Reviews:
-
Old-school vertical shooting meets some welcome alterations in this well-made modern retro classic
While until this week I’d never heard of Hanaji Games, playing two of its retro shooters (this and Dezatopia) has certainly marked them as a developer to watch in the space. What I am loving about them is that while there are certain elements and creative flourishes common to these two titles, they also play completely differently. Especially in the shooter space I think there’s a tendency to make something good and then simply continue to tweak and improve on the formula with sequels. Given that Dezatopia is a side-scrolling shooter with more in common with the classic Vanguard than anything else I can think of, but this is vertically-scrolling with hints of genre legends like Raiden, the folks behind these games are seemingly flexing their creative muscles and showing their genre cred at the same time. The thing is, so much here is immediately familiar and yet a bit different. Rather than worrying over changing your shot pattern with pick-ups you’re locked in with a different mode when you tap versus hold down. Your bombs and “lives” (in this case your shield) work a bit differently than normal but make sense. Big enemies have specific parts you’ll need to target while dodging what sometimes feels like a screen full of bullets. It all just feels familiar and somehow fresh at the same time and is absolutely worth a look.
Justin Nation, Score:Nindie Choice! [8.6]