going to touch on Necronopticous's claim of art, I am however going to say that it's a beautiful game asthetically, and very well designed.

[Roto13]

If this is from the guy who made Cave Story, I'm even more disappointed because Cave Story is a great game.

[Marshall Banana]

It's cute and a lot of fun.

[Rengori]

Bored.

[Zeromus_X]

This game is beautiful and all, but I can't get past the first level. :/ Heh, I'm not cut out for 'shmups'.

[Marshall Banana]

I feel your pain. I didn't get past the first level until an hour after I started playing!

[Necronopticous]

Keep trying!

[Deborah]

I also keep trying and can't get past the first level...Eh..but I'm bad at games. :(

[Brennan]

Sweet game!
Pixel is awesome!

[Necronopticous]

New high score 17580 (Replay (http://www.JEREMYTIME/upload/20070720-170129-C-17580.replay))

[Diptera]

Guxt High Score: 18220 (replay (http://diptera.transtagonist.org/file/etc/20070802-215004-C-18220.replay))

Is it rude of me to sign up at this forum just to discuss this thread?

[Necronopticous]

No. You're the man.

[Necronopticous]

New high score 17810 (Replay (http://www.JEREMYTIME/upload/20070805-145820-C-17810.replay))

It was a pretty good run, I did lots of cool risky stuff and I didn't ever get hit, except after the final boss, purposely.

Still have yet to best that 18220. That's a very respectable score.

When I first started playing Guxt I somehow got a green onion looking bonus on stage two from one of the large asteroids worth 200 points like the Ikachan from the first stage. I still can't figure out what the conditions are for getting this bonus, and I haven't seen it since that one time. Can't seem to find any information on it.

[Diptera]

For all those who are interested in Guxt high scores and strategy tactics via replay files, you may be interested to know that I've been given Pixel's "OK" to make a high score page -- that is, assuming that I understood his Japanese well enough, and he mine.

The page is really simple, and pretty much done; I'm just waiting for some feedback from certain individuals. I will release the location once it's been double-checked.

[Necronopticous]

New version 1.020 available.

Looks like this is the final version.

[Diptera]

Hey guys -

I made that high score page. There's nothing there right now, but soon it will be filled with replay files (hopefully). If you're proud of either your score or your replay, email it to hiscore@codroid.com with your name/alias and website (if applicable).

Necronopticous, I know you've got one for me.
*_*

Check back soon at http://hiscore.codroid.com/
Thanks.