Boomerang X
- July 7, 2021
- DANG!
- 3h median play time
Boomerang X offers a specific, thrilling power fantasy of speed as players use a magical boomerang to zip around increasingly complex combat puzzles that offer little to no excess in a colorful, stylized world.
Boomerang X is a fast-paced arena shooter where you wield a boomerang as your primary weapon. Traverse through levels by teleporting to your boomerang's landing spot while battling against hordes of enemies. Perform stylish and satisfying attacks to defeat your foes and unlock new abilities for your character.
Reviews
- Incredible movement mechanics that make gameplay feel fluid and exhilarating.
- Unique art style and engaging visuals that enhance the overall experience.
- Fast-paced and challenging combat that keeps players on their toes.
- Very short campaign, typically completed in under 2 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
- Some players may find the final boss battle frustrating and not reflective of the skills learned throughout the game.
- Limited enemy variety and mechanics can lead to repetitive gameplay.
- gameplay448 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Boomerang X is characterized by its fast-paced, fluid mechanics and unique boomerang-based combat, which encourages players to master movement and strategy in a vibrant arena setting. While the core mechanics are engaging and easy to learn, the game is relatively short, leading to some criticism regarding its depth and enemy variety. Overall, players appreciate the tight controls, innovative gameplay, and the potential for replayability through modes like New Game+ and endless challenges.
“Amazing (probably unintentional) sequel to Devil Daggers with great mobility mechanics and a uniquely 360° style of combat that pushes you to fly through the air, aiming at enemies in slow motion.”
“The gameplay and mechanics are unique, and it's really fun to just fly around the room slicing and blasting enemies.”
“The gameplay feels phenomenal; this game manages to achieve what so many fail to do, which is giving the player near unrestricted movement without making the game a cakewalk.”
“It's extremely saddening considering the squandered potential because if this game had multiple worlds following the same format as the first (fighting in arenas, talking to NPCs between arenas, fighting final boss, moving to new, differently themed world) this would've easily landed a spot as one of my all-time favorite movement shooters; unfortunately, it ends abruptly after around an hour of gameplay.”
“For some, this is a good thing since it introduces variety to the combat, but towards the end of the game, newer mechanics feel really useless.”
“This would be fine if the game had occasional boss fights or actual mechanics that punished you, but there are like 5 basic enemies who die to like 3 shots worst case and then a boss fight in the end which was meh.”
- graphics175 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, which enhances the fast-paced gameplay and creates an engaging visual experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's charming aesthetics, smooth animations, and vibrant environments, noting that the visuals are both distinctive and well-suited to the gameplay mechanics. While some mention minor glitches, the overall consensus is that the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.
“The art style is gorgeous and every dungeon is more beautiful than the last.”
“This game's art style is beautiful and so well put together; I love looking at each stage before I start it, because the amount of detail they cram into these levels you go through at mach 10 is way more than is needed, and it shows just how much the devs put into it.”
“Boomerang X doesn't overstay its welcome--it delivers gorgeous sketch-like visuals and some of the most satisfying, high-flying, slow-motion combat ever to grace a mouse-and-keyboard.”
“The art and graphics of this game are not for everyone; I didn't think it was good, nor did I think it was bad.”
“The enemies themselves are annoying to fight, either not giving any real threat or teleporting with this game's very inky art style, making them hard to spot where they went to before they teleport again.”
“I prefer this over the style of Ultrakill and other similar games since I felt overwhelmed by the sometimes over-pixelated graphical aspects.”
- music122 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many reviewers noting its catchy, intense, and fitting nature that complements the game's aesthetic and action. While some found the soundtrack to blend together across levels, others praised its integration with gameplay mechanics, creating a rhythm-like experience. Overall, the soundtrack is described as phenomenal, with a diverse range of influences and a strong emotional impact that elevates the game's chaotic atmosphere.
“The music is phenomenal.”
“The fast-paced gameplay paired with the wonderful music and visuals creates an exciting experience.”
“The soundtrack also pops off, especially later on when the game is more intense.”
“I don't really like the music, but music taste is subjective, so your opinions might differ.”
“The music also doesn't always fit the level; well, the music fits the entire game, but if I presented you with a random song, there’s a high likelihood you wouldn't know which level it was from.”
“Some stages like Poisonous Well and Vashkatar have very fitting music, but the music from most other stages kind of 'blends together.'”
- story112 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in "Boomerang X" is minimal and often considered a secondary aspect to the gameplay, serving primarily as a backdrop for the action. Players note that while there are some narrative elements and an NPC that provides hints, the overall plot is vague and not a focal point of the experience. Many reviews suggest that those seeking a deep narrative should look elsewhere, as the game excels in fast-paced combat and unique arena design rather than storytelling.
“The story is interesting and easy to digest, the environments and overall visual style is incredible, and the gameplay is perfectly fast and hectic.”
“The story, although minimal, serves as a backdrop to the action-packed gameplay.”
“The story is fascinating while being extremely vague; the ending really clears things up and was a nice treat for beating it.”
“The story is clearly not a focus for this game.”
“There is no story besides some dialogue from just one NPC in the whole game, and even that is skippable.”
“The only holdup to the whole experience is the confusing, nonsensical story.”
- replayability50 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game is generally considered short, with playthroughs averaging around 2 to 4 hours, but it boasts high replayability through features like New Game+, endless modes, and time trials. Players appreciate the fast-paced gameplay and the challenge of mastering different modes, although some express a desire for additional content or community features to enhance replay value further. Overall, while the game may lack in length, its engaging mechanics and various modes encourage repeated play.
“Its rather short, taking me only about 4 hours to beat on my first attempt, however it is very replayable and there are other game modes to try and achievements to unlock.”
“There's chapter select, endless mode, and new game+ for replay value.”
“This is one of those short games that is actually worth it, not only does the base game have a ton of replayability, but new game+ really adds to what could have been too short of an experience.”
“My only regret is that it could do with some more levels, perhaps a community challenge arena of sorts to add more replayability.”
“[New game+ is not 'new content', it's just an attempt to give the game more replayability in the laziest way possible.]”
“-2 hours of content and almost no replayability value.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a thrilling sense of freedom and exhilaration as players master complex movement mechanics, allowing them to soar through arenas without touching the ground. This dynamic gameplay fosters a feeling of empowerment and achievement, particularly as players unlock powerful abilities and execute impressive combos, reminiscent of the fluidity found in titles like Titanfall 2. The challenge of mastering these skills adds an emotional layer of satisfaction and excitement to the overall experience.
“The movement is difficult to learn, but eventually you'll be soaring around the arena destroying flocks of enemies without even thinking of touching the ground.”
“By the final sections, you'll spend minutes without touching the ground!”
“It's a brutally efficient action game where if you're touching the ground you're doing something wrong - zip around arenas with your teleporting boomerang and unleash special abilities like laser shots and a shotgun blast to mop up baddies.”
- grinding15 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 73 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game enjoyable, often spending hours pursuing achievements, though some levels can feel tedious, particularly in larger stages. While many appreciate the challenge and wave-based encounters, there are calls for improved control mechanics to alleviate the grind in specific scenarios. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a mix of fun and occasional frustration.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This works well most of the time, but in large stages like Resonance Engine, it’s a bit too tedious to get a double kill at times, so having more control over recall would be greatly appreciated.”
“The final boss can feel tedious; it's over fast.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of whimsy and dark intensity, enhanced by immersive sound design that creates tension and excitement. Each level offers a unique aesthetic, contributing to a mysterious overall vibe that complements the unexplainable story. Players appreciate the well-crafted atmosphere, which is complemented by responsive mechanics and a good difficulty curve, making for an engaging experience.
“The atmospheric sound design further enhances the immersive experience, creating a sense of tension and excitement.”
“The story is mostly unexplainable and, to be honest, it kind of adds to the mysterious atmosphere it has.”
“The story is mostly unexplainable, and to be honest, it kind of adds to the mysterious atmosphere it has.”
“An incredibly focused first-person shooter with a very clean art style, an atmosphere reminiscent of a top-tier Disney theme park attraction, and moves with the briskness of the Titanfall 2 campaign.”
- stability12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some players reporting a smooth experience free of bugs, while others encountered significant issues and glitches. Although many appreciate the game's aesthetics and performance, there are concerns about its long-term support and the presence of occasional technical problems. Overall, enjoyment seems to hinge on whether players experience these stability issues.
“It runs great, I didn't encounter any bugs (well, I did encounter some arthropods), and personally, I find the art style to be very pleasing.”
“The game runs great, but I had some issues with G-Sync, so I had to turn V-Sync on, but it didn't seem to impact latency that much.”
“Fun if you don't hit any problems, but it's a buggy mess and lost support really fast, so I regret it.”
“The game offers some nice graphics and environments, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
“Fun if you don't hit any problems, but it's a buggy mess and lost support really fast, so I regret it.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as quirky and entertaining, with players enjoying elements like the "boomerang x" weapon and the presence of a comical centipede creature. Overall, the game is described as having an underrated comedic charm that enhances the gameplay experience.
“This game has a funny centipede creature that adds a unique twist to the gameplay.”
“You get up, walk forward, and you find the 'boomerang x' (it's a funny title because it's a bladed weapon that you throw, it comes back to you, and it's in an x shape). The game starts throwing combat at you that is super easy and simple at first, then additional mechanics and more complex enemies are introduced.”
“Underrated funny movement FPS.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with good performance and technical execution. However, players have reported occasional framerate drops and screen tearing in specific areas, particularly in the lava zone, and some have noted that the engine struggles to keep up with the high movement speed.
“Performance-wise, the game runs fine; the only 'issue' I had was in the lava area where the framerate dropped and some screen tearing occurred.”
“The art style, music, and technical performance were all great.”
“Choppy performance (not in terms of fps, but the engine seems barely able to handle how ungodly fast your movement speed is).”
“Choppy performance (not in terms of FPS, but the engine seems barely able to handle how ungodly fast your movement speed is).”
“In the lava area, the framerate dropped significantly and some screen tearing occurred.”