Deathsmiles

About

"DeathSmiles" is a action-packed bullet-hell shoot-'em-up game featuring local multi-player for up to 2 players, with 6 game modes and 5 playable angels. The game offers a spooky gothic horror-themed adventure with a variety of enemies to battle. It boasts an engaging story, outstanding game mechanics, splendid graphics, and an outstanding soundtrack. Additionally, official RPG Maker assets based on Deathsmiles are now available for purchase.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 239 reviews

gameplay23 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

Deathsmiles is a visually stunning horizontal scrolling shooter with fantastic graphics, music, and character designs that create an engaging atmosphere.
The game is beginner-friendly, offering unlimited continues and a modular difficulty system that allows players to choose the challenge level for each stage.
With multiple characters, endings, and a variety of gameplay modes, Deathsmiles provides excellent replayability and depth for both new and experienced players.

Some players find the character designs and themes unsettling, particularly the portrayal of young girls, which can detract from the overall experience.
The game can be brutally difficult, especially in the later stages, which may frustrate casual players despite the beginner-friendly features.
There are minor technical issues with the port, such as screen tearing and inconsistent slowdown, which can affect gameplay.

gameplay
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The gameplay is highly praised for its depth, addictiveness, and engaging mechanics, making it accessible for beginners while offering challenges for seasoned players. Players appreciate the variety of characters, unique shot types, and a well-designed scoring system that enhances the overall experience. Despite some criticism regarding certain mechanics and graphics, the game is celebrated for its smooth controls, dynamic enemy layouts, and a captivating soundtrack that complements the intense bullet-hell action.
- “The gameplay is deep and challenging, with hyper modes, strategic shot types, and uniquely crafted, engaging stages.”
- “Wonderful and addictive gameplay, excellent design, and very unique bosses.”
- “The music is a blast, the controls are tight, and the gameplay has tons of depth.”
- “You need to learn mechanics that had literally no relevancy before it, and this is just for that one level.”
- “This wouldn't be that terrible if the mechanics you have to learn were fun and interesting, but the fact is you have to learn how to cancel out suicide bullets with 8-way reversed directional movement when the bullets are completely analogue, and it is not fun to even practice.”
- “Some gameplay modes have problems with authentic slowdown.”
music
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
29%
7%
The music in this game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the atmosphere and gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as memorable, diverse, and fitting for the game's themes, often being a standout feature that adds to the overall enjoyment. While some opinions vary, the majority agree that the music is a significant draw, making it worth exploring, especially for fans of the genre.
- “Great gameplay and music with a really cool style.”
- “The music is a blast, the controls are tight, and the gameplay has tons of depth.”
- “The scenario pairs with a brilliant soundtrack that fuses orchestral Hollywood monster composition with rock and electronic energy, filling the player with equal drive and dread.”
- “The pixel art is exceptional, music is boring (turn it off) and the game itself is rewarding enough for both beginners and accomplished players.”
- “Music really didn't feel like the soundtrack was that fantastic, decent, but not praiseworthy.”
- “The atmosphere, the graphics, the music and by far the weird Japanese feel to it.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their fantastic gothic art style, vibrant visuals, and creative character designs, contributing to an immersive atmosphere. While some players note that the upgraded graphics may not meet modern standards and can appear dated, the overall aesthetic, including the soundtrack, is considered a strong point that enhances the gameplay experience. Despite some criticisms regarding performance issues and the aging of certain 3D models, the visuals are generally described as beautiful and fitting for the game's themes.
- “Fantastic graphics, music, characters, stage designs, bullet patterns, and dopamine-inducing game mechanics make this game an eternal classic.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the gameplay is great, and it allows for any level of difficulty you want from credit-feed just to see the story to 'how is a human being supposed to beat this?'.”
- “Beautiful presentation, graphics, and audio.”
- “It's really necessary for old resolution graphics on modern screens, as you should know.”
- “And the new upgraded graphics look bad to me - just superimposed and cheap.”
- “Graphics do the job yet for some reason the characters are 3D models that have aged far worse than the 2D sprite work.”
story
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
73%
8%
The story of "Deathsmiles" features multiple endings for each of its five characters, intertwining plot threads across a total of 11 endings, including a secret one. While the narrative is often described as minimalist and somewhat silly, it incorporates gothic fantasy elements and unique character designs that appeal to fans of the genre. Despite mixed feelings about the story's depth, many players appreciate the game's replayability and the ability to choose different paths and missions.
- “Speaking for story, it has a very solid storyline where plot threads entwine with all 5 of its characters across 11 total endings (two for each character, including one character with a secret ending that must be unlocked in a very novel way).”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the gameplay is great, and it allows for any level of difficulty you want, from credit-feeding just to see the story to 'how is a human being supposed to beat this?'.”
- “Interesting game design, characters, and story with a gothic theme.”
- “I don't like the characters and the story gets sillier with each play, but holy shit is everything else great!!”
- “Where Deathsmiles really messes up is on the story.”
- “A simple option to turn the story off would do wonders for those that have already seen all it has to offer or simply don't care.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players highlight the game's strong replayability due to its variety of characters, map choices, and multiple endings, making it enjoyable for both solo and co-op play. While the game can be completed in about 30 minutes per mode, the diverse character abilities and engaging gameplay can lead to up to 200 hours of replay value. Overall, the combination of beautiful art and an excellent soundtrack further enhances the incentive to replay.
- “My wife and I played through it in co-op, and it has a nice variety of characters, map choices, and ending choices to enhance replayability.”
- “With four (or five, depending on which version you play) different characters with unique powers and familiars, it offers a lot of replay value.”
- “There is easily 200 hours worth of replayability here.”
- “The game itself is pretty short and can be finished in about 30 minutes, but that's per mode and per character, so the replayability is typical for these kinds of shooter games.”
- “With four (or five, depending on which version you play) different characters with different powers and familiars, it has a lot of replay value.”
- “My wife and I played through it in co-op, and it has a nice variety of characters, map choices, and ending choices to enhance the replayability.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the characters endearing, particularly Casper, whose quirky personality and unexpected dark ending add emotional depth to the game. While the overall gameplay is enjoyable and accessible, the contrast between heartwarming narratives and surprising twists enhances the emotional experience, making it memorable despite its aging graphics.
- “The characters are really cute, and I loved pretty much all of them, with Casper being my favorite for both gameplay and personality. Her 'go back home' ending was really scary, though; I was not expecting it since I played her story after all the others, which were heartwarming. In the end, it's a good 'Touhou game' that didn't age well in graphics and effects, but it's really enjoyable for both pros in bullet-hell games and newcomers.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters really drew me in, especially how their stories intertwined and affected each other. It made the gameplay feel more meaningful.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the character arcs and the way their struggles resonated with real-life emotions. It added a layer of depth that I didn't expect from a bullet-hell game.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with excellent controller support and minimal glitches during gameplay. However, some users have reported issues with achievements not unlocking consistently, particularly when playing offline. Despite these minor concerns, players generally find the experience to be smooth and enjoyable.
- “The controller support was great, and I ran into virtually no glitches while playing the game.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is; it rarely lags or freezes, allowing me to fully immerse myself.”
- “Also, for some reason, the achievements seem to be buggy and not always unlocking while playing offline.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
- “I experienced multiple instances of the game freezing, which ruined my overall experience.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its unique Japanese aesthetic, complemented by impressive graphics and a captivating soundtrack. Players find it to enhance the challenging bullet hell experience, making it a standout feature that leaves them eager for more in future installments.
- “The atmosphere, the graphics, the music, and the unique Japanese feel to it are all incredible.”
- “One of the most challenging bullet hell games I have played, with a great atmosphere and soundtrack. I truly wish the series had continued past the second game, which I can't wait to play in the collections coming for consoles and hopefully to Steam too.”
- “The atmosphere feels disjointed and lacks cohesion, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
- “The graphics and music don't complement each other, resulting in an atmosphere that feels flat and uninspired.”
- “Despite the unique Japanese aesthetic, the overall atmosphere fails to engage and feels more confusing than captivating.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its sharp contrast, with terrifying bosses like the buried man juxtaposed against absurdly funny elements, such as a cow. Players find the missions entertaining and engaging, ensuring that boredom is never an issue throughout the gameplay.
- “Some bosses go from terrifying (like the freaking buried man) to downright hilarious (like the cow... a cow!?)”
- “The missions are funny; you will never feel bored when you complete this game.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be initially challenging but ultimately tedious, as once they learn the mechanics of each section, the experience becomes repetitive without any variation.
- “It's only difficult until you know how that section works; then it's just tedious because it will never change.”
- “I beat it once with continues and then kept grinding until I beat it with no continues.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is generally well-received, but some players express discomfort with the character designs and ages, which evoke unsettling feelings despite the absence of inappropriate content.