BULLETHELL
- November 19, 2023
- Walter Machado
"BULLETHELL" is an experimental, top-down shooter with retro-hardcore gameplay, designed to test the limits of speed. It features isometric pixel art, complex AI, and original music, with matches that can be completed in 24 seconds or less. Players can compete against themselves to achieve the fastest time and highest rank, with responsive WASD+Mouse controls for a challenging, fast-paced experience.
Reviews
- The game offers a fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping experience that keeps players engaged and challenged.
- The pixel art style and graphics are well-executed, fitting the game's retro aesthetic perfectly.
- Despite its difficulty, many players find it enjoyable and recommend it for those seeking a hardcore gaming experience.
- The game heavily relies on RNG, which can lead to frustrating experiences and a sense of randomness in gameplay.
- Some players feel that BULLETHELL is a less interesting and more chaotic version of the UBERMOSH series, lacking strategic depth.
- The extreme difficulty and fast pace may deter new players, making it less accessible for those unfamiliar with the developer's previous titles.
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Walter's titles, particularly the Ubermosh series, revolves around a core loop that is consistently refined and expanded upon in each iteration, showcasing a tight integration of mechanics, visual style, and narrative elements. While the intense combat and over-the-top damage mechanics are praised, some players express a desire for increased variety and visual diversity in future releases, suggesting that maintaining simplicity while enhancing engagement could improve the overall experience.
“The iterations of themes are so fascinating to see, each franchise of games built around a few tightly packed mechanics, a concise visual style, a thin artful sprig of narrative or worldbuilding, all coming together to make an omnibus of games I'm always ready to buy day one.”
“I think presenting this is missing the point of Walter's development mentality as a whole: the idea is that he'll find a core idea that works, and then expand on it or make certain features and characteristics more or less prominent.”
“Everything is tuned to 12, heavy music, all damage is overkill, and there is no fake gameplay.”
“Some of my friends actually really liked Ubermosh; why not take what that game did well, just the feel of the combat, and maybe just add a bit more variety to it or maybe even just more visual diversity? Maybe not complexity because I get it's not what you're trying to do, but just more things to kill or more simple mechanics would actually make it better, instead of making it worse with every new release.”
“I think presenting this is missing the point of Walter's development mentality as a whole: the idea is that he'll find a core idea that works, and then expand on it or make certain features and characteristics more or less prominent. Such is the case with his Ubermosh games; there's a core gameplay loop that works that is presented to you in the first iteration, and then all of the other games are expansions on said 'core idea.'”
- graphics3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their appealing pixel art style, which suits the game's overall aesthetic, and the game runs well even on low-end hardware. However, some users criticize the diminishing visual quality in newer iterations, suggesting a decline in aesthetic appeal.
“Really nice style of graphics and the whole pixel look fits very well.”
“You can play this game on almost any computer; I was playing it on a bad dual-core Intel CPU with integrated graphics.”
“Now you made a game that literally offers nothing, so I can't even laugh at it. I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to do. Is it to make me laugh? You keep making the same game with less and less aesthetic appeal.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music and sound design are highly praised for their perfect alignment with the game's tone, featuring heavy, tuned-to-12 tracks that enhance the intensity of the gameplay. Reviewers appreciate the authenticity and impactful nature of the audio, contributing to an immersive experience.
“The soundtrack and sound design suit its purpose perfectly.”
“Everything is tuned to 12, heavy music, all damage is overkill, and there is no fake gameplay.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is perceived as lacking, with some users expressing disappointment in the overall experience and suggesting that the series has not improved over time. Instead of enhancing the comedic elements, the latest additions seem to detract from the original charm.