Earlier tonight I watched the three highest scoring replays for Raiden IV (X360 mode) on the XBL leaderboards.  I only watched the highest scoring one all the way through (the 2nd loop.)  When I did, I took notes on sticky notes.  Where’s a fucking notebook?  It’s okay, I didn’t take many notes.

St. 3
-1 panic bomb?
-p.b. big ship over bridge (p.b. is point blank)

  • Herd in middle of screen arriving 1up area with Wide

-2 turrets 2nd last form

St. 3 Boss
-Due to delaying in earlier forms, last form time-out early (don’t have to deal with harsher final patterns? also, for score.)

St. 4

He bombs the suicide-bullet-pods at home stretch
-laser for boss (I prefer my assassination technique with Wide shot and 1 bomb)

St. 5
-p.b.s big ship near end
-bombs boss when it spins for early KO

St. 6
give space for tap-dodge between bullet gaps from the ships that shoot wide spread V-shapes.
-bombs suicide bullet pods at mid-stage
-be wary of THOSE SUICIDEBULLETPODS! (check replays again)

St. 7
Did he die on purpose there?
-uses missiles
-tiny dodges last pattern tlb
-bomb the shit out of tlb

- – -

I also noticed many of the 1st to 10th rank replays used Homing in more stages than I did, only using missiles for certain occasions.  That’s something I may need to adjust to if I switch to homing.  Otherwise, I think the outlook is positive for me ALL clearing Raiden IV.  The notes here expressed most of my biggest concerns as far as survival goes.  I found out that the TLB at 2-8 (I guess the purple crystal has his own mini-stage) is actually very easy with the usage of 3 bombs and point blanking and doing some simple dodges in a few patterns.  That excited me as I thought that would be a big hurdle for me as I was slaughtered in my first practice attempts against ‘em.

Also, one of the top ranking players used the photon beam for the alternate DLC ship, I don’t know its name (not the fairy.)  He kicked some serious ass with it, but all the fucking wiggling wouldn’t suit my play style, I decided.  And the way he played with it involved a lot of jittery movements to manipulate those things for maximum damage.  I was impressed as I think I would have a lot more difficulty.  But hey, I haven’t tried (or PAID) for that ship yet, maybe it’s dece’.  Also, I think he may be using a pad.  Fuckin’ pad jitterbugs.

Expect to see me in the top 10 in the US Raiden 4 Leaderboards!  I’m getting into it.  Yeah, I’m pumped.