Battle Crust

About

"Battle Crust" is a retro-style 2D shooting game with bullet hell elements. Players control a mech as they battle through levels filled with enemies and intense bullet patterns. The game features multiple characters, stages, and a boss rush mode, providing a challenging and engaging experience for fans of the shoot 'em up genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

music6 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Battle Crust is a nostalgic homage to late 80s and early 90s vertically scrolling shmups, featuring solid gameplay mechanics and a well-designed aesthetic.
The game offers tight and responsive controls, with a good level of challenge that feels fair, making it enjoyable for both newcomers and seasoned players.
The soundtrack is highly praised, with catchy tunes that enhance the overall experience and evoke a sense of nostalgia for classic shooters.

The gameplay can feel basic and somewhat bare-bones, lacking additional features like online leaderboards or a practice mode that could enhance replayability.
Some players find the weapon variety and effectiveness to be lacking, with certain weapons feeling weak even when powered up.
The game may not provide enough challenge for experienced shmup players, as normal mode can be completed relatively easily, potentially leading to a lack of engagement.

music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The music in the game has received high praise for its catchy chip-tune style and nostalgic feel, effectively complementing the vibrant pixel art and gameplay mechanics. Composed by renowned VGM artist Hyakutaro Tsukumo, the soundtrack features a blend of old-school FM synthesis and rock influences, enhancing the overall experience. Many players express a desire for a soundtrack release, highlighting its quality and contribution to the game's charm.
- “The soundtrack in Battle Crust is also one of my new favorites.”
- “It has lovely designed sprites and great old school shoot ’em up music.”
- “Overall, I think the sound and music for the game are spot on and go great with the aesthetics.”
- “Instead of employing his usual over-the-top modular synth rocking that defines lots of his works, he opted to compose the soundtrack with old school FM synthesis to match the classic theme of the game.”
- “Despite the retro, chiptune sound, the music still has a lot of the rock and roll grooves and melodic, bombastic highs common in Tsukumo's style.”
- “On the whole, it is very well done, and a soundtrack release is the only thing I'd like to see from this down the road, because I think it deserves one.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The gameplay is characterized by tight and responsive controls, vibrant visuals, and a blend of classic mechanics that offer a challenging yet fair experience. While it leans towards a slower pace compared to modern bullet hell shooters, it provides a unique and enjoyable homage to traditional vertical shooters, making it accessible for newcomers to the genre. However, some players may find the overall experience slightly lacking in depth beyond its basic mechanics.
- “Good music, pretty sharp pixels and vibrant colors, tight game mechanics, and challenging but fair.”
- “The controls are tight and responsive, and the basic mechanics are enjoyable.”
- “It's not a danmaku/bullet hell, but it is a very enjoyable ode to an earlier time with some well balanced difficulty, simple to grasp mechanics and some extra depth for those who look/want it.”
- “The gameplay is basic overall and definitely on the slower side of things when it comes to shoot 'em up games.”
- “The game beyond the basic gameplay is slightly bare bones though.”
- “"Battle Crust", like it says in the description, adheres to the 80's/90's style 'traditional' shooter design in aesthetic and gameplay, which are less commonly seen nowadays compared to the more modern 'bullet hell' design of shooters.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The graphics of the game are reminiscent of 80s and 90s pixel art, appealing to players who appreciate retro aesthetics. While some may find the visuals dated compared to modern shooters, they complement the game's traditional design and are well-received by fans of the genre. Overall, the combination of graphics and music creates a nostalgic experience that enhances gameplay.
- “That era represented my gaming prime, so I have a special appreciation for the graphical presentation.”
- “This would also be a good shooter for an entry-level player who does not want to feel instantly overwhelmed by the bullet barrage design of many modern examples of the genre, as long as you don't mind the visuals from a bygone era.”
- “I don't know what's better, the pixel graphics or the music.”
- “"Battle Crust", as it says in the description, adheres to the 80's/90's style 'traditional' shooter design in aesthetic and gameplay, which are less commonly seen nowadays compared to the more modern 'bullet hell' design of shooters.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that having to replay earlier levels to practice more challenging sections can become tedious. They suggest that a level select or practice mode, similar to that in other games, would enhance the experience by allowing for targeted skill improvement without unnecessary repetition.
- “It would have been nice to have a level select type of practice or score mode, which is present in Infinos Gaiden, because as you master the early parts of the game and come up against more difficult later levels, it can begin to feel tedious playing through the initial levels to get to the part you are learning.”
- “The grinding required to level up feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “After a while, the repetitive nature of grinding becomes a chore rather than a fun challenge.”