BroodStar

About

BroodStar is a single player arcade shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by David Schmidthoffer and was released on June 15, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

"BroodStar is a single-player Science Fiction Shooter game with a delightful soundtrack and heavy roguelike elements. Fight through 12 procedurally generated levels filled with random enemies, events, and bosses, while upgrading your ship with 200 unique upgrades. With challenging bosses, stage modifiers, and leaderboards, BroodStar offers a challenging and immersive space shooter experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 134 reviews

music34 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

BroodStar offers a high level of replayability with unique runs and a variety of ship modules that allow for diverse strategies and builds.
The game features smooth controls, a nostalgic aesthetic, and an excellent soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
It is accessible for both casual players and veterans, providing a fun and addictive gameplay loop that encourages repeated attempts.

Some players find the game lacks depth in its roguelite elements, with a research tree that feels underwhelming and upgrades that can be either insignificant or overly powerful.
The pacing can feel slow, with long runs that may lead to boredom, especially if players do not encounter engaging challenges or upgrades.
There are concerns about the game's balance and the lack of significant updates or changes from the developers, which may affect long-term enjoyment.

music
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
36%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack features standout tracks, particularly during boss fights, and is described as a mix of groovy, jazzy, and retro styles that perfectly complement the gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a major highlight, elevating the game's atmosphere and immersion.
- “Can't talk about this game without mentioning the banger of a soundtrack.”
- “The music rips (especially the boss fights), sprite work really nails that cold and gritty lived-in future look, and the gameplay keeps you gripped and fully engaged with cunning enemy formations, challenging bullet patterns, and what seems like endless upgrades to keep each run fresh.”
- “It is absolutely incredible, executing exactly the point of soundtrack in games: to elevate the experience and immerse you.”
- “The song for the final boss hits all the right notes and legitimately solidifies that battle as the final boss.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
The gameplay is smooth and satisfying, effectively blending nostalgic elements with modern mechanics like dodging and a rogue-like upgrade system, which keeps the experience fresh and engaging. While the variety of items and enemy designs enhances replayability, some players find the weapon effectiveness lacking and the grinding for upgrades can make runs feel tedious. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of classic shmups while offering depth and responsiveness that appeals to contemporary gamers.
- “Controlling your ship is smooth, the game runs great on pretty much anything, and it just feels satisfying to blast your way through hordes of bugs, flies, eyeballs, worms, etc. Even without all the upgrades and stat mechanics, this game would work on its own.”
- “Countless items and pickups for a seemingly endless amount of builds to always keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
- “The rogue-like upgrade system adds a lot of depth to the usual shmup power-ups, while the dash mechanic adds an Ikaruga-like ability to pass through bullets.”
- “The weapons feel weak, and while gameplay has some potential, the runs are quite boring as you need to grind to actually unlock anything.”
- “The gameplay in its core is pretty simple: you click start, move, dodge, shoot.”
- “The game mechanics are pretty much pushing the limits of the shmup genre.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
31%
14%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro pixel art style that many players appreciate, with some rating it highly for its aesthetic fit within the genre. While some find the graphics basic and the screen layout initially cramped, overall, they contribute positively to the nostalgic feel of the game, especially for fans of old-school shoot 'em ups. The visuals, though not groundbreaking, are deemed effective and enjoyable, complementing the game's soundtrack well.
- “First of all, I am a fan of pixel art, so the graphics are a 10 out of 10 for me.”
- “Fun retro shmup with great pixel graphics and a superb retro soundtrack.”
- “The first thing that came to my mind when playing it is its outstanding quality: the pixel-art graphics are pretty neat and the music is groovy.”
- “Graphics are a bit basic but very workable still, while the soundtrack is great throughout the game with a couple of standout moments.”
- “Graphics are what they clearly are.”
- “I almost miss it because of the graphics.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
10%
10%
Broodstar offers a solid level of replayability, enhanced by its roguelite elements and addictive gameplay, making it enjoyable for around 15 hours. While some players find it has great replay value and score-chasing potential, others feel it falls short of true roguelike standards, suggesting a more limited replay experience. Overall, it provides enough incentive for players to return for additional runs.
- “Broodstar is a great shoot 'em up with quite a bit of replay value thanks to the inclusion of roguelite elements.”
- “I'm always searching for those rare gems that have near-infinite replayability, and this game has it.”
- “Great replay value and score chasing makes for a game that you can return to for a run or two for a long time.”
- “It is probably worth around 15 hours of enjoyment, which is a lot, given the price, but it is not a true 'rogue-like' because of how low its replayability is.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its dynamic combination of modules and events, fostering varied gameplay strategies and a competitive spirit through a global leaderboard. Players appreciate the engaging music and the continuous updates that contribute to an immersive experience.
- “Good music, good atmosphere.”
- “The combinations of modules and events lead to varied runs demanding different strategies, the game continues to update and improve every day (sometimes multiple times a day), and a global leaderboard provides a competitive atmosphere and encourages us all to do our best in the quest for glory.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game currently lacks a traditional story or lore, which some players feel is not a drawback given its focus on varied gameplay and strategic challenges. The continuous updates and competitive elements, such as a global leaderboard, create an engaging environment that prioritizes gameplay over narrative.
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game is highly optimized, with users reporting smooth performance and no stuttering issues, even on lower-end systems, as indicated by its reasonable system requirements.
- “The game itself is well-optimized, and I didn't experience any stutters at all.”
- “It's extremely well-optimized; just check those system requirements.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any performance issues, showcasing excellent optimization.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, with smooth controls and reliable performance across a wide range of devices. Players find it satisfying to engage in gameplay without any significant technical issues, indicating a well-optimized experience.
- “Controlling your ship is smooth, the game runs great on pretty much anything, and it just feels satisfying to blast your way through hordes of bugs, flies, eyeballs, worms, etc. Even without all the upgrades and stat mechanics, this game would work on its own.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the nostalgic grinding experience in Broodstar, likening it to classic SNES titles like Gradius III, which evokes a sense of fondness for the genre's traditional gameplay mechanics.
- “I literally had to look up a definition for shmup since it's been that long since I played one, and I can say without a doubt Broodstar takes me back to the good ol' SNES days of grinding out Gradius III.”
- “I literally had to look up a definition for shmup since it's been that long since I played one, and I can say without a doubt Broodstar takes me back to the good ol' SNES days of grinding out Gradius III.”