WASD instead of arrow keys is actual torture. I beat subterranean animism on a keyboard no problem but this game felt like hell made not of bullets but of pain. For some reason just couldn't get used to the keybinds!
Despite that the game itself is incredible! Easy to tell that so much love and care was put into this. All that art! Every frame of animation is beautiful. The music is amazing, the sound effects are so crunchy! The occasional soundbites are funny as heck. All of it is so good!
Gameplay is also great, a classic polished shoot-em-up! It's fluid and enjoyable still, even with me struggling with the control scheme. Love the time freeze mechanic and the way everything looks when you use it! And the different character selection is a neat touch, all of them feel unique to play as. My favorite is buffson with the explosions lmao.
I think the game feels very hard to play because there are no indicators of real hitboxes for the player or bosses. Also with most bullet hells there is a substantial invulnerability period after a hit, allowing you to relocate and collect yourself. Here is kinda the opposite lol. I don't really understand how it works exactly, but it appears if you get hit twice in a row you just explode and die instantly.
My first game ever was a shmup (a pretty bad one) so I understand how hard it is to actually get it right. I think in general the game is awesome but having a forgiving easy mode would make it a lot more accessible to people who can't put in the time to get good at it. I think some games even have a setting for the player to gain infinite health or something lol. Will be looking forward to future updates if possible!