Barrage Musical: A Fantasy of Tempest
- October 7, 2017
- SlimeSmile
Get on Steam"Barrage Musical: A Fantasy of Tempest" is a rhythm game where players must hit notes in time with the music, featuring a fantasy-based storyline and tempest-themed songs. The game boasts a unique "barrage" feature, where notes fill the screen rapidly, requiring quick reflexes and precision. With various difficulty settings and a wide range of songs, this game offers a challenging and engaging rhythm experience for players.
PC
Reviews
- The game features excellent music that syncs perfectly with the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
- It offers a variety of difficulty levels, making it accessible for newcomers while still providing challenges for veterans.
- The bullet patterns and stage designs are creative and engaging, providing a unique twist on the traditional SHMUP formula.
- The English translation is poor, making it difficult to understand some aspects of the game.
- The graphics are below average, with some backgrounds and character designs lacking polish.
- The shop system for unlocking higher difficulties and features can feel tedious and grindy.
- music71 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in "Barrage musical ~a fantasy of tempest~" is widely praised for its incredible quality and its integral role in gameplay, with many reviewers highlighting how enemy attacks are synchronized with the soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience. Each stage features unique tracks that contribute to the game's atmosphere, making the music a key element that elevates the enjoyment of the shoot 'em up mechanics. While some players noted that the game could be easier than others in the genre, the engaging music and its connection to gameplay patterns provide a captivating and immersive experience.
“The music is simply incredible.”
“One of the game's biggest features is how the stages and boss attacks are all synced with the background music.”
“The soundtrack is amazing, there is creativity shown in the stage design and the pattern design, which often syncs with the soundtrack to make the battles even more tense.”
“I'm a bit mixed on how this was implemented: I don't mind having to buy songs for the music room or art for the gallery, it gives the game more replay value in my opinion, but I don't like how the higher difficulties also need to be bought; all it does is force more expert players to grind for a while before they can play a difficulty appropriate to their skill level.”
“However, it's not entirely like the game is musical of sort but using music as a theme for the entire game.”
“Although the shooting and stuff seemed pretty bland, the music somehow makes up for it.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally considered low-resolution, yet the character portraits are well-drawn and the overall art design is pleasant. While some users feel the graphics could be improved, particularly in certain backgrounds, they do not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment, which is enhanced by the game's music and visual elements. The standout feature is the visually stunning magical bombs, which add a unique flair to the experience.
“The fun (if somewhat flawed) scoring system and the unlockables also give the game a nice amount of replayability, and the solid visuals and fantastic music tie the whole package together very nicely.”
“However, in all the entire game, the most stunning and beautiful graphics would be the magical bombs!”
“The graphics are admittedly pretty low-resolution, but the character portraits are otherwise well-drawn and the overall art design is quite pleasant.”
“The graphics could be a bit better, I guess (most notably the stage 1 background in my opinion), but that doesn't really take any enjoyment out of the game.”
“Graphics don't matter in this game.”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as an epic yet simple narrative that closely resembles the plot of "Embodiment of Scarlet Devil," featuring familiar characters and a straightforward progression. While the story is engaging and complemented by exciting music, some players noted that the language barrier (with the story presented in Chinese) hindered their understanding of the plot. Overall, the narrative is considered captivating despite its brevity.
“You can enjoy the story accompanied by exciting music and handsome barrage.”
“The plot is simple and short but fascinating.”
“The story is simple and borrows very heavily from Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, but it works really well.”
“Then, there's a simple story too that comes with characters of little background.”
“The menus are in English, but the story is all in Chinese, so I had absolutely no idea what was going on.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Barrage Musical ~a fantasy of tempest~ is engaging and offers various difficulty options, appealing to both casual and hardcore bullet hell fans. Drawing inspiration from the Touhou series, it features classic mechanics like movement, shooting, and screen-clearing bombs, while its integration of music enhances the experience by syncing bullet patterns with the soundtrack. Overall, the game stands out with its solid presentation and unique elements, making it a worthwhile addition to the genre.
“Fun gameplay, lots of difficulty options, amazing music, and a quite interesting plot.”
“Barrage Musical: A Fantasy of Tempest takes a lot of obvious inspiration from the Touhou games, but it has enough differences to make it more than just a glorified Touhou fangame. Its solid presentation and gameplay make it worthwhile for pretty much anyone interested in bullet hells.”
“In addition, the fact that the bullets fly in time to the fantastic soundtrack makes the gameplay in Barrage Musical that much more immersive.”
“The basic gameplay is what you'd expect from a Touhou-like: besides moving and shooting, you have a handful of screen-clearing bombs and a focus button to slow down for more precise dodging.”
“While this doesn't affect the core gameplay too much, there are some occasions where paying attention to the music can be helpful for anticipating bigger attacks or waves of enemies.”
“It has a similar style to Touhou, but like the gameplay, it's different enough to set itself apart.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers a solid level of replayability, enhanced by unlockable content such as songs and art, which encourages players to engage with it repeatedly. However, some users express frustration over the requirement to purchase higher difficulty levels, which can hinder access for more skilled players. Overall, the combination of a fun scoring system, appealing visuals, and great music contributes positively to its replay value.
“The fun (if somewhat flawed) scoring system and the unlockables also give the game a nice amount of replayability, and the solid visuals and fantastic music tie the whole package together very nicely.”
“Infinitely replayable.”
“The variety of choices and paths in the game ensures that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
“I'm a bit mixed on how this was implemented: I don't mind having to buy songs for the music room or art for the gallery; it gives the game more replay value in my opinion. However, I don't like how the higher difficulties also need to be bought. All it does is force more expert players to grind for a while before they can play a difficulty appropriate to their skill level.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its charming and calming atmosphere, creating an inviting and soothing experience for players.
“The whole game has a certain charm and calming atmosphere to it.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly the requirement to collect coins to unlock higher difficulty levels, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
“I understand wanting to keep people playing, but having to collect coins to unlock higher difficulties can be very tedious.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I find the constant need to grind for resources to be frustrating and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
