Line #4 YMMV/Einhander


1	* AccidentalAesop: The last mission of the game has you going on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against your comrades and superiors, since you survived a suicide mission where you were [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness supposed to die]]. A Website/YouTube commenter said it best: If you don't want people to commit treason, don't ask them to fight all of your enemies by themselves and then try to kill them afterward.
2	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8FHe79CV2w "Shudder"]] is generally considered the best song, but [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL17E1346C462B5C28 the whole soundtrack]] is fairly good.
3	* CultClassic: Einhander has gained quite a cult following. While it isn't as popular as [[Creator/SquareEnix SquareSoft's]] RPG works, it gained a following due to being a surprisingly good ShootEmUp that [[PlayingAgainstType isn't an RPG game]]. Yet it isn't completely forgotten as the player's ship appears as a Mirage in ''VideoGame/WorldOfFinalFantasy'', a boss in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' named "Einhander" uses its gunpod mechanic, and [[spoiler: The Schwarzgeist itself appears in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' as the Superboss for the Gummi Ship segments. One of the playable Gummi ships you can find plans for is an Endymion fighter.]]
4	* GameBreaker:
5	** The Flash, a secret unlockable gunpod, is quite simply the best weapon in the game. And once you get it, you can select it as a starter gunpod in a new game.
6	** The Grenade and Python also qualify, both arguably the most powerful gunpods in terms of damage per hit. However, the Python is shot out in a rather randomly arranged string, making it hard to hit enemies and thus AwesomeButImpractical.
7	** The Astraea Mk II. This fighter is identical to the Astraea Mk I, but has '''9999 rounds of ammo for any gunpod it picks up or starts with'''. [[DifficultButAwesome Getting this fighter is difficult]] since you need to [[NoDamageRun clear the game on hard difficulty without continuing]] (you can die multiple times without wasting a continue though). Combine that with the Flash mentioned above or the Juno, and you can tear through anything and everything with ease.
8	* NightmareFuel: The bad ending, which shows the pilot's cracked helmet and the words "Game Over" as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itf3jQNwzD8 this ominous music plays]].
9	* OlderThanTheyThink: ''Einhander'' is not [[Creator/SquareEnix Square's]] first foray into the ShootEmUp genre, that honor goes to ''VideoGame/KingsKnight''. However, Einhander is their most fondly remembered Shoot-Em-Up.
10	* ShockingMoments: At the time, nobody expected Square to create a ShootEmUp, despite their previous effort with ''King's Knight''. But quite unlike that game, this one was much more successful and more well known, even going as far as to have a boss be featured in ''Kingdom Hearts''.
11	* ThatOneAttack:
12	** Sturmvogel has a particular attack in its first phase where it fires several [[RecursiveAmmo cluster bombs]] into the air that slowly rain down. These bombs explode into a SpreadShot of 6 directions if damaged or if they hit the ground, causing tricky to avoid bullet storm regardless of whether you destroy them or not. At the same time, it also fires a dual stream of rapid bullets from its head while they're landing, making things even dicier.
13	** Sturmvogel's second phase has a particularly troublesome attack where it fires a MacrossMissileMassacre of large homing missiles. These missiles have a surprisingly high amount of HP which makes them tough to destroy and they're fired out in a rather random spread while homing in somewhat erratically, making it hard to evade.
14	** Hyperion has two forms of HomingLasers. One of which is the slower blue one that homes in consistently and relentlessly for some time, while the other is the faster red one which homes in on you, slows to a crawl for a short duration (while still homing in), then flies quickly in the direction it was moving in while attempting to curve slightly towards you. Individually, the red one isn't too hard to avoid, but the blue one is far trickier to dodge. However, the worst part is that Hyperion can and ''will'' tend to use ''both'' types together in one attack phase which becomes a huge chore to evade.
15	* ThatOneBoss: Schwarzgeist is considered the toughest boss in the game as it has one of the smallest weakspots in the game (the midsection that fires out the laser spray), a lot of health if you don't hit said weakspot, and ''several'' troublesome attacks. The orange laser spray from the midsection hits huge areas of the screen with small safe spots. The top section can fire HomingLasers, a SpreadShot, and a shot that fires more shots. The top hatch spawns a fast homing device that explodes into a SpreadShot if you destroy it (if it's right in your face, tough luck). The three "legs" all use a MacrossMissileMassacre. He also has these shield-like {{Attack Drone}}s that actively put themselves between your shots and it, have a good bit of health, fire fast lasers at you, and can even cooperate with the boss in a ReflectingLaser attack. Only the "legs", the top hatch and the shield things are destructible, and if you destroyed the top hatch, you have to face Monitor right after (which is easier but tricky, and if you die to it you have to face Schwarzgeist all over again).
16	* ThatOneLevel: The second half of stage 5, after beating the miniboss. It's so filled with enemies and bullets that if you don't destroy them in time, you'll be swamped all over!

Context YMMV / Einhander