History VideoGame / Ikaruga

[[quoteright:111:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/IkarugaWhite_753.png]]

''Ikaruga'' is a modernized take on the "BulletHell" school of [[ShootEmUp Shoot 'em Ups]], developed by Creator/{{Treasure}}. It's widely regarded as one of the best examples of the genre, and a SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun''.

* ArtifactOfDoom: The PostFinalBoss

* BossInMookClothing: Subverted in Chapter 5 with the huge ships that fire massive sprays of bullets...except the bullets are all in ''one color'', allowing you to safely rapidly soak up bullets for a counterattack.

* BottomlessMagazines: Averted in the console-exclusive Prototype Mode. Firing a shot uses one bullet, and firing your HomingLasers uses 120. [[EmergencyWeapon If you run out of bullets you'll be downgraded to a short-range attack.]] Bullets can be replenished by absorbing enemy bullets, and you can store up to 999 bullets.

** Though this game allows you to fly straight into enemy attacks so long as your color matches what's being shot at you. The real trick is knowing how to flow seamlessly between the polarities in times when both colors are staggeringly close to one another (you might be absorbing a black laser but as you are, tiny white globs are making their way towards your ship and you need to figure out how to either dodge them or safely switch polarities without getting yourself blown up by the black laser).
* CastFromHitPoints: Simply piloting the Ikaruga and Ginkei prematurely ages the pilots' brain cells.

* ComputerVoice: The Ikaruga and Ginkei fighters. Their voice is somewhat hard to comprehend though especially during the epilogue.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Treasure somehow took the incredible bleakness of ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'' and make it darker, in particular with the nearly monochrome watercolor artwork and dysfunctional heroes. However, [[spoiler:it has a LighterAndSofter ending.]]

* EvilAllAlong: The [[spoiler:Stone-Like]], in contrast to its BlueAndOrangeMorality nature in VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun, is shown to be downright evil here, being the driving factor that motivates the Horai to begin their conquest of the world in the first place.

* HeelFaceTurn / DefeatMeansFriendship: Shinra is attacked by Kagari in the prologue. After he defeats her ''and'' stops her from committing suicide, she decides to help him out instead.
* HitboxDissonance: Knowing the exact position of your hitbox is vital to getting the Dot Eater! rank. You have to be very precise in your positioning in order to get past walls, blocks, and enemies you're normally suppose to shoot to safely progress.

** Inverted with the [[spoiler: [[PostFinalBoss Stone-Like]], which is destroyed by the last volleys from your ships after your own self-destruct.]]

* LighterAndSofter: {{Reconstruct|ion}}ed [[DeconReconSwitch in a way]]. The story is somewhat more positive in tone, and ends with [[spoiler:a BittersweetEnding rather than one where [[StableTimeLoop nothing]] [[ShootTheShaggyDog gets fixed]].]] The game is also [[SequelDifficultyDrop easier]].

* NintendoHard: Good ''Lord'', though this is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the console versions give out more credits as you log in more game time, and that even on the harder difficulties, it is relatively tame when compared to its predecessor, ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun''. Good luck unlocking most of the secret content though, which usually requires 1-credit clears of different game modes.

* ObiWanMoment: From the [[spoiler:Ikaruga]] right after [[spoiler:its restraining device is turned off.]]

* PowerLimiter: The Ikaruga and Ginkei have these to prevent their ships from blowing up from storing too much excess power. [[spoiler: Turning this off allows the pilot(s) to use the DangerousForbiddenTechnique and destroy the final boss in a HeroicSacrifice.]]

* RuleOfSymbolism: The chapter titles—Ideal, Trial, Faith, Reality and Metempsychosis—represent Man's struggle towards enlightenment, with the aura-enveloped Ikaruga craft symbolising the human soul. Apparently.
* ScoringPoints: The game uses ''RSG''[='=]s chaining system, but with a few twists to make it more beginner friendly: After every three enemies you are allowed to change enemy color, and the chain bonus maxes out sooner at 25,600 points for your 9th chain and above, meaning screwing up once won't completely wreck your score. Additionally, since scoring is not tied to your ship's firepower, it is possible to complete the game in a reasonable timeframe without any regard to scoring.
* SeeminglyHopelessBossFight: After defeating Tageri, [[spoiler:the Stone-Like emerges from the remains]] and attacks you with several different patterns of bullets for 60 seconds. You can't even shoot, much less damage it. After you dodge and absorb the BulletHell, your ship [[spoiler:performs a HeroicSacrifice BeamSpam with the energy charged up during that time. Shinra [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascends to a higher plane of existence]] according to the storyline in the Japanese version.]]

** SpiritualAntithesis: Simultaneously. Silvergun featured a large assort of weapons and power-ups, Ikaruga only has fewer simple weapons. Silvergun ''requires'' learning how to score in order to keep weapons powered up, but Ikaruga can be reliably completed without learning how to score and in fact recognizes {{Pacifist Run}}s. Silvergun has a bright, colorful environment and anime-esque cutscenes, Ikaruga's confined mostly to red/blacks and white/blues and uses much more realistic character designs. Silvergun's story starts comical but swiftly becomes an impossible struggle against an omnipotent godlike entity [[spoiler: which ends with everyone's death and the cycle beginning anew]], Ikaruga's story starts with the sole survivor of a failed resistance movement charging off to face an unstoppable army's entire force ''alone'' [[spoiler: and ''winning'', even managing to destroy the entity from ''Silvergun'' in a DyingMomentOfAwesome.]]

* TimeLimitBoss: Every boss battle, though you don't lose if time runs out... the boss simply moves on to other, more important things, leaving you free to go on. Apparently. Eboshidori will even FacePalm[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh8UskS0Gl8&t=04m09s ]]!

* YinYangBomb

Released as an arcade game (using the Sega NAOMI platform) and on the [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast Dreamcast]] in Japan in 2001, it was later ported to the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] around the world in 2003. In 2008, it was ported to UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} via UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade. In 2013, a port of the game was released for {{Android|Games}} smartphones. A Windows PC port based on the Xbox 360 version of ''Ikaruga'' was [[http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=183195387 greenlit]] for UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, and consequently released on February 18, 2014.

* LighterAndSofter: The story is somewhat more positive in tone, and ends with [[spoiler:a BittersweetEnding rather than one where [[StableTimeLoop nothing]] [[ShootTheShaggyDog gets fixed]].]] The game is also [[SequelDifficultyDrop easier]].

* MisbegottenMultiplayerMode: 2-player mode is overall a worse experience than 1-player. First, players don't overlap each other's ships, they will push one another, potentially into an object and killing each other. Second, ''Ikaruga''[='=]s scoring heavily emphasizes precision shooting, and chains are separated by player, meaning that both players will have a very difficult time trying to score well due to accidentally [[{{Griefer}} or others]] shooting each other's targets.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Treasure somehow took the incredible bleakness of ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'' and make it darker, in particular with the nearly monochrome watercolor artwork and dysfunctional heroes. However, this game comes up as a {{Reconstruction}} of the LighterAndSofter trope (see below).

* LighterAndSofter: {{Reconstruct|ion}}ed, compared to ''Radiant Silvergun''. The story is somewhat more positive in tone, and ends with [[spoiler:a BittersweetEnding rather than one where [[StableTimeLoop nothing]] [[ShootTheShaggyDog gets fixed]].]] The game is also [[SequelDifficultyDrop easier]].

** BiggerBad: The PostFinalBoss

* PyrrhicVictory: Shinra and Kagari [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu destroy the Stone-Like]], breaking the cycle from ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'', but [[spoiler:[[TheHeroDies they die]] [[HeroicSacrifice in the process]]]].

* DarkerAndEdgier: Treasure somehow took the incredible bleakness of ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'' and make it darker, in particular with the nearly monochrome watercolor artwork and dysfunctional heroes.

* LighterAndSofter: Reconstructed, compared to ''Radiant Silvergun''. The story is somewhat more positive in tone, and ends with [[spoiler:a BittersweetEnding rather than one where [[StableTimeLoop nothing]] [[ShootTheShaggyDog gets fixed]].]] The game is also [[SequelDifficultyDrop easier]].

Released as an arcade game (using the Sega NAOMI platform) and on the [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast Dreamcast]] in Japan in 2001, it was later ported to the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] around the world in 2003. In 2008, it was ported to UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} via XboxLiveArcade. In 2013, a port of the game was released for {{Android|Games}} smartphones. A Windows PC port based on the Xbox 360 version of ''Ikaruga'' was [[http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=183195387 greenlit]] for UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}, and consequently released on February 18, 2014.

* LighterAndSofter: Compared to ''Radiant Silvergun''. The story is somewhat more positive in tone, and ends with [[spoiler:a BittersweetEnding rather than one where [[StableTimeLoop nothing]] [[ShootTheShaggyDog gets fixed]].]] The game is also [[SequelDifficultyDrop easier]].

'''''Ikaruga''''' is a modernized take on the "BulletHell" school of [[ShootEmUp Shoot 'em Ups]], developed by Creator/{{Treasure}}. It's widely regarded as one of the best examples of the genre, and a SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun''.

->''"[[TheDeterminator I will not die until I achieve something.]]\\
[[BulletHell Even though the]] [[NintendoHard ideal is high,]] [[StiffUpperLip I never give in.]]\\
[[HaveANiceDeath Therefore, I never die with regrets.]]"''

** SpiritualAntithesis: Simultaneously. Silvergun featured a large assort of weapons and power-ups, Ikaruga has none. Silvergun ''requires'' learning how to score in order to keep weapons powered up, but Ikaruga can be reliably completed without learning how to score and in fact recognizes {{Pacifist Run}}s. Silvergun has a bright, colorful environment and anime-esque cutscenes, Ikaruga's confined mostly to red/blacks and white/blues and uses much more realistic character designs. Silvergun's story starts comical but swiftly becomes an impossible struggle against an omnipotent godlike entity [[spoiler: which ends with everyone's death and the cycle beginning anew]], Ikaruga's story starts with the sole survivor of a failed resistance movement charging off to face an unstoppable army's entire force ''alone'' [[spoiler: and ''winning'', even managing to destroy the entity from ''Silvergun'' in a DyingMomentOfAwesome.]]

* AllThereInTheManual: In the true tradition of shoot 'em ups, the only place you will find anything remotely resembling a coherent plot for the game. And not even then, in the [=GameCube=] version.

* [[spoiler: ArtifactOfDoom: The Stone-Like.]]

* BigBad: Horai Tenro.
** BiggerBad: [[spoiler: [[VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun The Stone-Like.]]]]

* ChainReactionDestruction: A lot of of the bosses do that when killed.
* ChargedAttack: The "collect" kind. Notably, you can use the attack even if the meter isn't fully charged; you just get less homing lasers from your BeamSpam.

* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: The final attack, which involves releasing all the ship's [[PowerLimiter restraining devices]] and has a very good chance of blowing it up.

* DeathSeeker: Kagari.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Your ship's HeroicSacrifice at the end.]]
** Or BittersweetEnding. Though you will have to consider [[spoiler: the last chapter is called Metempsychosis, or "moving from one life to the next."]]
*** [[spoiler: Shinra managed to [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu destroy the Stone-Like]], breaking the cycle from ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun''.]]
* TheEmpire: The Horai.
* EternalRecurrence: Spelled out as such in the final chapter [[spoiler: and then defied with the destruction of the Stone-Like.]]

* EvilAllAlong: [[spoiler:The Stone-Like, in contrast to its BlueAndOrangeMorality nature in VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun, is shown to be downright evil here, being the driving factor that motivates the Horai to begin their conquest of the world in the first place.]]
* AGodAmI: Horai Tenro and her followers, once they found the [[ArtifactOfDoom The Power of the Gods]] and started calling themselves the Divine Ones.

* HeelFaceTurn / DefeatMeansFriendship: Kagari in the prologue.
* [[spoiler:TheHeroDies]]
* [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]]
* HitboxDissonance: Knowing the exact position of your hitbox is vital to getting the Dot Eater rank. You have to be very precise in your positioning in order to get past walls, blocks, and enemies you're normally suppose to shoot to safely progress.
* HoldTheLine: [[spoiler:Just like ''Radiant Silvergun'', the PostFinalBoss disables your weapons. The only objective is to survive for 60 seconds.]]
* HopelessBossFight: [[spoiler:After defeating Tageri, the Stone-Like appears and attacks you with several different patterns of bullets for 60 seconds. You can't even shoot, much less damage it. After you dodge and absorb the BulletHell, the Ikaruga performs a HeroicSacrifice with the energy charged up during that time. Shinra [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascends to a higher plane of existence]] according to the storyline in the Japanese version.]]

* OneHitPointWonder

* PowerLimiter: The Ikaruga and Ginkei have these to prevent their ships from blowing themselves up with excess power. [[spoiler: Turning this off allows the pilot(s) to use the DangerousForbiddenTechnique and destroy the final boss in a HeroicSacrifice.]]
* PlayingTennisWithTheBoss: The final boss. Even better, the boss's health is scaled so that if you hit every return shot it'll die exactly at the end of the musical phrase.

* RuleOfSymbolism: The chapter titles- Ideal, Trial, Faith, Reality and Metempsychosis- represent Man's struggle towards enlightenment, with the aura-enveloped Ikaruga craft symbolising the human soul. Apparently.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun''. [[spoiler: The real last boss' very definitely final form, and [[AllThereInTheManual what happened to those that came across it]] is extremely similar to what happened to the researchers in ''Silvergun''.]]
** SpiritualAntithesis: Simultaneously. Silvergun featured a large assort of weapons and power-ups, Ikaruga has none. Silvergun ''requires'' learning how to score in order to keep weapons powered up, but Ikaruga can be reliably completed without learning how to score and in fact recognizes {{Pacifist Run}}s. Silvergun has a bright, colorful environment and anime-esque cutscenes, Ikaruga's confined mostly to red/blacks and white/blues and uses much more realistic character designs. Silvergun's story starts comical but swiftly becomes an impossible struggle against an omnipotent godlike entity [[spoiler: which ends with everyone's death and the cycle beginning anew]], Ikaruga's story starts with the sole survivor of a failed resistance movement charging off to face an unstoppable army's entire force ''alone'' [[spoiler: and ''winning'', even managing to destroy the entity from Silvergun in a DyingMomentOfAwesome.]]
* SuicideMission

* TimeLimitBoss: Every boss battle, though you don't lose if time runs out... the boss simply moves on to other, more important things, leaving you free to go on. Apparently. Eboshidori will even FacePalm!

* TouchedByVorlons: The ruler of the Horai was a beautiful woman who came across the [[spoiler:Stone-Like God via excavation]]. She turns into a powerful, insane old hag bent on conquest.

* BossWarningSiren: In the same vein as ''Radiant Silvergun'': "'''WARNING:''' The big enemy is approaching at full throttle. According to the data, it is identified as "Butsutekkai". ''' NO REFUGE'''"

** SpiritualAntithesis: Simultaneously. Silvergun featured a large assort of weapons and power-ups, Ikaruga has none. Silvergun has a bright, colorful environment and anime-esque cutscenes, Ikaruga's confined mostly to red/blacks and white/blues and uses much more realistic character designs. Silvergun's story starts comical but swiftly becomes an impossible struggle against an omnipotent godlike entity [[spoiler: which ends with everyone's death and the cycle beginning anew]], Ikaruga's story starts with the sole survivor of a failed resistance movement charging off to face an unstoppable army's entire force ''alone'' [[spoiler: and ''winning'', even managing to destroy the entity from Silvergun in a DyingMomentOfAwesome.]]

* Minimalism: In contrast to ''Radiant Silvergun''[='=]s complex weapon scheme and weapon levels, ''Ikaruga'' only gives you a basic rapid-fire blaster with constant firepower and a {{homing laser|s}} ChargedAttack.

Released as an arcade game (using the Sega NAOMI platform) and on the [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast Dreamcast]] in Japan in 2001, it was later ported to the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] around the world in 2003. In 2008, it was ported to UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} via XboxLiveArcade. In 2013, a port of the game was released for {{Android|Games}} smartphones. A Windows PC port based on the Xbox 360 version of ''Ikaruga'' was [[http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=183195387 greenlit]] for {{Steam}}, and consequently released on February 18, 2014.