Eschatos

Eschatos is a beloved polygonal vertical Shoot ‘em up by Qute Corporation. Initially released exclusively on the Xbox 360 in Japan, the game has since gained a cult following. In Eschatos, aliens have taken over the moon and now threaten to do the same to earth. It’s your job to prevent that from happening. To do that your ship is equipped with three different functions, with each being suited for different situations. The Front Shot shoots a powerful beam in a straight line, the Wide Shot shoots at an angle and the shield absorbs shots and damages enemies but works on a limited energy meter. Using them to adapt to each situation is key. Easy to learn, hard to master is the name of the game; but thankfully there are 5 difficulty options to help you find your groove and if you have mastered ORIGINAL MODE, try your hand at ADVANCED MODE (no upgrades) or TIME ATTACK MODE. 

Not only is the gameplay excellent, but the clean graphic style is also very pleasing visually and allows the game to transition from one stage to the next without any breaks or even load times in this version! These transitions are accompanied by awesome dynamic camera angles, really showing off the colorful stage backgrounds and creatively bizarre enemy designs. And you can’t forget the superb soundtrack by Yousuke Yasui, whose high-energy synth-heavy work alone will keep you playing! It really is an aural feast.  

Shoot ‘em up fans and collectors can get even more excited as Eschatos is accompanied by its two spiritual predecessors and Qute’s first releases, Judgement Silversword and Cardinal Sins. Both were released in 2004 for the WonderSwan and are among the finest looking and playing games of the handheld, both featuring creative scoring mechanics. It’s also fun trying to spot the elements that would later be used as a basis and be built upon by Eschatos, be it gameplay elements or enemy designs. 

Features 

• Three games in one package:  
• Eschatos- originally for the Xbox 360 and Japan exclusive 
• Judgement Silversword and Cardinal Sins- originally for the WonderSwan and Eschatos’ spiritual prequels 
• Exclusive to the Switch and PS4 versions of Eschatos: 
• Improved loading times 
• Remastered soundtrack 
• Performance improvements 
• Multiple game modes:  
• Original Mode: Scramble to wipe out the enemy waves as quickly as possible 
• Advanced Mode: Manage risk and reward without upgrades 
• Time Attack Mode: Outrun the time limit by scoring quickly 
• Multiple weapons:  
• Front Shot: Powerful but has a limited firing angle.  
• Wide Shot: Can hit many enemies but has short range.  
• Shield: Can inflict heavy damage and deflect bullets - but at perilously close range!  
• The dynamic camera system creates a sense of exhilarating speed as you explore 5 beautiful stages, including temple ruins, Earth's orbit, and the alien moon base. 
• Encounter massive bosses. Battle screen-filling UFOs and other strange enemies! 
• Check out the top players on the online leaderboards or downloadable replay system! 
• Turn up the volume and enjoy a phenomenal retro-synth soundtrack composed by Yousuke Yasui! 

Shoot ‘em ups by Qute, and specifically the ones by designer M-KAI, have long been lauded as some of the best of the whole genre, combining outstanding gameplay, entrancing music and mind-bending visuals into an experience like no other. Eschatos from 2011 is listed among many players’ best SHMUPs of all time, but still somewhat of a hidden gem, which may have been caused by its Japan-only Xbox 360 release. The addictive gameplay with its easy to learn, hard to master mechanics has lost nothing of its captivating energy, and the pumping soundtrack will make you not want to stop playing. It truly is a masterpiece.  

Included with Eschatos are Qute’s first two outings as a publisher, the two WonderSwan shooters Judgment Silversword and Cardinal Sins. Both are amazing contributions to the genre, pushing the WonderSwan to its limits in more ways than one and showing off the gameplay elements that would form the basis for Eschatos to the fullest. All three games are even better in their Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 iterations, especially with Eschatos sporting upgraded performance, visuals and an additional arranged soundtrack option. 

With this version, the early history as well as one of the highlights of Qute’s catalog is being released for the first time in physical form since their initial launch, as well as for the first time outside of its native Japan. We are happy to be able to bring this awesome collection to Shoot ‘em up fans around the world. 

Screenshots