Ghost Blade HD

Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.

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Ghost Blade HD is a high-speed bullet hell shooter with classic arcade-style gameplay. Players battle through six stages of intense enemy encounters and massive boss battles, all while dodging a hail of bullets. With multiple difficulty settings, three distinct ships to choose from, and online leaderboards, Ghost Blade HD offers a challenging and rewarding experience for shoot 'em up fans.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 26 reviews

music5 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Ghost Blade HD offers solid gameplay with a good balance of challenge and accessibility, making it enjoyable for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.
The game has excellent display options and runs well on various systems, providing a traditional bullet-hell experience with modern graphics.

Visibility can be an issue due to bright projectiles and a cluttered HUD, making it difficult to track enemy bullets.
The transitions into and out of boss fights are abrupt and poorly executed, detracting from the overall flow of the game.
Some players find the game to be generic, with limited ship variety and mechanics that don't stand out in the crowded shmup genre.

music
9 mentions
56 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as intense, energetic, and well-suited to the gameplay, with a crisp sound that evokes the rave/techno/dnb era of the late 1990s. While some soundtracks, like that of Bullet Souls, are considered bland and forgettable, others are praised for their high quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, contributing to the game's cutting-edge appeal. Overall, the soundtrack is highlighted as a standout feature that complements the game's graphics and challenging gameplay.
- “The soundtrack is crisp and super energetic without being overly repetitive; it also perfectly ties to the music of the late 1990s, which was the rave/techno/dnb era.”
- “Its bright, fast, and has a brilliant soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is top notch and the action is fantastic.”
- “Bullet Souls' soundtrack is guitar-heavy, typical for late Cave games, but is rather bland and forgettable.”
graphics
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their high quality, featuring top-notch hand-drawn sprites and pre-rendered visuals that enhance the gameplay experience. Reviewers note the blend of traditional aesthetics with modern high-resolution graphics, resulting in an appealing visual presentation that runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's engaging flow and enjoyment.
- “The pre-rendered graphics accentuate the solid gameplay to satisfy those looking to cause immeasurable destruction.”
- “Technically this game is cutting edge for the genre, high resolution graphics and a nice soundtrack, plenty of options too.”
- “Aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, runs good on my craptop (ThinkPad T510i with Intel HD Ironlake graphics).”
- “Still, accepting the fact that absolutely no other shmup has hand-drawn sprites nowadays, the aforementioned graphics are okay.”
- “There were no indie studios and the graphics were powerful, so every sprite was top-notch hand-drawn. However, developers did not have to use cheap 'I got you' patterns and could experiment with much more balanced and intelligent gameplay.”
- “How do you beat excellence in the department of graphics, music, and gameplay?”
gameplay
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by unique mechanics, such as rewarding players for point-blanking larger enemies, and is complemented by high-quality pre-rendered graphics and hand-drawn sprites. Reviewers appreciate the balanced and intelligent design of bullet patterns, which evoke a nostalgic yet fresh experience reminiscent of classic manic shooters. Overall, the gameplay stands out for its originality and satisfying destruction, drawing favorable comparisons to iconic titles from the Raiden Fighters era.
- “The pre-rendered graphics accentuate the solid gameplay to satisfy those looking to cause immeasurable destruction.”
- “The bullet patterns of that era were a perfect mix of manic shooter overload and old-school deadly gameplay, allowing developers to experiment with much more balanced and intelligent gameplay.”
- “The only game mechanic that seems to exist to try and make it stand out in some way is point blanking bigger sized enemies in the middle, which seems to grant more bonuses indicated by a quick jingle.”
- “How do you beat excellence in the departments of graphics, music, and gameplay?”
- “Now compare the same things to Ghost Blade: the gameplay does not copy anything; it is unique and refreshing, comparable to the Raiden Fighters games era.”
replayability
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the bullet hell shooter highly enjoyable, noting its engaging gameplay and significant replayability due to the dynamic action and variety of challenges presented.
- “A very enjoyable bullet hell shooter with a lot happening on screen and plenty of replayability.”
story
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
While the game lacks a dedicated story mode, players express that its inclusion would enhance the experience, especially given the existing fanservice; however, this could potentially double the game's price.
- “Although it doesn't have it, a story mode would be a welcome addition considering it already has fanservice, but then the price would have likely been twice as much.”