Anstorm
- November 16, 2018
- Shiv
Get on SteamMy new game About the Game"Anstorm", a research ship on the mission outside the explored part of the galaxy, discovered a wormhole with an artificial planet inside of it. Your new mission is to make a landing on it, and find out its origin and history. Game features Simple and thrilling gameplay will remind you of the days of the classic arcade shooters. Campaign mode consists of 6…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Anstorm offers a variety of gameplay modes, including a campaign with six chapters and engaging survival modes, providing good replayability for its price.
- The game features a charming retro pixel art style and a decent story that keeps players intrigued throughout the campaign.
- For its low price, Anstorm delivers solid twin-stick shooter mechanics and a fun experience, making it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including low-quality graphics, lack of customization options, and unbalanced gameplay in the Arena mode.
- Some players have reported bugs that hinder progress, particularly with certain bosses being unbeatable due to game mechanics.
- The campaign is relatively short, and while the survival modes add variety, they can feel unbalanced and lack depth, leading to a limited overall experience.
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story of the game is described as intriguing and engaging, enhanced by fantastic artwork and a well-paced campaign mode featuring memorable bosses. While the narrative is relatively short, it captivates players with its imaginative elements and a compelling protagonist's journey on a hostile planet. However, some players express disappointment over the lack of a sequel to conclude the story.
“The flow of the campaign is largely carried by the good story and the bosses.”
“Loved the story, and the music was fantastic.”
“I really liked the story, but sadly it won't have an end because there won't be a sequel.”
“The campaign mode has a story about a protagonist visiting a hostile planet to collect certain data leading to the final reveal.”
“Semblance of imaginative story moves the campaign along.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the use of outdated retro pixel art and the lack of resolution and customization options. While the art style is described as clean and colorful, with some atmospheric backgrounds, many find the overall quality low and unremarkable. However, others appreciate the solid mechanics and find the artwork engaging, suggesting a divide in player preferences regarding visual presentation.
“I skipped through a playthrough to read the story, which, while short, did intrigue me and caught my attention with the fantastic artwork.”
“The graphics have a nice clean look, though a bit too colorful and not exactly scary; there are surprisingly many backgrounds and floors, some are pretty and atmospheric but most are unremarkable.”
“Art style is pretty and the mechanics are solid and responsive, definitely recommended.”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“There's no option to change the resolution for the game or customize the graphics settings.”
“There's no way for gamers to improve the low-quality graphics.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay features smooth movement and responsive shooting mechanics, set against a visually appealing retro pixel backdrop. Players can navigate quickly to avoid enemy collisions, though some may prefer a speed power-up system instead. Overall, the mechanics are solid and enjoyable, making the game recommended despite some criticisms.
“Movement is mostly smooth as well as the shooting mechanics.”
“Art style is pretty and the mechanics are solid and responsive, definitely recommended.”
“Gameplay consists of kiting weird enemies around a badly rendered 2D retro pixel backdrop.”
“You can zip from one place to the next to avoid sudden enemy collisions, but I don't personally think much of this mechanic; I would have preferred a speed power-up system.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise it as fantastic and fitting for the campaign, others feel it doesn't suit the arcade style of the survival mode and is overly loud during the level select screen. Additionally, there are concerns about the overall sound design needing improvement.
“Loved the story, and the music was fantastic.”
“My only gripe is that while the music was outstanding, why was it so darn loud at the level select screen?”
“The sound design could be a lot better, and the music is lacking. The background music works in the campaign but does not fit the arcade style in survival mode, if you ask me (or maybe I'm just spoiled by Walter's riffs).”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is primarily derived from its survival mode, as the static nature of the campaign offers limited opportunities for improvement or variation. While the low price of $1.99 makes it more appealing, the overall lack of replay value may deter some players unless they particularly enjoy grinding through survival challenges.
“The survival mode certainly adds replayability.”
“Survival mode feels like the only aspect of replayability the game has, as the campaign is pretty static and there's not much you can do to improve on it outside of trying to avoid dying or getting hit.”
“Survival mode feels like the only replayability the game has, as the campaign is pretty static and there's not much you can do to improve on it outside of maybe trying to avoid dying or getting hit.”
“The game being $1.99 USD is a saving grace; otherwise, I would not want to recommend this game to anyone due to the lack of replay value, unless you enjoy the survival modes and are willing to grind them out.”
“The survival mode certainly adds some replayability.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by clean, colorful graphics that may lack a sense of fear, with a mix of visually appealing and unremarkable backgrounds. While it offers a decent atmospheric experience for its price, it doesn't reach the intensity of similar titles like Walter Machado's Ubermosh.
“The graphics have a nice clean look, though a bit too colorful and not exactly scary; there are surprisingly many backgrounds and floors, some are pretty and atmospheric.”
“Relative to the price point, this is a good atmospheric 2D twin-stick shooter in the vein of Walter Machado's Ubermosh, though not as hardcore.”
