What are you playing?

[rabidtictac]

You forgot Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match.
And would you count bullet hells with weapon customization, or would that veer too close into shmup territory?

I guess it would depend on the game. Most shmups I am aware of are purely an arcade experience. They don't have campaigns, progressive unlocks, weapon loadouts, wingmen, military objectives or any of those other elements that, to me, characterize the simcade Military Vehicle Game.

I will add Weeb Und Panzer if it does actually fit those parameters.

Colony Wars is a criminally overlooked game, btw. It's like somebody tried to make Freespace, but on the ps1.

[VoiceOfReasonPast]

A few shmup standouts would be Tyrian and Jets'N'Guns, both of which are all about earning money to invest into getting a better ship and/or weapons (with upgrades for both). Tyrian even has a branching campaign.

[Kugelfisch]

Friendly reminder that Hawx should be pirated or picked up on eGay. Ubishit doesn't even sell it anymore.

[rabidtictac]

Kugel, did you ever mention which Might and Magic was your favorite one? I think I have the first six on gog. I tried to jump into Xeen a while ago, but didn't know what I was doing. I've done a little research on how to ackt-shually play now, so hopefully my next attempt will go better.

Mandate of Heaven seems to get a lot of the recommendations.

[Kugelfisch]

I don't really have a favourite. I'll just say that 1 and 2 are only going to be something for you if you actually like drawing a map.

[VoiceOfReasonPast]

It's like Etriany Odyssey with less chibi.

[rabidtictac]

I'm going to either install a minimap mod or have wizard eye going the entire time I play the games. Etrian Odyssey was cool because you could map without interrupting gameplay. If I have to map on paper then I'd rather run the automap.

[BloodKnightDollfie]

[Old Black Man]

Not bad.

[VoiceOfReasonPast]

Imagine if Konami actually kept working on 3D Castlevanias, instead of succumbing to the lure of the Pachinko.
Also I prefer Lament of Innocence. It doesn't have a level system so you don't run into the classic post-SotN problem of becoming too powerful too quickly (even worse in Curse of Darkness because certain Pokemon can effectively solo the game for you), and I dare say it was kinda clever how they twisted Bram Stoker's work into their franchise's origin story.