Xexex (Arcade) Playthrough
4Playthrough of Konami's 1991 side-scrolling shoot 'em up for the Arcades, Xexex. It shows both loops where first loop is normal mode and the second loop is hard mode.
Xexex, also known as Orius in North America, is a 1991 side-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game developed by Konami. Drawing inspiration from Irem's R-Type and Konami’s own Gradius, it introduces the tentacle mechanics seen in Irem's XMultiply. In the game, players control the Flintlock space fighter, which is equipped with the mysterious alien life form known as Flint. The player's mission is to rescue Princess Irene La Tias from the clutches of the evil galactic warlord Klaus Pachelbel, who has captured her on the planet E-Square.
The gameplay is similar to R-Type and XMultiply. The Flintlock ship has a detachable orb attachment, Flint, which behaves like the Force Device in R-Type. The Flint's tentacles can be upgraded, allowing the player to increase their movement speed, alter weapons, and gain extra lives or energy. These upgrades provide a strategic element, as players must carefully manage their resources to overcome increasingly difficult stages. The game features different mechanics in its Japanese and overseas releases, with the latter introducing changes such as the removal of all but one upgradable weapon and replacing the traditional lives system with an energy bar. The overseas versions also feature slightly altered enemy patterns and bosses with more health.
Set in a futuristic world where mankind has developed advanced technology to travel between planets, Xexex's story begins with a telepathic distress call from Princess Irene La Tias. Her home planet, E-Square, has been taken over by Lord Klaus Pachelbel and his bio-mechanical army. In response, humans discover Flint, an alien life form capable of assisting the new Flintlock space fighter, which is sent to rescue Irene and her planet. Each stage of the game is followed by short cutscenes that typically feature Irene’s pleas for help or Klaus's taunts.
Despite its challenging gameplay, it received positive reviews, particularly for its graphics and soundtrack. In Japan, Xexex was highly regarded, winning multiple awards. It also appeared as one of the most popular arcade games in Japan in the early 90s.