ESCHATOS – Tips and Tricks for New Players

This guide wants to help players with any questions they have about ESCHATOS. It covers everything, from how to play the game to the best tips and tricks. Whether you’re new to the game or a hardcore veteran, this guide aims to provide the information you need. With this guide, players can aim to reclaim the moon from evil forces and achieve the highest scores possible!

Story

In the year 21XX, everything is calm until a mysterious alien force, called the “Purple Erosion,” disrupts the peace. These aliens have seized control of the Moon, establishing a lunar base at its center and launching attacks on Earth for their impending invasion. Your mission is to thwart their assault, saving Earth from their destructive plans. But it doesn’t end there – after stopping their initial invasion, you must reclaim the Moon to eliminate the alien threat once and for all. Beware, as they won’t go down without an intense and explosive fight.

The Basics

ESCHATOS, a shoot-em-up game by Qute, serves as a spiritual successor to Judgement Silversword and Cardinal Sins. It’s a vertically scrolling shooter where constant waves of enemies and obstacles challenge you. Your trusty advanced space fighter ship is your key to success. It’s armed with three tools: the Front Shot, the Wide Shot, and the Shield. Master their use to eliminate foes and dodge incoming attacks, preparing to reclaim the Moon!

Collect points as you play, earned by destroying enemies. The faster and more you kill, the more points you get. Accumulating enough points triggers an Option Level Up, enhancing your customization options. However, not all configurations will preserve your scores. Stay vigilant and skillful to conquer the game’s challenges!

Modes

ESCHATOS offers various ways to play, featuring Original, Advanced, and Time Attack modes. Original is a standard shoot-em-up experience without particular complexities. Advanced mirrors Original but introduces additional elements like Bonus Bits and the Power Up item, making it more intricate. In Time Attack, you play like Original but aim to finish as quickly as possible. Each completed area grants extra time, but losing a life deducts five seconds. Run out of time, and your game ends, even with unlimited lives!

Different difficulties add to the challenge, with Easy, Normal, Hard, and the unlockable Hardest options. Higher difficulties bring more bullets and intricate projectile patterns, including basic rockets firing at you. An Endless mode takes players through the entire game repeatedly, with each iteration increasing difficulty. Stay cautious as you navigate these diverse modes and difficulties!

Weapons

The main weapon in the game is the Front Shot, and it’s super powerful. You’ll use it a lot because it can destroy big enemies really quickly. It’s easy to use, but there’s a drawback – it can only shoot straight ahead. So, you can’t get the enemies on your sides with it.

• Damage: This thing deals a ton of damage! (★★★★★)
• Range: The Front Shot can reach really far! (★★★★★)
• Versatility: It’s quite versatile. (★★★★)
• Firing Angle: The firing angle is not wide. It only shoots what’s in front. (★★)
• Complexity: Using it is super simple. (★)
• Overall: It’s a great tool for your missions! (★★★★)

If you’re using the Front Shot but can’t hit enemies on your sides, try the Wide Shot! It’s perfect for taking out multiple foes next to you, especially in big groups. Weaker enemies don’t stand a chance against it, but remember, it only shoots to your sides and doesn’t have great range. So, pick the right moments to use it.

• Damage: It deals a good amount of damage. (★★★)
• Range: The range is not the best. (★★)
• Versatility: It’s somewhat versatile. (★★★)
• Firing Angle: The firing angle is pretty wide, shooting to your sides. (★★★★)
• Complexity: It’s fairly simple to use. (★★)
• Overall: It’s important and comes in handy, even if you won’t use it a lot. (★★★)

The Shield does exactly what it sounds like – it shields you from enemy attacks and can even destroy weaker enemies that fly into it! Picture a powerful blue energy orb in front of you, activated by trying to shoot both the Wide Shot and Front Shot simultaneously or by pressing the Shield button. It can absorb projectiles and has unique abilities (check Bonus Bits in Items or A Master’s Techniques). But be cautious, it constantly drains a bar in the bottom left (with a number next to your ship showing the bar’s capacity). Starting at one-hundred, this bar drops rapidly as you use the Shield. Every time you pull it out, the energy drops by five immediately. If the bar hits twenty-five or lower, the Shield turns red, and it won’t work when the bar hits zero. Use it wisely!

• Damage: It deals less than preferable damage. (★★)
• Range: The range is pretty terrible. (★)
• Versatility: It’s incredibly versatile! (★★★★★)
• Firing Angle: It doesn’t fire anything, really. (N/A)
• Complexity: It’s quite complex to use. (★★★★)
• Overall: This Shield can save you in tough situations during your mission! (★★★★)

Items

On your journey, items are super helpful! You’ll often find them dropped by the Item Carrier, a little machine that won’t hurt you unless you fly into it. Shoot the Item Carrier, and you’ll get an item, though not all items come from this! I’ve listed a few items below, but if I missed any or if you have more details, tell me! I’ll add the info and credit you.

• Item Carrier: A small, non-threatening machine that drops items. (Passive)
• Obtaining Items: Shoot the Item Carrier to get items, but not all items come this way.

1UP: This handy item appears when you’re doing well. Collecting it gives you an extra life, or in Time Attack mode, an additional fifteen seconds.

FLASH: Found by shooting Item Carriers, this item clears enemy bullets on screen and damages some enemies. It briefly stops new enemy bullets too. In Advanced Mode, using it decreases your ship’s Power Level by one.

GOLD FLASH: Exclusive to Advanced Mode, it works like a regular Flash but turns cleared enemy bullets into Bonus Bits, earning you extra points.

POWER UP: Also in Advanced Mode, this item increases your ship’s Power Level by one, making your attacks stronger. Be cautious, though—higher Power Level means less Shield.

BONUS BIT (seen circling around the player’s ship): An Advanced Mode-only purple triangle item, it gives extra points. The more projectiles your Shield absorbs or Gold Flashes clear, the more Bonus Bits appear. Higher Power Level means even more bits, dealing damage to nearby enemies.

WITCH: A mysterious item appearing rarely, it grants extra score but tries to avoid you. It’s observed to spawn in different areas, like Area 9 on Easy or Area 13 on Normal. That’s all known about this item!

Areas

In ESCHATOS, the action unfolds across different sections known as “areas.” These areas are like short, clear levels that you move through. As you advance, things become more challenging, so keep your eyes open and stay on your toes!

The game is organized into distinct sets of areas, kind of like separate pieces. Here’s the breakdown:

• AREA 1-4 (THE CITY): Your starting point, navigating through a cityscape.
• AREA 5 (GIANT MOTHERSHIP – 1st Boss): Encounter and tackle the first boss on a massive mothership.
• AREA 6-11 (THE TEMPLE AND ATMOSPHERE): Progress through various challenges in the temple and atmospheric settings.
• AREA 12-14 (TRANSPORT SHIP’S DEFENSES – Part of Area 15’s boss): Face the defenses of a transport ship, leading into the boss battle of Area 15.
• AREA 15 (TRANSPORT SHIP – 2nd Boss): Engage in a boss battle on a transport ship.
• AREA 16-19 (DEPTHS OF SPACE): Traverse the depths of outer space, encountering new challenges.
• AREA 20 (GIANT MOTHERSHIP – 3rd Boss – Upgraded): Return to the upgraded mothership for another intense showdown.
• AREA 21-23 (MOON’S SURFACE): Explore and conquer challenges on the surface of the moon.
• AREA 24-25 (THE CATACOMBS): Navigate through the eerie catacombs, facing unique obstacles.
• AREA 26 (MYSTERIOUS ORGANISM – Final Boss): Confront the ultimate challenge against the mysterious organism in the final boss battle.

A Master’s Techniques

So, you want to be the greatest, huh? Here are some important things to remember if you’re aiming for the top scores!

• In Advanced Mode, use the Shield to make Bonus Bits. You can also use it as an attack to defend against weaker enemies and absorb projectiles from stronger ones. This strategy earns more points, especially if your Power Level is high, as it increases the Bonus Bits you get.
• You can change your speed! It’s usually not a big deal, but for those wanting a swift demise for every enemy, it can be crucial.
• When facing groups of weak enemies, go for the Wide Shot. But when dealing with clusters of strong enemies, the Front Shot might be the better choice.
• Shoot a boss without getting hurt if you can! The first boss is a good opportunity; even with enemies coming at you, risking some damage to the boss can lead to a quicker defeat.
• Explore online leaderboards and watch replays for different strategies. Analyze them thoroughly and make sure to grasp every detail. Learning from the best can help you improve!