Plot: What’s it about?
The genre of “bullet hell” games is well represented on the Live Arcade, so does Bangai-O HD stand out? This might not be the best or hardest game of this kind out there, but Bangai-O HD is great fun. If you love screens that are jam packed with bullets, this is all you. While all games of this kind have insanely frantic moments, imagine a game where you can fire a thousand, even a million bullets in one attack. This is that game. Yes, you can launch one million shells in one blast, which is simply awesome. The action is non stop, even the tutorial is a maze of bullets throughout. As hectic as Bangai-O HD can be, the controls remain crisp and very responsive. So when you explode, its because of your mistake, not faulty controls. And in a game like this one, you need that kind of precise reaction. The visuals are impressive as well, with bright colors and as you can imagine, dizzying amounts of bullets all over the screen.
In a most welcome move, Bangai-O HD offers on-line co-op, which means you and a friend can brave the unfriendly skies as a tactical unit. The approach used is not the greatest, as the host must unlock levels solo before you can play through levels with a bud, which sucks. But at least on-line co-op is there, as some games ignore that aspect. My main complaint with Bangai-O HD is that there is no story whatsoever. You just kill and kill, clear stages, and move to the next. I know this kind of game doesn’t often an in depth plot, but some kind of story would have been nice. Especially given how creative and well designed the levels are, some plot would have added a lot to the experience. But Bangai-O HD offers fun game play that you can even enjoy with a friend, with enough challenge to keep any “bullet hell” fan on their toes. As if that wasn’t enough, you can also create your own levels, then play through those with a friend! The Live Arcade has a lot of variety in this genre, but Bangai-O HD deserves to stand out and is well worth checking out.
Video: How does it look?
A new coat of HD paint has been applied and while it doesn’t look cutting edge, the game looks good. The colorful visuals are a treat to watch, but you’re able to focus on what you need to. So even though the screen is usually overloaded with danger, the image is always navigable. Bright colors, good detail, and solid animation, fans should appreciate this HD update.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sound is basic, but that’s fine in this case. This game doesn’t need atmosphere or power, all the needed elements come across quite well. The music sounds acceptable, but never overpowers the sound effects, which is good. The bullets sound good and really, what else could you want here?
Supplements: What are the extras?
N/A
