THIS is a Masterpiece. DoDonPachi DaiOuJou Re:Incarnation Review (Nintendo Switch, PS4). I've waited years for this moment and it has finally arrived. DoDonPachi DaiOujOu has finally received a proper port from the masters themselves, M2 Shottriggers. This is not an ordinary release. This isn't just a rom slapped on a laggy emulator shipped out with no features or reason to buy other than collecting a game you've been emulating for years. Unlike other devs, M2 not only compete with the performance of unlicensed emulation, but they also add in meaningful features that you simply cannot get with unlicensed emulation, or even with original hardware. They are the gold standard and they absolutely do not disappoint with this release.
For those new to the genre, Dodonpachi DaiOuJou is arguably the greatest shmup ever made. I would say that it is, but the top 5 of the genre are stiff competition, so it's at least very safe in that tier. In this review I not only sing to the choir of the genre, who are probably pretty familiar with DOJ, but I really try to explain for newer players or outsiders to the genre what makes this game a real masterpiece (and not just the flavor of the month), it's interesting overlaps with the anime masterpiece Ghost in the Shell (1995), and why it's influence and design continue to endure over the years.
This review is massive and covers topics like the game's striking visuals, iconic music, awesome cyberpunk aesthetic, enemy design, background design, color pallet, survival balance, difficulty curve, scoring system, snowballing, boss battles, input lag on PS4/PS5 and Nintendo Switch, training features, leader boards, board variants (White Label, Black Label, Grey Label), dynamic difficulty (rank), gadgets, art, and take an in depth look at the new arrange modes, and much more!
If you want to get this game, which I strongly recommend, you can get it on the Japanese eshop or PSN. It's on Nintendo Switch and PS4/PS5, though I strongly recommend the PS4/PS5 version for the lower input lag, extra save states, and more competitive leader boards.
