CosmoDreamer
- October 2, 2020
- あうとさいど
Get on Steam"CosmoDreamer is a single-player shooter game with outstanding music, developed by Outside. Embark on a dreamy journey across the universe with Mu Yumegiri, a young girl curious about the sudden disappearance of the town's children into the sky. Experience a unique blend of vibrant visuals, bullet hell action, and a story filled with new friends and challenges."
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Cosmo Dreamer features engaging and creative gameplay with a variety of unique and memorable stages, making it a standout in the bullet hell genre.
- The game has a fantastic scoring system that encourages risk/reward decisions, providing depth and replayability for players of all skill levels.
- The soundtrack is exceptional, with a diverse range of well-produced music that enhances the overall experience.
- The art style is often described as basic or amateurish, which may deter some players despite the game's strong gameplay mechanics.
- There is a lack of graphical options, including no support for TATE mode or multi-monitor setups, which could limit the experience for some players.
- Higher difficulty levels are locked behind initial playthroughs, which may frustrate more experienced players looking for immediate challenges.
- graphics17 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are described as charming and cute, with a unique art style that stands out in the bullet hell genre, though some reviewers note that the visuals may appear amateurish and lack professional polish. While the aesthetics are generally well-received, there are complaints about limited graphical options and support for various display setups. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's enjoyable experience, despite some technical shortcomings.
“I love this game... it's beautiful! Music, visuals, bullet patterns, everything is almost perfect!”
“Its art style stands out among the other entrants into the genre.”
“The visuals are cute and dreamy, and the vibes are super pleasant.”
“Unfortunately, the game is also light on graphical options and doesn't support tate mode for people who want to rotate their monitors.”
“My only complaint would be the lacking graphical settings: it doesn't have good support for multi-monitor setups (defaults to first display in fullscreen) or non-widescreen aspect ratios (letterboxing).”
“The aesthetics may be scuffed and amateurish, but if you can ignore that, you get a real bang for your buck for the price it's provided as, with a level progression that makes it pretty accessible and multiple difficulty settings that will satisfy both the beginner and the hardcore player.”
- music17 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its variety and quality, featuring soulful piano melodies, smooth jazz, and electric guitar riffs, all well-produced and fitting the game's aesthetic. Reviewers note the soundtrack's ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with a mix of relaxed and sophisticated tunes that evoke a Japanese feel, particularly during boss fights. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout elements of the game, contributing significantly to its charm and enjoyment.
“An incredible shmup with one of the best soundtracks I've heard from a game of this genre - which is saying a lot.”
“The music is varied with some interesting choices; you will notice the music at every level. In general, it is quite relaxed and sophisticated music, and does feel Japanese somehow with violins and electric guitars.”
“The sound is kind of a mixed thing... while the stage tracks (for the most part) are more chilled and laid back, a more modern rock/metal OST kicks in when a boss fight begins. Both types work on their own, but mixed together feels kind of weird. I guess it goes along with the game's dreamlike aesthetic.”
“The music is also all really well-produced and mixed; basically, it doesn't sound cheap. This ironically contrasts with the art.”
“There's so much variety in this soundtrack with soulful piano melodies, smooth jazz, awesome synths, shredding electric guitar riffs, and a special surprise genre in the extra stage.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its creativity and competence, featuring a well-designed scoring system and a forgiving learning curve that makes it accessible for newcomers. Players appreciate the blend of traditional arcade mechanics with modern bullet hell elements, alongside clear visibility and engaging visuals. While the early stages may be less memorable, the game offers meaningful choices and strategies, ensuring a fun and challenging experience overall.
“Very competent and creative gameplay, good scoring system.”
“Cosmo Dreamer also has several scoring mechanics, and they have opposing interplay which means players have meaningful choices and multiple possible strategies.”
“Most shmups have 5 stages and a fairly simple scoring mechanic to optimize, but with a forgettable early game and only the latter half of stages/bosses being any good.”
“For what it provides in terms of gameplay, it should charge at least twice as much.”
“The gameplay is very readable, the main story mode lets you tackle each stage at a time, and there are very forgiving gameplay options if you need them, but it still offers a very fun level of challenge.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find "Cosmo Dreamer" to have significant replayability, highlighting its engaging gameplay that encourages repeated playthroughs. The game's design effectively maintains interest, making it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy the shmup genre.
“If you are curious about what makes a shmup feel fun and retain replay value, play this game and see for yourself.”
“Cosmo Dreamer is a fun game with a lot of replayability value.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability on the Steam Deck, with users reporting smooth performance and reliable gameplay.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as particularly strong, with users finding the comedic moments involving characters Matsuri and Kirie to be especially hilarious.
“Matsuri's and Kirie's jokes were absolutely hilarious!”
“The humor in this game had me laughing out loud!”
“I love how the characters have such witty banter throughout the game.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story mode is structured to allow players to progress through stages sequentially, providing a clear and engaging narrative experience. While the gameplay is accessible with forgiving options, it maintains a satisfying level of challenge that enhances the overall enjoyment.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that while achieving certain goals, like clearing the nightmare trial, may require extensive grinding over a month or more, the game remains enjoyable for individuals of all skill levels throughout the process.
“While I haven't cleared the nightmare trial at the time of this review (it might take a month or two of hard grinding to do so), I can guarantee anyone at any skill level will have a good time with this game.”
