Is DS harder than StB?

[Ubiquitial]

For those who have at least gotten to stage 10 on both.

[Solais]

I haven't got to 10 in StB, but I unlocked Hatate in DS. DS is more easier because the controls are better, and because of the lack of LITTLE PELLETSSSS!!! The cards are more like a puzzle than pure dodging, and they look more beautiful.

[Ionasal kkll Solciel]

DS is easier, definitely.  Fewer BS moments, lower Next Stage requirements, the ability to flip the camera's orientation - the slower charge speed hurts a bit, but it's not a deal-breaker.

[Serela]

StB isn't quite as fun, and has more bullshit spellcards. I've got like 74/85 scenes beaten on it, and the rest are just GRAAAAH.

DS, on the other hand, is more polished, and has mostly funner cards IMO. Full cleared it both characters.

[KrackoCloud]

Early DS scenes are harder than early StB ones, but the roles switch as you get into the harder levels.
Also, it's a heckuva lot easier to unlock stuff in DS, IMO.

[Alfred F. Jones]

I've beaten all 85 scenes of StB, and have not been able to get past level 5 in DS.

Seriously, I think I may come to despise this game. >:<

[nintendonut888]

StB requires a lot more raw skill, while DS requires you to use your noggin and learn how to handle each card. I'd say overall DS is a bit harder than StB if you don't watch videos to learn the trick to each scene.

[Alfred F. Jones]

DS requires you to use your noggin

Well, shucks. I guess I'm doomed. :ohdear:

[Ghaleon]

Ds seems easier for me too.

[?q]

If you generally know how to play the camera-type games, DS is easier.  (I don't know what donut is talking about with cheating watching videos >.> )

Generally speaking it seems more like DS's spell cards were more made for effect than challenge.  StB, the other way around.

[Furienify]

DS has better variety and the vertical frame helps loads. Did they tweak Aya's speed too? Feels like it.

StB is overall full of bullshit. I find myself constantly drawn back to DS even though I've mostly beaten it, just to replay cards. StB made me want to chuck it across the room.

[Matsuri]

I only have 55 or so in StB, and I'm 93/108 in DS. I'd say DS is easier in the long run.

[Tengukami]

DS has a much lighter, snappier flow to it. I really enjoy the puzzle game aspect of the spell cards. To me, that makes doing a spellcard over and over a lot more fun. The music is, I have to say, much better. It meshes better with the game. Songs like Black Eyes in StB would grate me a bit after a while.

Gameplay is also smoother. Aya's movements are more fluid, and her speed has been dialed down slightly. That's also appreciated.

[Sen]

I've cleared all scenes in StB, and everything up to 10-5 in DS (haven't played the game in two weeks though). StB is harder in terms of raw challenge (oftentimes because of the bullshit it throws at you), but DS forces you to think more. For example, you could brute force your way through Aya's attacks in Stb 10-8. You're not going to get anywhere trying to overpower Utsuho in DS 8-2. They're different types of challenging.

I'm going to say DS is easier because it doesn't have the massive pile of suck that is Bar of the Ten Kings.

[WHMZakeri]

Why do people keep saying DS is easier when Stages 5 and 6 are just a brick wall?

[Ionasal kkll Solciel]

Most of Stage 6 I'll give you, but 6-7 is an easy clear, since all you need to do is fire as she "shouts". As for Stage 5, Ichirin has a few quirks with Unzan's fists that a player can easily exploit.

[Aisha]

I have every scene cleared in both games. DS has some diabolical cards here and there, but I found the game much easier overall than StB. Honestly, it didn't even feel like DS had that many more "puzzle" spellcards either.

[Alfred F. Jones]

As for Stage 5, Ichirin has a few quirks with Unzan's fists that a player can easily exploit.

WHAT

I want to ask what they are, but I also want to beat DS on my own with no help aaaaaaaaaargh :ohdear:

[Sen]

WHAT

I want to ask what they are, but I also want to beat DS on my own with no help aaaaaaaaaargh :ohdear:

hint
the fists disappear when you take pictures of them

:V

[Alfred F. Jones]

B-but they just keep smashing down

Smashing my hitbox

:ohdear:

I'm never going to get past level 5 am I :colonveeplusalpha:

[WHMZakeri]

hint
the a fists disappear when you take pictures of them

:V

WHAT DO I DO FOR THE OTHER SIX?

[Serela]

WHAT DO I DO FOR THE OTHER SIX?

unfocus speed

left, right, left right, once you get the hang of it, it's rather fun to watch~

But yeah, taking a few fists in the picture with Ichirin is very helpful.

And for the one where the fists pound the ground and make lasers, just use unfocus speed left-right to dodge the fists and move back. It's not that hard, once you see what to do.

[Zengeku]

DS is easier than StB in my opinion. The controls seem improved, the patterns doesn't require as many shots (ZUN apparently figured out that dying at the 10th shot isn't fun at all so he lowered the amount of shots needed for most scenes).

Take for example Kaguya's ceiling. Iirc you had to take 7 pictures of those. I had a million runs where i died to the final picture. I was in the same way troubled by 9-7 which is similar but at that i only had to take 3 photos. Satori then compensates by making it pretty much go all out from the beginning but that's better than having to do 4 incredibly easy photos again every time you fail.

All in all, i cleared DS with much less effort than i did StB. Then again, i am better now than when i first played StB (didn't finish it until recently though)

PS: About watching videos to learn tricks: I do that when i'm stuck. If i don't spot what i'm supposed to do fairly quickly i tend to get stuck in a pattern of constantly trying the same thing again and again despite knowing that it will not work. Besides, i've never been a fan at figuring out stuff. I'm a primitive danish viking - i just do stuff. I don't think about it first.

[Tengukami]

Oh man, I love recklessly trying new attacks when I'm stuck. The results are often hilarious, sometimes solution-revealing. Also, saving a replay isn't just for your successes - watching your own replays of failures can teach you a lot.

[?q]

Why do people keep saying DS is easier when Stages 5 and 6 are just a brick wall?

Stage 5 -
Once you know that taking pictures of the fists make them go away, 5-3 and 5-7 become rather doable.  Even if not, 5-5 has no fists and is still reasonably easy (if a little luck-swayed).
5-4 is an exercise in taking close-quarters pictures of anchors, and while it's not THE easiest thing to beat 5-6 is actually a pretty card.  Murasa is one of my favorite characters in DS.

Stage 6 -
Everything Yuugi has is garbage.  Yuugi IS garbage.  Embrace the garbage.  Then when you're done with that, play Suika's cards as they're all better and much more interesting.  6-6 is doable, although if your computer is like mine you'll eat a lot of slowdown.  6-4 isn't completely easy, but fun.  6-2 isn't bad once you figure out how to do it.

Stage 8 is the true brick wall of this game IMO.  Fortunately, you can skip it altogether because of how unlocks work until you need a scene from it to unlock Extra (go go 8-5).

[triangles]

For an EASY MODE LOL such as myself, I am enjoying DS way more that StB.  I only cleared 10 stages in StB (everything before Level 3) but 22 in DS, and I spent way less time on the latter than the former let me tell you.  I'll probably never get to the end of either game, but since DS seems to be more puzzley and thinky rather than pure punchpunchdodgedodge, it is better for me the failplayer at least at the part I've gotten to.

[Patorikku]

As multiple people have said, StB has a lot more BS cards that make you want to throw a brick at the character shooting the danmaku. Meanwhile, DS has hard cards, but not nearly as BS as they look. For example, 7-5 of DS looks like a near impossible card, but in reality, it's all about taking the pictures right when Shou comes at you and getting your tengu behind outta there while the lasers are gone. Meanwhile, with something like, oh say, 7-2 of StB, the only pictures you can take through the first 20 seconds or so are safety shots, and mind you, you may just need them with how the bullets position themselves, and even then, it screws you upside the head if you don't circle perfectly.

And with the topic of stage 6 of DS, Yuugi's cards are probably more timing-based than Suika's. You have to take the pictures at a precise time in each of them, albeit the first. You have to shoot the bullets out at a specific time to make it as easy and doable as possible, especially in GIANT CURVING LASER and ONI ROAR cases.

[Sen]

I found Suika to be much harder in Stage 6 than Yuugi was.

This is because I didn't discover vertically-oriented shots until Stage 8 :colonveeplusalpha:

[orinrin]

I should mention this.


DS is actually fun.

[Zengeku]

Stage 6 -
Everything Yuugi has is garbage.  Yuugi IS garbage.  Embrace the garbage.  Then when you're done with that, play Suika's cards as they're all better and much more interesting.  6-6 is doable, although if your computer is like mine you'll eat a lot of slowdown.  6-4 isn't completely easy, but fun.  6-2 isn't bad once you figure out how to do it.

Stage 8 is the true brick wall of this game IMO.  Fortunately, you can skip it altogether because of how unlocks work until you need a scene from it to unlock Extra (go go 8-5).

SA Yuugi isn't garbage. I am disappointed in her DS appearance though. No Mt. Ooe but a lot of Banana lasers. Basically all her tricks sucks in DS but her SA appearance i can't understand why everyone have so much against.

About level 8. Almost everything in that was brilliant! I didn't like 8-6 but all the other stuff was fun.