Grand Cross Renovation
- January 20, 2022
- ES4 / Eternal Sphere 4
Get on Steam"Grand Cross Renovation" is a 2D vertical scrolling shoot 'em up game where players control the ship equipped with the powerful "Sun Blade", a weapon that consumes life to unleash highly destructive attacks. The game features 90's style gameplay with flashy on-screen effects, and the objective is to destroy hordes of enemies and aim for a high score. The story revolves around the eternal battle between light and darkness, where the protagonist, Nexalts, must fight against the darkness to save the universe.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Grand Cross: ReNOVATION features stunning visuals and an exhilarating soundtrack, creating a unique and immersive experience that stands out in the shmup genre.
- The gameplay mechanics, particularly the risk/reward system with the Sun Blade, add depth and excitement, allowing players to feel powerful while navigating chaotic environments.
- The game is accessible for newcomers to the genre, offering a laid-back difficulty while still providing engaging scoring challenges for those seeking more depth.
- The game suffers from issues like screen tearing and visibility problems amidst the chaotic visuals, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Many players find the game to be too easy, with a short completion time and limited replayability, making it hard to justify the price for some.
- There are technical issues, such as crashes in fullscreen mode and a cumbersome key configuration launcher on the Steam Deck, which can hinder gameplay.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this shmup is characterized by its solid mechanics, unique character abilities, and a visually stunning presentation, though it may lack challenge for seasoned players. While the game offers a satisfying risk/reward system and engaging bullet-canceling mechanics, it can feel forgiving due to its regenerating health and credit-feeding options. Overall, it combines fast-paced action with a memorable soundtrack, making it a fun experience, especially for those who appreciate its artistic flair.
“Great shmup with solid (even sometimes overpowered) mechanics, memorable soundtrack, and interesting visuals.”
“These mechanics combined with melee kills (with an extremely satisfying zangekill bonus that wouldn't be far off Metal Gear Rising), a shield+life system that offers a risk/reward potential and technical bonuses as well as dozens of reinforcements and seemingly secret enemy formations that can be triggered provides a surprisingly solid depth to what initially seems an extremely easy STG to credit-feed through.”
“Fast paced, unique mechanics and a gorgeous style.”
“Great soundtrack and visuals with fun (and very different) gameplay on each of its three ships, but it lacks any challenge whatsoever.”
“When it comes to the gameplay alone, the game feels like any other ordinary shmup, as even the highly mentioned sun blade is nothing but a very powerful laser beam that you can fire in all directions.”
“Having a regenerating health bar makes gameplay forgiving as long as you aren't going for score; otherwise, breaking out the 'sun blade' for prolonged encounters ensures you will die for a single mistake.”
- music20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in this shmup is widely praised as one of its standout features, with many reviewers calling it a "banger" soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. It is noted for its dynamic quality, fitting well with the game's action, and is often compared favorably to classic soundtracks from the genre. However, some players suggest that the sound effects can overshadow the music, detracting from its enjoyment.
“The music for this game is how it should always be done for all shmups.”
“Incredible game!...great feel and mechanics...awesome soundtrack, probably best shmup soundtrack since Thunder Force IV or Gaiares.”
“Features an incredible soundtrack that reacts dynamically to the action, too.”
“I would like to see a sequel to this title in the future though, I might enjoy the sequel more if the in-game effects are toned down a little bit. I love how the backgrounds move and try to give depth, but the music was too loud and the lights made it too hard to enjoy it more than I wanted to.”
“It also has one of the most exciting soundtracks I've heard (just make sure you turn the sound effects down so you can hear it!) and I often listen to it outside the game when I need an energy boost while working.”
“Honestly, I'll be surprised if this game doesn't end up on my list of the best of 2022, even if it's only because of the soundtrack alone.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant and chaotic aesthetic, featuring flashy effects, colorful backgrounds, and a nostalgic nod to classic shooters. While many players appreciate the stylish visuals and unique art style, some have noted performance issues, such as graphical glitches and excessive clutter that can hinder gameplay clarity. Overall, the graphics are praised for their intensity and creativity, though they may overwhelm less powerful hardware.
“Great shmup with solid (even sometimes overpowered) mechanics, memorable soundtrack, and interesting visuals.”
“This is an excellent game with great music, solid controls, and great graphics.”
“Has a pretty cool graphical style to boot and callbacks to classic shooters without losing its own sort of identity.”
“The game's graphics are reminiscent of PSX1 days.”
“Nearly every moment of the game is filled with flashy effects: colorful backgrounds, giant explosions, an overload of colorful visual effects, bright colors filling the screen, loads of enemy/hazard sprites moving in the background and foreground or even traversing between them. The game does this so much that it can make you incredibly concerned about your poor graphics card, or even tank the FPS in some situations as the engine/hardware cannot handle everything going on at once.”
“There are some graphical glitches though where boss parts can become white rectangles.”
- story6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story is set in a fast-paced sci-fi universe where players navigate through the solar system, battling powerful ships and causing collateral damage to planets. It evokes a sense of epic scale reminiscent of classic shmups, with a narrative that blends mystical elements and intense action, making it feel like a climactic finale to a larger saga. Overall, players appreciate the engaging storyline, even if they find the gameplay mechanics somewhat unbalanced.
“Not sure if I'll come back to it for the scoring system, but I wouldn't mind playing through the story mode again every once in a while.”
“The situation gets even worse after beating the game once and unlocking the quest ships, as Kamui is incredibly broken and shreds through enemy patterns, even though it doesn't offer you any extra lives or continues.”
“You’ll be flying by stages faster than light as the story sees you fighting through the solar system, destroying planets as collateral damage, while fighting ships that can eclipse the sun.”
“In the end, I really liked the game; it feels like the last episode of a giant sci-fi story, and if you played a lot of shmups, this title can certainly push your boundaries even further.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited compared to others in its genre, with some players noting its short duration and lack of diverse modes or unlocks. While it offers a memorable experience, many feel it does not encourage repeated playthroughs. However, some players still find it enjoyable enough to warrant multiple plays despite its shortcomings.
“(Overpriced but very fun and replayable, like all shmups.)”
“This game may not be particularly replayable, but it lent me a single unforgettable 50 minutes of wall-to-wall excitement, and I loved holding a controller through it.”
“This pales in comparison to other games in this genre that offer much higher replayability through constant game unlocks, a variety of modes, Steam achievements, or even online leaderboards.”
“An absolute audiovisual spectacle which creates a one-of-a-kind shmup experience by using big flashy effects, yet too easy and short (40 minutes to beat the game) with not much replayability.”
“This game may not be particularly replayable, but it lent me a single unforgettable 50 minutes of wall-to-wall deus ex machina and I loved holding a controller through it.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, particularly on the Steam Deck, but users have reported some visual glitches and limited graphics options. A recent patch has addressed some of these issues, although graphical glitches, such as boss parts appearing as white rectangles, still persist.
“The game runs smoothly on all platforms, including the Steam Deck.”
“I've experienced no crashes or bugs, making for a stable gaming experience.”
“The performance is consistently reliable, allowing me to enjoy uninterrupted gameplay.”
“Some performance improvements could be made as of this writing: visual glitches and limited graphics options are some of the issues I have right now.”
“There are some graphical glitches where boss parts can become white rectangles.”
“Quick edit: coincidentally, the devs have just released a patch addressing some visual glitches and modifying the name system.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Recent updates have significantly improved the game's performance, graphics, and overall experience, making it a more polished title. However, some users still report lingering visual glitches and limited graphics options, indicating that further optimization may be needed. Overall, the game is now in a better state for new players to enjoy.
“Update July 2024: The game has received further updates that improved performance, graphics, stage flow, and overall cinematography.”
“The game's gotten a few updates in these months that have improved performance and actually refined some mechanics, so now is a good time to give it a shot.”
“Some performance improvements could be noted as of this writing: visual glitches and limited graphics options are some of the issues I have right now.”
“The game's gotten a few updates in these months that have improved performance and actually refined some mechanics and adjusted a few other things, so now is a good time to give it a shot.”
“Update July 2024: the game has received further updates that improved performance, graphics, stage flow, and overall cinematography.”
