Aqua Kitty UDX: It’s a sure shot, honey

 

Dreadnought Mode nearly done and dusted, baby! There’s only the gigantic and uber-hard final level left before I can claim full mastery of the thing, and let me tell you: I’m gonna take all the time I need to clear that one level, just like I did with its predecessors. 

 

 

Man, what a crazy ride that was. Levels went from straightforward to increasingly mazey, with a pitch-perfect difficulty curve; I could really feel myself getting stronger, faster and better. I swear my visual acuity and vision field genuinely increased, just like my reaction speed: I now feel like I have eyes everywhere, and I can effortlessly dodge shots that would have found me defenceless three weeks ago. Also, I see AKUDX laser beams when I close my eyes, which is a surefire sign that the game is totally ingrained in me mind — and also that I play it way too much for my own good. But who cares, when it’s so darn fun?

 

  

AKUDX only got better as stages rolled, with the three last ones being my favourites. Not only are they delightfully complex and challenging, but they sport what I deem the best track in the whole game — a.k.a. Roll Tide. Man, I fell hard for that track the first time I listened to it. It boasts this loopy, slightly obsessive quality I fancy in my videogame music; and each phrase adds something subtle to the mix while leaving the piece’s essence untouched. But the best comes at the end: after a bridge of sorts that builds up a sense of anticipation, the track suddenly shifts gears at 3:25 and turns into a Jan Hammer-esque synth coda that would totally feel at home in a Miami Vice episode. I didn’t see it coming at all, and my jaw dropped and my heart swelled a little when I heard it for the first time. When I play the last levels, I always try to stay alive until that coda; once I’ve heard it, I can die happy. Like, literally.   

 

  

Heck, even the regular Aqua Kitty gameplay got better thanks to my Dreadnought adventure. I now rush and glide effortlessly through the shallow waters of the original mode, shooting at everything with abandon. Honestly, EastAsiaSoft: just shut up, release a physical version and take my money already. I probably won’t write a final post once I’ve beaten the last level, because everything is pretty much said; on the other hand, I’m very much inclined to write a ‘Tips and Tricks’ post — for myself as much as for the next shmup noob. See ya soon, dear fellow gamers!