Blasters of the Universe

Blasters of the Universe has some good ideas but fails to execute them. Combine this with unfortunate glitches and an extremely short running time, and there's not much reason to blast in this universe.

67%Game Brain Score

graphics, gameplay

story, optimization

85% User Score Based on 167 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $14.99

Buy NowGet on Steam

Buy NowGet on itch.io Store$14.99

About

"Blasters of the Universe is a VR bullet hell shooter for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, where you physically dodge and dance through a storm of bullets while building your own bad-ass gun. Finding the right position and movement is key to survival, as only your head takes damage. You can also block bullets with your shield, but evasion is the best strategy."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews

graphics23 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The weapon customization system is extensive and allows for a variety of playstyles, enhancing replayability.
The game features a fun and engaging 80s arcade aesthetic, complete with humorous dialogue from the antagonist.
The gameplay is physically engaging, requiring players to dodge and move around, providing a good workout.

The game suffers from repetitive gameplay and a lack of variety in enemies and levels, leading to a monotonous experience.
There are significant technical issues, including bugs that can make the game unplayable, such as black screens and performance problems.
The pacing can feel slow, with bullets moving at a leisurely speed, which detracts from the intensity expected in a bullet hell shooter.

graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
38%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its retro aesthetic and stylish presentation, likening it to 80s arcade visuals. While some players find the graphics to be cool and well-executed, others criticize them for being simplistic or not meeting modern standards. Overall, the game's art style and visual effects are highlighted as strong points, contributing to an engaging experience despite some gameplay shortcomings.
- “Without a doubt, these are some of the coolest visuals in VR.”
- “Great style and graphics, knows what it wants to be.”
- “The graphics, art, and presentation are all top notch.”
- “A major problem the game has is the visuals and style - primarily the color scheme.”
- “But the primitive graphics just don't live up to the standards that have currently been set for modern high-end VR.”
- “First I didn't like the bad guy and some of the graphical design.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
47%
8%
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some praising the fun mechanics, immersive atmosphere, and unique weapon combinations, while others criticize it for being slow, repetitive, or poorly designed. Many players appreciate the bullet hell elements and the engaging VR experience, but some find the overall execution lacking. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable and frustrating gameplay experiences, with a strong emphasis on style and atmosphere.
- “Very good bullet hell style VR game with easy mechanics, a dash of much appreciated humor, and excellent replayability.”
- “The gameplay forces you to duck, dodge, and sometimes even jump to avoid getting hit by the constant barrage of bullets, and it's incredibly satisfying to pull that off while unleashing your own hellfire.”
- “Super fun gameplay that involves dodging and utilizing a ton of unique weapons.”
- “I guess there are cool guns, levels, and enemies, but the gameplay is so boring there is nothing that could save it.”
- “Player weapon is unsatisfying, everything moves way too slow, the villain is more corny than anything... a neat gameplay idea, executed poorly.”
- “I love the aesthetic of the game and the music too, but I don't know... the gameplay is a dread.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by a mix of exaggerated, self-aware narratives and 80s-inspired satire that resonates with players, even if some jokes fall flat. The campy, juvenile humor and engaging voice acting contribute to its charm, making the overall experience both hilarious and enjoyable. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone that complements the bullet hell gameplay, setting it apart from other titles in the genre.
- “The exaggerated and self-aware narrative is genuinely dumb and ridiculously funny.”
- “Though the humor is plain stupid, the delivery and non-serious nature of the antagonist kept me laughing constantly.”
- “The voice acting is on point and adds a personal touch of humor that goes overlooked when you're blasting robots in other titles.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
13%
19%
The music in the game is widely praised for its 80s electronic vibe, enhancing the overall aesthetic and gameplay experience. Reviewers appreciate the groovy soundtrack, which complements the colorful visuals and engaging gameplay, making it a standout feature. The retro-futuristic sound design, combined with fun sound effects, contributes to a nostalgic yet fresh atmosphere that players enjoy.
- “The music is an 80's electronic throwback and I've enjoyed it.”
- “Excellent vibe, great music and gameplay, and a solid workout.”
- “The way the soundtrack is fun to jam to and the aesthetic is just awesome.”
- “I love the aesthetic of the game and the music too, but I don't know... the gameplay is a dread.”
- “The only improvements I'd suggest are 1) music.”
- “The sound, music, characters, so retro-futuristic.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The game's story is generally described as simple yet engaging, providing a backdrop that enhances the arcade-style gameplay without overwhelming it. While some players appreciate the entertaining villain and the nostalgic nods to classic gaming, others note that the narrative is not deep, focusing more on action and replayability than intricate storytelling. Overall, the story serves its purpose by setting up enjoyable gameplay rather than being the main attraction.
- “Unlike SPT, it has an interesting plot with a character who has depth.”
- “The story is a little short, but there is good replay value with infinite mode on the four levels and regularly cycling challenges.”
- “The story is simple but works and the villain is actually pretty enjoyable.”
- “The story is simple but sets up the action enough that it doesn't feel mindless.”
- “When there are more features, power-ups, health status and levels you can pass through, and maybe a story, I would buy it for even €25 to €30.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
Overall, the game is praised for its strong replayability, featuring various modes like infinite and endless challenges, as well as a robust weapon customization system. While some players note that once the main content is completed, replay value may diminish, others appreciate the ongoing challenges and the depth provided by customization options. The combination of humor, engaging mechanics, and high difficulty contributes to a fun and replayable experience.
- “Very good bullet hell style VR game with easy mechanics, a dash of much appreciated humor, and excellent replayability.”
- “The story is a little short, but there is good replay value with infinite mode on the four levels and regularly cycling challenges.”
- “Impressive game with endless replay value, hyper cool graphics and the most memorable bad guy to exist in the VR world.”
- “There is some replay value, but once you clear the main levels (unlocking all the customizations), beat hell difficulty, and place as high as you can reasonably get on the leaderboards, there isn't much left to do aside from the periodic challenges.”
- “Right now, I believe it only has an endless mode, which is really the only drawback, but the gun customization makes it pretty replayable while you try to test out different configurations, and a campaign mode is in the works.”
- “Weapon building system grants a bit of replayability.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game's optimization is impacted by various bugs and performance issues, which can affect gameplay. Players must experiment with different gun parts and shield combinations to enhance their performance in each level, indicating a need for careful optimization of loadouts.
- “The gun, in particular, has a total of 6 different parts, each affecting a specific aspect of your gunplay, such as ammo type, shooting type, special effects, speed, and magazine type. Combined with the right shield selection, it plays a significant role in your performance, so you'll need to find out what works best for you in each level.”
- “Bugs and performance issues.”
- “The gun in particular has a total of 6 different parts which each affect a specific aspect of your gunplay, such as ammo type, shooting type, special effects, speed, and magazine type. Combined with the right shield selection, it plays a significant role in your performance, so you'll need to find out what works best for you in each level.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players have noted that the game's grinding achievements can be frustrating due to bugs that prevent progress from being accurately tracked, making the grind feel even more tedious and unrewarding.
- “I wish to further note that the game's achievements appear to be slightly bugged - many of them are grindy achievements, and a lot of these are bugged (they do not always increment as they should after a play session).”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find the grind to be excessively repetitive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in Blasters is highly praised, with users highlighting its immersive experience and strong characterization, which enhance the refined gameplay typical of the room-scale wave shooter genre.
- “Blasters is a wonderful experience in terms of atmosphere, characterization, and all of the intangibles in addition to its refined gameplay, which is simply the best I've seen in the room-scale wave shooter genre.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's stability is marred by frequent glitches and a notably short runtime, leading to a lack of compelling reasons for players to engage with the experience.
- “Combine this with unfortunate glitches and an extremely short running time, and there's not much reason to explore this universe.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience overall.”