Danmaku Unlimited 3
- August 10, 2017
- sunnytam
- 1h median play time
A screen full of bullets has never felt so welcoming.
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Get on Apple Store"Danmaku Unlimited 3" is a bullet hell shooter game featuring intense action and intricate patterns. The player takes control of a ship with various weapons, facing numerous bosses and enemies in a colorful, dynamic environment. With its polished gameplay, challenging difficulty, and beautiful visuals, it offers an engaging and satisfying experience for fans of the genre.
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Windows
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Reviews
- The game features a stunning visual design with bright, glossy graphics and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
- Danmaku Unlimited 3 offers a variety of difficulty levels and game modes, making it accessible for beginners while still providing a challenging experience for veterans.
- The grazing mechanic adds a unique layer to the gameplay, rewarding players for risky maneuvers and allowing for strategic scoring opportunities.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes on startup and problems with controller support, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Many players find the boss battles to be excessively long and drawn out, which can lead to frustration during gameplay.
- Some reviewers feel that the game lacks originality and variety in its stages and enemy designs, making it feel repetitive compared to other titles in the genre.
- music80 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its high energy and engaging quality, with many praising the intense metal and djent influences that complement the fast-paced gameplay. While some players find the soundtrack to be addictive and well-produced, others note that it can become repetitive or overwhelming during extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that enhances the game's immersive experience, despite some mixed opinions on its style and impact.
“Absolutely stellar OST that drives high-paced, simple, and robust shmup gameplay.”
“The music is intense; it's metal with a djent and prog vibe mixed with electro and a bit of drum and bass; very well-produced stuff that will really get your blood pumping.”
“The way the music flows with the action of the levels and background feels almost like a visualizer or music video; it's very well put together.”
“This trve cvlt instrumental metal music amuses at first, but quickly becomes tiring on the ears.”
“And considering how draining an intense shmup session can be at higher difficulties, music that aims to exhaust the ears doesn't help the player... it hinders them.”
“The OST done again by Blankfield might be their worst work to date.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their bright, glossy visuals and polished aesthetic, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the clean and clear visuals that make it easy to track bullets, alongside a vibrant art style that stands out in the bullet hell genre. The combination of stunning graphics and an intense soundtrack contributes to a captivating and immersive atmosphere, making it a standout title for fans of shoot 'em ups.
“That said, it really stands out in terms of polish, with razor-sharp high-res graphics, a driving prog metal soundtrack, and tactile, zippy controls that feel just so, so right.”
“Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a bullet hell shmup that stands out with its bright, glossy visuals and catchy soundtrack.”
“The presentation and overall style is fantastic; the neon-soaked visuals are beautiful and a sight to behold.”
“I always thought the graphical style was kinda weird; drab colors and half-abstract designs leading to what can be construed as a 'same-y' look.”
“Graphics are fresh and polished, it's easy to spot bullets on screen.”
“It has simple, clean visuals that don't confuse the player.”
- gameplay29 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of polished mechanics and engaging bullet hell action, with a strong emphasis on scoring through grazing and a solid challenge across multiple difficulty levels. However, some players feel that it lacks innovation, with certain mechanics feeling repetitive and the balance of difficulty levels being inconsistent. Overall, while the game excels in its core gameplay loop and audio-visual presentation, it suffers from some design choices that may detract from the overall experience.
“Absolutely stellar OST that drives high-paced, simple, and robust shmup gameplay.”
“The grazing mechanic to build meter for more score and to help clear screens is just too fun!”
“Everything from the gameplay to the graphics and soundtrack is incredibly solid and polished.”
“The gameplay takes inspiration from the worst aspects of Cave's mostly storied lineup.”
“However, this gameplay design has an unfortunate caveat: if you play poorly and don't graze much (because you're trying to survive), then you have no chance of even a remotely decent score and no ability to use trance mode very often at all.”
“[Gameplay doesn't do much that hasn't already been done before; stages and enemies could use more variety, and there's no multiplayer or online leaderboards.]”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is perceived as either unimportant, akin to playing "Candy Crush" where the narrative is not a focus, or as an epic tale that enhances the overall experience.
“The story is epic and truly engaging.”
“The narrative draws you in and keeps you invested throughout the game.”
“The story feels like an afterthought, lacking depth and engagement.”
“It's as if the narrative was written in a rush, with no real substance.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to evoke any real emotion.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its challenging difficulty, new scoring mechanics, and the inclusion of a boss rush mode, alongside unlockable weapon types that encourage players to revisit and master the game.
“Plenty of replay value.”
“The game is hard enough and has more than enough replayability, challenging me to beat it on 'super hard' to unlock the next shot type.”
“The game is hard enough and has more than enough replayability to be asking me to beat the game on 'super hard' to unlock the next shot type.”
“New scoring mechanics, the return of boss rush mode, and unlockable weapon types add a new layer of replayability to the game.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment to earn credits. Despite this, the game's vibrant style and exceptional soundtrack are frequently praised, adding a layer of enjoyment to the grinding experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Getting more credits feels quite grindy.”
“The grinding aspect of the game is exhausting and detracts from the overall experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally praised, running smoothly without hitches and featuring well-designed menus. However, it suffers from a locked frame rate of around 57 fps, leading to noticeable stuttering on 60 Hz displays.
“The game is well optimized and runs without any hitches, and menus are well designed and easy to use.”
“Just as with its predecessor, the frame rate is locked at around 57 fps, causing terrible stuttering at a refresh rate of 60 Hz.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players note that the game offers a unique experience of emotional engagement, likening it to a form of self-abuse that can be both challenging and rewarding. Many recommend starting on an easier difficulty to acclimate to its intense emotional themes.
“If you've got an itch to dive into this unique brand of emotional self-exploration, grab this game and start on easy, moving up as you begin to feel more comfortable.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game's mechanics, particularly noting that the "graze mode" is amusingly superior to the newly introduced "spirit" mode.
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Danmaku Unlimited 3 is praised for its stability, featuring a well-designed main menu and a user-friendly interface that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's flawless performance and the balance it strikes between accessibility for newcomers and challenge for veterans, making it a standout title in the bullet hell genre.
“The game crashes frequently, making it frustrating to progress.”
“I experienced multiple bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
“The stability issues are a major drawback, as it often freezes during critical moments.”
Critic Reviews
Danmaku Unlimited 3 Review
Danmaku Unlimited 3 Review
80%Danmaku Unlimited 3 Review
Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a brilliantly executed ‘best of’ bullet hell shmup ideas wrapped up into a phenomenal package. It is the very best shmup money can buy in the whole Switch game library (plus it will cost you about half what it should!). Even if you don’t particularity like shmups - or if Japanese bullet hells are not your particular favourite flavour within the genre - exposure to the insane lightshows provided by this game might just turn you into a die-hard fan. We can only fault the new king of Switch shmups with one particular ‘glitch’: Every other shmup on the system now feels slow and dull in comparison.
90%Danmaku Unlimited 3 (Nintendo Switch)
Each playthrough I seemed to get slightly better. The more I played the more engrossed I found myself in it. Questions like, can I get a little bit closer to that bullet next time? Is it really worth the boost in score and the charge of my weapons? Playing Danmaku Unlimited 3 was an absolute privilege. I certainly look forward to future titles.
80%
