I Played Ikaruga EVERY DAY for a YEAR and all I got was this video essay

[@BoredomStride]

Similar to a good few other comments, came here from the Jimmy McGee video. Thank you for making this video, it's genuinely pretty motivating for me. I've been trying to make art, but I've always been scared to actually go for it. I guess if any video was going to make me feel like truly going for it, I should've guessed it'd be the one about one Baphomet's journey with a hard as hell shmup. Which I now think I have to play. Thank you, Phirmth!

[@phirmth]

YO, thank you so so so much, it's been great hearing everybody's responses and how much people enjoy the video but to think that I might have actually inspired someone? Absolutely crazy to me. The fact that you might actually consider playing Ikaruga too really just... this comment is more than I could have hoped to hear. Enjoy your journey, both in the 'ruga and in the art. Sometimes it really is nice to just do things for the sake of having said you did it.

[@matthewchovance4484]

i watched some s++ gameplay. what the fuck they make it look so calm@@phirmth

[@phirmth]

@@matthewchovance4484 RIGHT? It's ACTUAL art

[@dorjedriftwood2731]

Lived experience is cringe, anecdotes… an anecdote from a blind person, a personal account, please don’t mock the literary sins of snooty college students who are professionally offended. I mean you can if you want to sound like them.

[@phirmth]

@@dorjedriftwood2731 bro what

[@recorderdude]

Colorblind Ikaruga-Lover here. Never had a single issue separating the colors - it's the gold standard. Radiant Silvergun's color chains mess me up sometimes tho.

[@phirmth]

GOD it always makes me so happy to hear from people on this, and I'm glad Ikaruga holds up in that respect too!

[@bjp4869]

"He's not regret. And you know what, neither am I." Literally the perfect words to end this thing, 10/10

[@phirmth]

THANK YOU I've been sitting on that one for a MINUTE

[@whiteingale]

Ikagura is the good game of the Dreamcast, might be the best game if not for Portal 2 being the top game. Good luck.

[@AverySadBear]

"Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die." - Mary Elizabeth Frye.

[@phirmth]

Consequently, machine-gun fire is unable

[@Electrosa]

I absolutely refuse to believe that you don't know anything about Ikaruga's plot (or, by extension, Radiant Silvergun) and yet still summed up the literal exact moral word-for-word in your "progress through futility" section. I am not exaggerating when I say that by putting yourself to this challenge, you truly and literally lived the message of Ikaruga.

[@phirmth]

I mean… I know that the ship’s name is the Ikaruga? And that they like, make it in some village? There’s like a bad guy and he’s taken over the world or some shit and then we hop into our ship to be a freedom fightman? I feel like I’ve just described most games with that tho lol. And no I’m not joking, this is the full extent of my understanding of the game’s plot.

[@Electrosa]

@@phirmth To be fair to you, I was exaggerating my disbelief for effect in my comment x) Because, to be REALLY fair to you, accessing the entire story and ramifications behind Ikaruga's world is not easy. That butchered translation is just the start of it; you have to not only play Radiant Silvergun, but get the true ending there to have even a shred of context for Ikaruga. I don't want to spoil you on that, so I'll just reiterate that your philosophical and existential experience with Ikaruga is the purest expression of the game! (Also, your essay was incredible. I enjoyed it so much as a massive RS/Ikaruga nerd, and I genuinely appreciated the way you dove into Ikaruga's level design and difficulty. It truly is a piece of art.)

[@phirmth]

@@Electrosa haha I figured you were exaggerating, but I was NOT exaggerating my lack of insight on the game, I really am that blind. Partway through my year of playtime I was doing my daily playthrough on a discord call screenshare with some friends, I was on the survival section of the Tageri fight, struggling to survive/concentrate, and one of my friends on call just asks “so, what’s the story?” And I blurted out “yin and yang” and then died, realized I had no idea what was going on, and then decided it would be funnier if I got to the end of the year and made the whole video without looking up any of that. Clearly I was right, that part of the video still makes me laugh too ngl. And thank you, forreal! I think I might have to pick up the Radiant Silvergun remake when it happens just because I’m too invested at this point.

[@Electrosa]

@@phirmth I totally agree, there's something very amusing about people coming into otherwise very story-and-symbolism-heavy media without a single goddamn clue, and you played up that element really well in the essay, I laughed out loud many times. Kind of speaks to Ikaruga's sheer raw gameplay appeal that you don't need to know a thing about the story to have such a deep connection with it! You're very welcome, and I hope you enjoy it if you do! There's always the switch port of Radiant Silvergun if you wanted to check out the original experience in the meanwhile.

[@bannion563]

ENGAGEMENT ENGAGEMENT. Here’s to seeing this hit the algorithm!

[@kumogorogoro]

The mad lad, you did it.

[@Crazybark]

It hit me today XD

[@Vennele]

More engagement ! ❤ MORE, MORE!

[@jackalreeves4161]

It fuckin worked what is this

[@ZombieTreder]

Algo baby reporting in!

[@ThisIsMowl]

Jimmy McGee's video on AI brought me here. I like videos of people who are enthusiastic about more niche video games like this, it shows just how dedicated this community is. Thanks for making the video

[@phirmth]

oooh haven't watched any Jimmy McGee but I'll have to check it out! And thank you, the game's hella worthy of being passionate about, I'm really glad you enjoyed the vid.

[@icarusgaming6269]

There's another way to deepen your understanding of a game. You're right that time is important, but it doesn't necessarily all have to be your time. If it took you a year to get 1/10th as good as those high level players you took inspiration from, it no doubt took them 10+ years. That's not just time they've spent playing the game, but thinking about it, forming new pathways in their brains to understand the concepts required to even get close to that level. We create new terminology to make those concepts communicable. And we really, *really* want to talk about our chosen game of obsession. I think you're distinctly aware that you chose not to research or reach out to the Ikaruga community any further in this particular case, and obviously your journey was very rewarding because of that. But there are some games that teach even experienced gamers the wrong lessons upfront, and can only be enjoyed and understood to their fullest through corrective measures or long term mentorship because some of that are just unintuitive. It's almost impossible to know if you're falling into this trap until it's too late, but it can be a powerful approach to give a voice to a community that otherwise lacks the technical means or motivation for this level of outreach

[@phirmth]

Oh absolutely, the strongest thing about potentially learning a game is making use of resources set forth by the community. It's a whole beautiful aspect that I really didn't get to touch on here, but that's primarily to limit the scope of what was already a huge project, hence me stating what it was about at length. Ideally I was just setting the correct expectations.

[@VaultLink]

One of my favorite Ikaruga redeems had to be the first proper death of the Outer Wilds streams. I don't know why I found it funny (and still do) to just go "Now the game truly begins, BUT FIRST (Redeems Ikaruga) (stream slowly dies)"

[@phirmth]

I am 100% committed to dying in space what can I say

[@HieronymousLex]

Really awesome video! Congratulations for improving so much at this difficult game man, that’s some serious dedication. I feel like this illuminated for me just how difficult getting a 1CC of this game truly is. It’s gotta be one of the most difficult shmups of all time to clear. I’ve been playing CAVE games for years and I’m still so intimidated by Ikaruga, but I admire the game a lot. It’s extremely unique in the shmup world, and the brutal difficulty adds to the mystique. Really enjoyed this deep dive man, not really many videos about Ikaruga that are this in depth exist.

[@VanArtic]

Ikaruga's spiritual successor, Ubusuna, is coming soon i hope you play that as well, to support the director who's been wanting to make a sequel for nearly 20 years at this point.

[@phirmth]

I'm definitely gonna give it a try! I still need to play Radiant Silvergun too tbh

[@RisottosWife]

Oh man, I'm excited for that one! Radiant Silvergun is a whole different beast, and I freaking love it! Good luck!@@phirmth

[@phirmth]

@@RisottosWife I really need to explore the wider SHMUP genre more, that's for sure!

[@HyperfixationWizard]

Oh shit, I had no idea this was a thing that was happening until now. Thanks for the heads up!

[@will-love-lvx]

It's a great genre to dig into for sure! Blazing Lasers is a fun one. Silpheed too...behold, the joys of BULLET HELL.

[@SatinFoxx]

As someone who just got into the fighting game genre, and has wanted to do long form videos like this for over a decade, I think this level of dedication and care is what I needed to see. Thank you

[@phirmth]

yo I can't wait to see the videos you end up making! The fighting game community, despite their reputation, does really love watching people learn stuff, best of luck on your journey!

[@rummievtuber2517]

I love this editing so much. I can't believe you played this game for a year, you mad lad

[@phirmth]

THANK YOU RUMMIE and thank you for the thumbnail again!

[@MulgarH]

Wow, just... wow. I was craving a video about Ikaruga that actually breaks down the gameplay instead of just regurgitating the same talking points from 20 years ago, but I DID NOT expect to find a new all-time favourite video-essay. Your ability to weave between humour and genuinely insightful points was astounding, the pace of this video is basically perfect. The way you broke down each level's core challenges and how the scoring subtly alters the level design honestly surpasses most of the dedicated shmup channels I follow. Unlike them you're coming from the perspective of someone who struggled through these sections recently and the memory of them still stings. When learning languages, often times a native speaker is unable to explain their own language's quirks because they don't realise how someone new could struggle with it. You've managed to explain each section in a way that makes the challenge understandable yet does not downplay the difficulty, providing very solid tips for intermediate players who are looking to get the 1CC. The fact that you managed to take the experience of learning Ikaruga and conclude with an incredible treatise on games analysis and the nature of mastery (somehow encapsulating the themes of this game's obscure story DESPITE NOT READING ANY OF IT) is actually blowing my mind. The level of craft here is insane. Ikaruga has been on my mind for over 10 years now; my opinion of it going from thinking it's the coolest game ever to outright distaste because I felt it was too restrictive compared to other shmups. At first glance, the scoring system seems to only reward perfect play. Breaking a chain sucks at first, and watching S++ videos on youtube makes it seem like the only way to play was to memorize a perfect route after dozens of hours. This year I came across a playlist of videos showing intermediate scoring strategies (A ranks on each stage), and it made me realise that I don't have to play perfectly to get enough points for at least 2 extra lives. From there, I started learning basic scoring and found out this game has so much more to offer than I previously thought. I switched to Easy mode to give myself the best chance of learning a full 1CC, and finding my own route through the game has been immensely rewarding. Every broken chain, every life lost, every continue fed is another opportunity to learn, and I'm so glad there's finally a video on the internet that expresses all these feelings I've had towards this special game. Thank you for putting this together, and I hope you're having a great day.

[@phirmth]

Honestly comments like these are the exact reason I made this video, I’d heard so much about Ikaruga and yet there’s such a dearth of content about it, much less actual commentary, analysis, or anything with actual editing. A Fish’s Paradise made one of the only worthy videos I’ve seen on the subject, and more people should jump on the ‘ruga train, it fully deserves the hype. Thank you so so SO much for the compliments, especially about the pacing. Pacing’s one of the things I value most in art (Ikaruga included) and one of the things I focus most on when I make these videos. I admittedly wasn’t having the greatest day, but this comment has absolutely turned that around. So happy you enjoyed.

[@555Soupy555]

Making art is such an incredibly, human thing, and I love your outro message about how making just comes with all of these feelings we never think about, all these challenges, I recently started drawing and sure it looks bad but im so happy with it, I thought earlier it would be "too late" to start drawing, what a fool I was, art has no requirement, only refinement

[@phirmth]

Honestly, comments like these are my favorite. It feels good to create specifically BECAUSE of those challenges IMO, BECAUSE you have to sit down and work your way through them and make decisions and sometimes make sacrifices. Every choice you make, and there are SO many to be made, lends your artwork some quality that is uniquely human, that is totally you. The main reason this video blew up is because of getting a shoutout in Jimmy McGee's video "The AI Revolution is Rotten to the Core," so when I see people being inspired to actually go out and participate in some sort of artistic process or learn some new skill, however scuffed, it makes me really happy. I've seen this platform slowly getting taken over by autogenerated nonsense, seen creators come forward about how they used AI and all the success they got from it felt utterly hollow. Maybe they should have just picked up a pencil and tried to draw something. Or actually write their own script for once. Even if the end result was less "refined," it'd be a hell of a lot more human. Creating is worth it on its own. It means so much that people seem to come away from this video thinking that. Keep drawing, keep expressing yourself, keep creating. It's worth it.

[@weakboson7813]

Congrats on the 1CC! As someone who's been into shmups for a while it's really interesting to see someone new to the genre dive in head first. A great experiment and a great video.

[@phirmth]

Thank you thank you! Glad you enjoyed

[@HyruleWanderer]

I don't know how a bullet hell game essay inspired me to do my chores. Glad i found this gem of a channel.

[@phirmth]

hopefully you saw stage 4 and thought that whatever it was you were putting off couldn't be THAT hard

[@robertoferri9092]

second time watching this video, the first time I wanted to at least play ikaruga before watching but it's really inspiring what you did, I struggle with discipline a lot so I think I really want to try doing something like this, where each day even if I don't feel like I've learned anything I'll be able to say that I've put in the effort and that's enough maybe. The part where you talk about failure and it not adding up in the game also was really powerful for me, as I'm one to often get discouraged really easily, so the fact that this game actually pushes you to not just get better but to push forward despite your mistakes really gud stuff, I'll come back to the video once I'm at least done with all the stages at least.

[@phirmth]

Hell yeah! And best of luck on whatever it is you end up putting time into! Honestly, just forcing yourself into some sort of habit or schedule can be all sorts of rewarding, regardless of how “useful” the thing you’re doing. Thanks for watching, thanks for the comment, you’ve fuckin got this.

[@robertoferri9092]

@@phirmth thanks man, all the best to you too

[@bunnybreaker]

I've played *a lot* of shmups over the years. God damn choosing Ikaruga as your first one is insanity. Props 💪🏽

[@droste3754]

God, this video has so much passion and work put into and yet it's so underrated. Your editing, your writing, your humor are all uniquely captivating in their own right. Hats off to you man.

[@phirmth]

thank you so much, if you think this video's underrated now, you should have seen it two weeks ago lol

[@crusaderlegosi]

This video was randomly recommended to me by the KZbin Algorithm. Found the premise interesting, so I gave it a shot. I was quite surprised to find both a great dive into a great game and a shit ton of motivation towards my current goal. Thanks, random Baphomet stranger. Needed that kick in the shin.

[@phirmth]

WHATEVER YOU'RE WORKING AT, YOU'VE FUCKIN GOT THIS

[@RagnarokAdvent]

As someone who plays these kinds of games for fun, I really appreciated this video. You said earlier, that there is a critical lack of content for Ikaruga, despite it's status as one of the best in the genre. I think you really captured the ideal feeling of playing, not only Ikaruga, but shmups in general. The feeling that you get by surpassing unsurmountable odds and making it through by the skin of your teeth. It's a truly awesome thing to experience. And I'm happy that you shared it with us.

[@phirmth]

Really happy you feel like I can accurately represent something I still feel so out of my depth on, and genuinely happy you dug

[@BYTEEXE]

what a journey dude, literally a year of work and time and training all for a one hour video probably my fav vid of yours tbh, the ending line was brilliant

[@phirmth]

THANK YOU SO MUCH DUDE so happy you dug it!

[@enriquejoseantequerasanche6180]

I had this video saved in for about a year, probably a bit more (YT sucks), and it's my first time viewing a video of yours, and I love it. I have a similar strange relationship with R-Type Final (though that game at least gives you new shit even if you lose, so you have prizes for your progress), and you put in words not only a great dissertation on the game but also on what it's like to play those "be perfect or die" games and what they say about us. So yeah, you got a subscriber, which isn't much at this stage (hell, I'm 36 and recently got a job, I don't have the time to see content in binges), but it's important to me. I hope the rest of your videos are as good as this one.

[@thatguyyouknowtheone4073]

Using Final Credits near the start of a video feels like a crime, but it works? Huh. Good vide :)

[@phirmth]

it's just SO smooth!

[@eleanorsfate445]

Your sacrifice shall not be forgotten, brave goat Boi. I feel so much better informed about Shmups now!

[@phirmth]

don't talk about me like I'm already dead, we're not that lucky yet

[@jikosauce]

Id take this genre over most popular first person shooter games out now. Even the old ones are fun, i could play Twin Bee for 2 days at a time

[@Randoomios]

Very big Kudos for taking on such a discipline lesson and for discovering how deep shoot-em-ups can go. You really deserve a much bigger audience with your quality of content too, keep it up!. I also only managed to find this video through the steam community content page of ikaruga funnily enough.

[@phirmth]

AYO I WAS WONDERING IF ANYBODY WAS GONNA SEE ANY OF MY SHIT THROUGH THE STEAM COMMUNITY PAGE that's amazing, and I really really appreciate the compliment, it's been one hell of a grind thus far, but hearing from people like you really does make it worth it. I hope you end up enjoying some of the other nonsense I get/have gotten up to.

[@Randoomios]

@@phirmth oh for sure! ill probably hop on some streams too.

[@phirmth]

happy to have ya in!@@Randoomios

[@EXISTENTRILLEST]

some of the best ikaruga content i have had the pleasure of stumbling across, but also kindling for the realization that it has been over 2 decades since initial console release

[@Ikirys]

Timing the music to the shots around 3min in was such a great video choice

[@NeverduskX]

I've never been interested in bullet hells and never put much thought in them, but this video has given me a new appreciation for the genre. It's like every wave of enemies is a separate puzzle, and tactics such as preemptively running into bullets to create near-future safe areas for yourself was mind-blowing. Hearing all of your play-by-play strategies really put everything into perspective. I have no ideas how the devs managed to push out so much variety and creativity from just a few simple mechanics.

[@redemption1561]

Awesome concept for a video; the path of taking on shmups really is a grueling one, but very rewarding when you start hitting that flow state. Danmaku Unlimited 3 is also a great shmup, I kinda feel like it's a spiritual succesor to Ikaruga in terms of it's vibe.

[@phirmth]

Thank you thank you! I had a ton of fun making this video, even if it was a struggle. and I still boot up the 'ruga every once in a while, even if I'm not quite as good at it at this point

[@shaandahar9091]

My buddy and I decided to play ikaruga co-op via parsec as my first bullet hell (only played those automata segments before myself) and the second we hit stage two after dying a few times, we realized how badly we underestimated the difficulty of this game. Later stages feel like a pollock painting of death. Fell in love with this game a bit more every death, maybe ror that reason. Awesome video, and even better music choice (thotcrime ftw)

[@phirmth]

YOOOOOOO BASED THOTCRIME ENJOYER Also how was Ikaruga over parsec? I feel like any tiny bit of delay would just ANNIHILATE what little skills I've built up

[@shaandahar9091]

@@phirmth we're both on wifi and my buddy is the one who owns it so parsec could make a segment or two suck hard with input delay but for some reason zeroranger has been way worse. Only reason I haven't played it too much on my Wii is that I only have a kinda ass third party GameCube controller and finding good ones is rather difficult these days.

[@phirmth]

the melee community has you coverd for GC controllers but it might be a lil expensive lol@@shaandahar9091

[@shaandahar9091]

@@phirmth yeah the cost is an issue for me rn so I might just pick it up on switch instead. There's actually an ikaruga clone called nkaruga I found for the ps vita homebrew scene which has also interested me

[@pixeldude8441]

This is some serious dedication, and I applaud it. Not just in the gaming aspect, but in terms of video editing as well. Shmup games are very difficult to talk about. There's usually not a whole lot to explain, so the script can end up being short, and you don't want to pad out its content too much. But since you had over a year of experience to share, there was a lot to say! And you were able to balance engagement and video relevance well. I'm happy that I decided to take the time to watch the video you recommended, when I commented on your short about Ikaruga. I took note of the similarities and differences in our ways of playing the game, what we're willing to put ourselves through and how to best enjoy it. And it's good to see that your work on this is finally paying off, as this appears to be your highest viewed video on your channel. This gives me a glimmer of hope, as even a six month old video essay about a two decade year-old game can get picked up by the YT algorithm. I want to believe that starting channels should focus on quality content creation, despite how time consuming it can be. But it's rather demoralizing to me when I don't get the results that I envision. I want to be able to monetize my content, and it's not exactly helpful that I'm currently not doing anything mainstream. ...Well, let me not make this about myself. That short was the first piece of content that I've seen from you. I'm not really a stream watcher, since I just don't have the time for that now. So I'll see what else your past videos offer. We'll meet again some day soon, Phirmth. ...Virtually. I hope to see more of your content and watch it improve with each passing video.

[@phirmth]

It’s incredibly disheartening how much the current content creation space requires you to “play the game” as opposed to focusing purely on creating good content, but the various online spaces are so saturated it can feel impossible to get a foothold. So glad you enjoyed it, but even happier that you were inspired by it, thank you!

[@piepusher11]

Thank you for this video. Ikaruga has been one of those games that's been in the back of my mind for years as one that I always wanted to get better at, but never really got around to it. But after watching this, you've given me the motivation to go for it. It's only been about 3 weeks so far (I'm not playing every day, just a couple times a week), but I'm already starting to see real progress! I'd never really tried to learn to chain in this game before, but I am now, and it's been so rewarding to finally get a good run when it happens! I've gotten an A in chapters 1 and 2 so far (haven't touched 3, 4, or 5 yet). I don't know if I'll ever be good enough to get S in anything, but maybe some day! My eventual goal is to be able to 1cc the game, and I know my journey has pretty much just begun, but...I will not die until I achieve something. Even though the ideal is high, I never give in. Therefore, I never die with regrets.

[@phirmth]

therefore, machine gun fire is unable congrats tho, I still haven't A-ranked stage 2, that's actually pretty fucking pog of you. That 1cc will happen in no time, especially if you're chaining, you'll be getting extra lives at certain score thresholds and that'll make your life significantly easier. You've got this!

[@piepusher11]

@@phirmth Thanks! It's really cool to see someone else who's actually kinda close to my skill level, sometimes it feels like almost everyone who plays this game is like...S++ level, haha. Seems like we have a bit of a different strategy when it comes to learning the game, sounds like you'd rather play through the entire game every time, but I like to just pick one chapter, and play that over and over until I get it right, not even thinking about the rest of the game until I'm happy with it. I don't know if either way is necessarily better or worse, just different. I think that targeted focus on one chapter at a time is how I was able to get chapter 2 A rank quicker than you. (I still have 0 concept of how to chain those damn circling fighters in the beginning, luckily I was able to barely squeeze out an A by full-chaining the rest of the chapter)

[@phirmth]

@@piepusher11 no, the way you're doing it is almost definitely a better system lol, certainly more efficient

[@codelinx]

Love seeing new channels

[@NilkadNaquadaG]

I don't normally leave comments on videos but it's criminal that so few people have seen this so here's an algorithm boost

[@phirmth]

Thank you thank you, I hope that means you enjoyed it too!

[@NilkadNaquadaG]

@@phirmth Very much so and I think I'm gonna be checking out your other stuff as well, it looks like you play a lot of the kinds of games I'm super autistic about ^w^

[@phirmth]

@@NilkadNaquadaG oh trust me we get VERY autistic around these parts, my twitch community is neurodivergent as FUQ

[@Zet237yt]

Man, this really was super well edited and written. Inspiring, even! It hit a lot of personal spots for me - remembering playing Ikaruga on the GameCube about 20 years ago, finally beating the game with infinite continues, mourning the fact that I did just not get any better… 🥲 The mention of Matthewmatosis was a nice surprise for me as well, as I had only discovered his channel though his Ultra V rated playthrough of Viewtiful Joe, which is one of my favorite games of all time - also from the era when I had played Ikaruga. What a throw to the past! I’ve been trying to get into making video essays for over five years at this point and I just can’t even get myself to finish the script. This video gave me a lot of inspiration to finally pull through. Let’s see if I’ll actually do. 😅 best of luck with the future of your channel, you deserve more views! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to watch a video about the entire history of Nintendo.

[@phirmth]

Another viewer from Jimmy McGee’s AI video! Good to have you in! And YES i LOVE matthewmatosis and actually, VJ was my favorite game of all time until The Wonderful 101 came out, so I’m a huge fan of his Ultra V-rated playthrough myself! Watched it like 5 times already. And best of luck on your own video essayist goals! I can tell you that there was a lot getting in my way from starting this thing, but it’s BEYOND rewarding to really make something and put it out there for the world to see, and it’s an honor to inspire anyone else to do the same! Excited to see/hear what you come up with!

[@vagrantknight3592]

You making this video has made my life better. Thank you for making this type of content, masterfully. Keep'em coming!

[@RMCovers]

Great video mate, enjoyed your editing so much! Also, thanks for introducing me to the music of Fullscreen in the intro

[@phirmth]

HELL yeah, they're incredibly talented and good friends of mine and Labyrinthitis is a phenomenal album. They definitely deserve way more recognition for what they're doing.

[@DGM360gd]

The curse has been lifted and half an hour of your time has been freed. Imagine what you could do with all that time. You could sleep, relax or even snack. Or you could just play ikaruga. It's probably just going to be more ikaruga.

[@phirmth]

I'll give it like 2 days before I end up playing more Ikaruga

[@VaultLink]

@@phirmth At least no new footage will ever be hogging your drives for playing it from now on

[@phirmth]

@@VaultLink we can HOPE

[@l0rf]

I think KZbin is out of its mind that a video with a production value this high is not actually recommended to people more.

[@phirmth]

Having been a smaller content creator for well over a year now, and having made friends with countless others, I can tell you with a massive degree of certainty that every online space is FLOODED with brilliant, passionate creators who aren’t getting the viewership they deserve.

[@CatzyCatzy]

Take my word for it. This is usually put into a recommendation list once a person looks deeper into a few shmups...I knew this game since 2008 from a friend that just thrusted the game on me once I mentioned about my experience playing Raiden and Raiden 2.

[@CatzyCatzy]

To put this into context...2008 was a time when there's no automatic recommendations or youtube algorithms. Ikaruga is a game that you see once you search around for good games. After all the company is known to make games that leave a great impression.

[@You-fools]

Holy shit what a gem of a video (and channel!). Such an unexpectedly inspiring and insightful video with some interesting topics and wholesome conclusions. Thanks to Jimmy McGee for recommending the video, but more so thank YOU for putting in the work and making this. Time to share this with everyone I know.

[@phirmth]

no, thank YOU for watching and enjoying!

[@leosybagrind]

This video essay feels so refreshing and inspiring. I'm very glad that this exists

[@phirmth]

and I'm very glad that you enjoyed it!

[@tahvohck]

I'm glad you made this video. Had a good time watching it, and I feel like I took some good core ideas from your philosophizing about it.

[@Jupinoloper]

this video is phenomenal

[@Danke255]

found this randomly on youtube, very powerful video now i want to play ikaruga and now i want a video like this about zeroranger thank you

[@phirmth]

I can't say I'm gonna do any other year-long challenges in the future or even any shmup vids necessarily but I def wanna play ZeroRanger! I already have it, I'm just waiting for the right time to boot it up

[@SonicAndTailsHD]

Fantastic video! Love to see high quality shmup content. Hopefully there’s more som the horizon!

[@phirmth]

Shmups are very much not my focus but I def wanna spend more time checking out the wider genre after this experience!

[@SonicAndTailsHD]

@@phirmthyou should check out ZeroRanger, not only a great shmup but one of my favorite gaming stories!

[@jikosauce]

These games are so underrated, there visually addictive. The in between philosophical breaks caught me off guard

[@LavenderRex7705]

Was not expecting to see Matthermatosis here. He also definitely played a massive role in getting me interesting in eventually doing the video essays I do. Incredible essay and your commitment has really payed off. It's so funny to me that so many people I've watched have their origins coming from that silly Irish lad with the voice of an angel.

[@phirmth]

he's the best and I owe him so much tbh, glad to see other people have enjoyed his insights

[@LavenderRex7705]

@@phirmth I’m glad he still finds time to make the occasional video now and again.

[@phirmth]

@@LavenderRex7705 it's a fucking joy

[@lithic2331]

So glad I found this, me and a friend used to try and co-op Ikaruga for a few weeks and never made it past stage three. Great video, I'm excited to see what else you put out here.

[@lucasbueno786]

Continue making video essays dude, you're good at it and the editing is insane

[@Midekai]

Finally, the video essay ikaruga deserves XD

[@bigsmoke7686]

Dude this video just randomly popped up and honestly, your humor and personality got me hooked! Great vid!

[@phirmth]

Hell yeah! And I like a big smoke from time to time myself!

[@jacobcapron]

This is a really sick video and I love it.

[@thatdoggo5254]

SO algorithm coming in clutch. I haven't played in a while but it's a wonderful game. This video alone got you my sub :3

[@A-Very-Confused-Korva]

KZbin knows me too well, recommending me an hour long video about something I've never had an interest in but know damn well I'm gonna get hooked into it anyways.

[@phirmth]

Welcome to Cool Hell, I hope you enjoy your stay!

[@l0stw00d]

this video made me more emotional than it had any business making me. wonderful work ! also love your little goat guy :)

[@phirmth]

Thank you! I didn't expect to get so emotional making it tbh! And double thank you, I love bein a weird lil baphomet man

[@RaeIsGaee]

Hai!! Came here from Jimmy McGee's video, and you honestly inspired me to get back into New Vegas challenge runs. I've played so much of the game (like easily over 1000 hours) that I know basically everything about it, but I've never really felt the desire to "master" it through doing any. But seeing you work so hard (and consistently so) to master an incredibly hard bullet hell makes me want to do the same for it!! Also your video is so incredibly good, thank you so much for making it.

[@memeaccount1553]

this was beautiful

[@phirmth]

thank ya!

[@jbc00per]

Algorithm has blessed me with this incredible video, always loved the idea of bullet hell games but they feel like they're pretty daunting to play when haha. Think I'll give this one a shot at some point though!

[@kataplon]

waking up at the middle of the night hating myself, this video pop up, I decided to watch, starting to feel tiredd. Laying on bed watching it full, that was the most relaxing shit in a while. Thank you for your work.

[@vdate]

No idea why I was recommended this now, six months after it came out, but OH MY GOD I LOVE IT. I bought this game on the GC back on the day and I still love it, so bless you for making it. ....but I DO wanna see your take on Radiant Silvergun, though.

[@phirmth]

I still gotta play RS myself, I’m thinking I might have to pick up the remake once it’s out! So glad you liked the vid tho

[@vdate]

@@phirmth I'm glad to hear it! Also, now that I've got a little more time to respond at length (I was posting from bed last night), I have to say how much I appreciate what you've done with this video. To explain, despite having bought the game way back when, perhaps because I didn't have your regimented schedule consistently letting me learn *how* to learn the game, I didn't learn the game in the same way you have. If this video had existed back in the day, it would, I think, have been an invaluable resource for me, letting me learn how to approach some of the obstacles that seemed seemed so utterly impossible. I sincerely hope that it'll serve the same role for others now, and I'll be linking it to others in that hope.

[@phirmth]

@@vdate that honestly means so much to me, I am but a simple baphomet and I’m honored to be of service to the wider shmup community

[@leonardoferreira2372]

Back like fifteen years ago (fuck me I'm old) Ikaruga absolutely dominated my life, and I went into a similar obsessive journey with it as you. I played it relentlessly, only to find myself woefully incompetent at every turn, but never giving up; it's rhythm and constant barrage of small new ideas give space for you to mentally strategize, and slowly but surely, internalizing its rules to the point it becomes almost autonomous. It is one of the very few games that could be considered perfect; it takes a dead ass simple game concept, as fundamental as something that could come from the 70's (dodge shots and eat pellets), and gives you every possible permutation of the rule, but organized in a manner that can only be described as poetic; not as a metaphor but like in literal poetry, each level being clearly defined into verses and stanzas, almost. Every level presents and extends a mechanical theme, iterating in ways that are unique to each level, but also relate to previous challenges; difficulty also escalates more according to the theme than an arbitrary difficulty curve (like the lasers on Stage 3 and the spirals in stage 4) but still work like said curve.. Not to mention the narrative, which takes the standard shmup "lone pilot against an army" setup and transforms it into a mythical journey of enlightenment and rebirth, that is both literal and allegorical. You live millions of lives, and the games allow expressiveness in that way, from playing with someone else in 2p mode, or playing without shooting, or playing without changing polarity. It's all deeply allegorical and yet it works as an approachable arcade game, which is often seen as the least "artistical" of videogame genres. A lot is stipulated on videogames as art since Ika's launch, and very little concern is given to games like these, which express the sublime not through manipulating players emotions through story like so many AAA games do, but just their rules and experience; the core of what a game is, without the misleading varnish of polish. Its comically, cosmically high skill is also proof of that. It is possible to perfect finish Ikaruga, by destroying all enemies in every level in a single, perfect chain. It is basically impossible to only but a few dedicated individuals, like monks seeking ascendance. But it its possible. And that's the sort of terrifying beauty only games can create.

[@phirmth]

This is honestly so well-put and gets to the core of what impresses me about this game. It does mechanical theme SO well, absolutely nothing overstays its welcome, every possible permutation of the mechanics gets twisted and tested over its 20-something minute length. I 100% agree that expressions of almost nothing but mechanics like Ika are COMPLETELY overlooked in the conversation of games as an art form. Absolute flawless masterpiece. Except for borderless fullscreen, let me pause and click out of the game without freezing up everything for 2 blank seconds.

[@toastknight2439]

I used to be such a huge fan of bullet hell games but just fell off them gradually without even noticing. Thanks for the Essay and for covering a game I really love and for putting in the effort to get way deeper than I ever did!

[@fernandosalaroli3629]

You are my childhood hero, I played this game on Dreamcast when was a kid and never got to beat it. I built a arcade machine out of my Dreamcast like 10 years ago in my parents house and this game was one of my favorite, and yet, I didn't beat it. I think I lacked the motivation needed, maybe is time to grab this old game again on steam and finally beat it. Thanks for the wonderful 1h of nostaugia, wasn't expecting this much fun from a 1h video about a 20 years old game, but you got me hooked. You got yourself a subscriber :)

[@phirmth]

I may have not beaten it "legitimately" the entire time, but I got to the point where I CAN beat it legit, which is real neat. I believe in you!

[@potatohead7579]

great video! i started playing ikaruga and wanted to see the kinda videos people made discussing it, and yours is definitely my favorite out of the ones i checked out! despite its insane difficulty, i just can't put this game down treasure really knows how to make insanely challenging yet addicting games i don't think i'll ever 1cc this game, but i sure will keep trying!

[@ncrranger6327]

I adored this video, it's just radiant. Thanks for this 1h10m

[@jero37]

I'd watched the Skullkid S++ run videos a while back when I wanted to enjoy that sort of zen experience of maximum skill in this beautiful game. You have now fulfilled another desire of the heart by doing this video essay gushing over the game. And I super dig your avatar, the quartet of ectoplasm hands are such a nice touch.

[@phirmth]

SOMEONE ELSE GETS IT that Skullkid video is PURE PERFORMANCE ART And thank you! I like having the lil floating hands move things around since good hand tracking is tough/expensive to come by

[@jero37]

@@phirmth Elegant!

[@cellperfecto421]

A small detail that is often overlooked is that bit of dialogue before blowing up the Stone Like is the Ikaruga (the ship) cherring you up for doing your best, thanking you for taking them along along for the ride. I find that such a cute beautiful bit of storytelling.

[@Okan-Z]

Loved every second of this! The algorithm giveth today. I'm 6 months late, but lucky for me, good shit has no expiration date.

[@ComicalConqueror]

this video is fantastic

[@weebnerdgaming4908]

Great work! And of all games, Ikaruga. Ikaruga is often listed as one of the hardest games of all time now without reason. Regarding the adaptive difficulty thing, or us shmup players refer as Rank System, no, I don't think Ikaruga has any of that. The moments where you mention that are probably just the pattern activating new bullets as the fight gets longer. If there is indeed a Rank System in Ikaruga, we would have already exploited it to heck for extra mercy... Battle Garegga is the notorious example of this. Ikaruga shudders even the shmup veterans. One of the main reasons aside of the color switcheroo is Ikaruga has no bombs to protect you, only strictly for offensive purposes. Bombs are great for skipping patterns, but since Ikaruga doesn't have that you have no choice but to engage with all of them. Having bombs doesn't mean the shmup will certainly be easier, but we're so used to have a fail-safe bombs at this point, even on 2001. If you're planning to tackle Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga's prequel, well.... one can say that game is meaner than Ikaruga since your DPS is directly tied to your scoring, so... beware.

[@phirmth]

Thank you thank you! And that's fascinating about the Rank System thing. I've definitely noticed a few bullet patterns only kicking in when I went long enough without dying, but like I said, I didn't really crack open this game in a granular sense or try to explore any specific parts in great depth. And yeah, I never even considered the fact that I didn't have bombs for that. I kinda just figured the screen clear during respawn counted enough on its own. Who knows what else we're taking for granted in games lol. I definitely want to give Radiant Silvergun a try, or just mess around in other shmups here and there, but I don't know if I'm ever gonna put this level of dedication into a single shmup again. My current daily game is adobe premiere pro and it kicks my ass plenty. Seriously though, thanks for the love, it's always exciting to see someone who actually knows the genre find this video.

[@DaKing08]

This video elegantly combines the perspective of an experienced shmupper trying to 1CC a game with the perspective of a person looking to get into shmups. It also yielded an outstanding video essay too, with humor, tips and lore analysis all in one! Well. Done.

[@phirmth]

Hell yeah, thank you! I’m glad I managed to get some of that feeling across while still being an utter noob at the genre

[@epicduckyman]

This video is such a beautiful journey. I'm not a regret watching all of it.

[@phirmth]

I love that we can all stand here, united in not being regret

[@epicduckyman]

@@phirmth Oh damn, didn't expect a reply. Big no regret.

[@phirmth]

@@epicduckyman i’m trying to reply to as much as I can, the love for this vid has been unreal and I really can’t express my gratitude

[@jockel9502]

First of all, I'm really happy for you that you got blessed with a lil algo. Congrats on the video and mad props for the dedication and the clear. You refer to yourself as a shmup noob, but I don't think that's so accurate after this. I hope you explore more shmups in the future. Maybe take a look at Ketsui, Dodonpachi Daioujou & Resurrection or Armed Police Batrider. I hope your channel continues to grow. I'll be watching.

[@phirmth]

It’s def a genre I’ll continue dipping my toes into for sure, probably on stream at some point too. I just learned Radiant Silvergun won’t allow keyboard controls for the remake so I’m a lil bummed about that tbh

[@narutrixil]

Loved this video! This masterpiece deserves more views!

[@phirmth]

Thank you so much! It seems to have truly hit the algo and the views seem to be comin' in, so your wish is being granted as we speak!

[@Flare45]

This was an amazing video, great job editing and explaining mechanics and strategies to the aptly named bullet curtains. congrats on the one year one the awesome game. hope you get a ton of subs and views off this vid. Can't wait for more content from you!

[@phirmth]

Thank you thank you, this vid lingered in obscurity for 6 months and JUST got picked up by the algo so I’m kinda losing my shit rn!

[@xlhooka666]

Man, the "second boss" turnaround is such a classic surprise and cinematic move. Need more of this

[@pixelotix]

I've always loved Ikaruga, and was a Dreamcast import nerd. I didn't expect to watch a 1 hour video on a game I love and couldn't possibly do anything but agree with. But you nailed everything about it, and the overview and deconstructions of the levels were fantastic. I even like that you deconstructed the weird poetry translations. Fantastic. The story is actually pretty cool, because it does follow the themes set forth in the game. The last "Boss" (the Crystal) in the game was an object of power used by a country to oppress and conquer other nations as a God. The main character (Shinra) vows to defeat them, but is essentially wrecked by the first boss and crash lands in a village that had been working on the Ikaruga (the only ship to change polarities), they team up and Shinra pilots all the way to the crystal and gives everything he has (including his life) to defeat it. Very cool.

[@phirmth]

I've heard multiple people say that I somehow picked up on the themes/story despite refusing to look into it at all, which still cracks me up tbh. really glad you liked the vid tho!

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Kudos to your dedication. Even in my shmup gaming prime, Ikaruga was unfathomably hard. I never got post Stage 2. I love the style of Ikaruga. Even among Treasure's catalog, it is a singular work. I love the spectacle of it, but your video helped me peek into some of its depth as well.

[@nameloss]

i bought ikaruga on sale sometime during the peak of the pandemic. i’d heard a good amount about it-the difficulty, the genius design, that maybe it was a puzzle game disguised as a bullet hell-and since i have a love for the genre, albeit casually, i thought i’d give it a shot. i played through the stages on and off, tried to make sense of the patterns, and then did two complete runs with unlimited continues on normal. i was amazed. it felt like i’d found myself on the first floor of a tower yoked to the sky, and there was no end in sight. the skill ceiling discussion you brought up makes perfect sense in the context of this game. i looked at my playtime. just a few minutes short of two hours. i’d just gotten hired for a new job that would be eating a lot of my time. suddenly i knew this was a tower i couldn’t climb. i refunded the game with the reasoning “this is amazing, but i’m not going to have the time to get meaningfully good at it” and i haven’t looked back since. one day i will go back to it. great video, mad props to you. i enjoyed the whole watch and it was nice to be reminded of my brief but honestly life-changing time with the game.

[@phirmth]

sometimes just staring at the void is enough of a learning experience on its own, I'm glad you did it!

[@TempoCor]

Algorithm blessed me with this vid, I'd say I'm a fan of shmups, but out of all the ones I seen Ikaruga is incredibly intimidating This video makes me want to pick it up and go through the grinder like you have (maybe not everyday for a year, I still dont hate myself enough for that quite yet) But if you're looking for another fun shmup (thats nowhere near as difficult) I recommend Zeroranger, it chock-full of references to other animes, shmups, incredibly simple in comparison, and I remember someone saying its "a love letter to shmups" which I agree, its not as indepth as 'ruga, but it's a fun time waster

[@ZelphTheWebmancer]

That was a great video, I'm impress you only have 700+ subs, your quality is superb, and I love that you can talk about and appreciate hard games while still talking with accessibility options in a good light. Thank you for this journey goat demon v-tuber.

[@phirmth]

Thank you! The crazy thing is that two weeks ago I was right around 400 subs, lol, this video just picked up momentum and it's been a whirlwind! Glad you enjoyed!

[@jaimedeleon1194]

Ya done good. This was a masterful work on your channel. Congrats!

[@romerobjuancarlos]

This makes me think about my absolutely FERAL playthroughs of Hades. 70+ clears (I think?), and an almost Zen-like appreciation of the whole thing. Its mechanics, the bossees, the story, the combos, the weaponry. And those godDAMN vistas the game throws at you and almost forces you to reckon with. To catch your breath for a few seconds. And then it's on to your breaking out of hell. Again. Just like in Ikaruga you're put through the wringer in order to break out of the karmic cycle. Again.

[@phirmth]

Hades was one of the first games I actually streamed! It was absolutely fantastic, I loved my time with it, I should really boot up its postgame more often on my own

[@romerobjuancarlos]

@@phirmth go for it! Never a dull moment. It was a bit of a transcendental experience for me during a very difficult moment. My mom had passed away in 2020 and they whole Persephone thing there just... man. It will always have a special place in my heart and my video game pantheon as a whole.

[@poimon5607]

Love your editing and sound design, amazingly done

[@justsomehuman7522]

Stumbled on this, excellent avatar! Really cool design!

[@konniptions5289]

This video is amazing, it's crazy how refined the editing style and overall vibes are for a channel that's less then a year old. Then to carry that level of consistancy through a video that's over an hour long, featuring indepth analysis on a punishing game in a punishing genre which is then beautifully complimented by some lovely commentaries on life and the artform video games itself... Man I'm telling ya, once this channel gets the break it needs, this demon goat is going places! ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ

[@phirmth]

I'm tryin man, I'm tryin! The style necessarily means that things take a while to make, but it's hard to argue with this kind of reception

[@konniptions5289]

​@@phirmthYour effort really shows! But make sure to look after yourself, don't want you burning out... And I say that purely out of selfishness, because I freaking love video essays on video games (to the point where I spend more time watching and reading content about games then actually playing the darn things) and I want to be able to look forward too these awesome videos gracing my feeds when they're refined and ready. Have you thought about starting a patreon? I can't give much but I would love to support you in your future endeavours U⁠^⁠ｪ⁠^⁠U⁠

[@phirmth]

@@konniptions5289 I feel nervous starting up a patreon so soon after hitting youtube partner, even though most of my videos are unmonetizable anyways, but I think once I'm a lil more comfortable and the wave of new subscribers starts to settle, I'll be able to set up some sort of patreon, even if it's a whole "1 or 2 dollars a month" sort of thing. I have a Twitch that you can subscribe to and it has dono links and whatnot, but that's it for now. I'd love to go full-time with this sort of stuff, but it's obviously gonna take a lot of work and time to get there, and I wanna focus on making good videos first and foremost.

[@konniptions5289]

@phirmth That's fair, I imagine setting up a patreon is a big commitment. I'm not on Twitch atm but I'll look at creating an account and subbing sometime later today. Hell yea dude sounds like you got your priorities straight. You've already produced some amazing content - freakin loved the God Hand video - I'm excited to see where you go next with this format. All the best! く⁠コ⁠:⁠彡

[@swan-cloud]

Jimmy sends his regards

[@phirmth]

Jimmy's words have been heard and they have been EXTREMELY validating

[@AstralPhnx]

Oh my fucking god referencing the IIDX ragequit video iconic

[@jorden2751]

Great vid dude!

[@Rei_Foxgodwhorshipper]

i just came from the ai video, watched the first eleven minutes and i already love it, the perfect mixture of personality, editing and a bit of general youtube stuff makes this video perfect i’ll say (also, random youtubers with less than 10k subs on their way to make the most beautiful, intriguing and well thought video just for fun)

[@phirmth]

“Perfect” is more than I can ask to hear about my work, especially since my Ikaruga record is anything but, thank you!

[@oscarloria]

OMG! Awesome video ❤

[@StanNotSoSaint]

I don't know you, but you deserve my respect. However insignificant it is. You rock!

[@phirmth]

your respect is plenty significant to me

[@licorice3333]

Jimmy was right, what a good video! Thoroughly enjoyable

[@phirmth]

Thank you thank you!

[@Artificialignorance]

Jesus, what a well made and presented video. You've inspired me to come back to this game and actually finish it. Amazing job my dude 👌

[@phirmth]

Thank you thank you! The game's well worth it

[@eratinuwu1952]

This is the best video on Ikaruga ive ever seen

[@phirmth]

Thank you! Unfortunately there aren’t THAT many ikaruga vids out there, which was part of the inspo for making this thing, but I’m happy to contribute and even happier that you enjoyed!

[@CatzyCatzy]

I was looking to see if there are many players that can express their emotions and explain their progress about a shmup they have committed to over a year. This was the recommendation...I have to say ...this is genuinely good. It may not be Kinja Run, but with any auto scrolling, or space invaders/galaga shooter, there is always a learning curve... Yeah I'll just share this and let the Kinja Run Community know about skill and knowledge progression.

[@Kyfow]

Awesome video! I was blessed enough to have my first time playing Ikaruga be in a Japanese arcade. Needless to say the gamer spirits weren't with me on that day

[@phirmth]

I, for one, can't WAIT until I encounter an Ikaruga cabinet in the wild and get my ass absolutely handed to me as I fumble around without my trusty mechanical keyboard

[@Kyfow]

@@phirmth I was hoping when you said you had to go abroad for your week's holiday that you found an arcade cabinet and spent your time there! Great video, love the dedication and the editing, subbed

[@phirmth]

@@Kyfow oh if ONLY, that'd be truly legendary but probably pretty tough to find lol

[@Skorak]

I don't know why this video randomly appeared in what was supposed to be a youtube song mix playlist but boy am I glad it did.

[@phirmth]

OOF yeah this ain't music, even if it's got some good tunes in it, but I'm glad you stuck around and dug!