Graze Counter GM

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"Graze Counter GM" is a rhythm-based bullet hell game where players dodge incoming projectiles in time with music. Careful maneuvering increases the "graze" meter, allowing for powerful counter-attacks against enemies. Fast-paced gameplay and challenging boss battles provide an intense and rewarding experience for fans of the rhythm and bullet hell genres.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 64 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

Graze Counter GM is highly accessible and polished, making it suitable for players of all skill levels, with a well-balanced difficulty curve.
The game features a unique graze mechanic that enhances gameplay, allowing players to build up powerful attacks while dodging bullets, which adds depth and strategy.
With a variety of characters and playstyles, along with excellent pixel art and sound design, the game offers a rich and engaging experience with high replayability.

Some players have reported issues with visual clarity, particularly when enemy bullets are the same color as the player's shots, making it difficult to see what to dodge.
The game lacks certain features like online leaderboards and replays, which could enhance the competitive aspect and replay value.
Critics have noted that the story and character writing are weak and can detract from the overall experience, making it feel less engaging.

gameplay
28 mentions
25 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique "graze counter" mechanic that encourages players to maneuver close to bullets to charge powerful attacks, creating an engaging and tactile experience. With multiple difficulty levels and various modes, including a mission mode and boss rush, players can gradually familiarize themselves with the mechanics while enjoying the game's solid controls and beautiful pixel-art graphics. Overall, the gameplay is intense yet accessible, making it a standout in the genre.
- “The main gameplay mechanic, other than moving and shooting, is the graze counter. Essentially, once you're close to bullets, your ship will charge up a laser that can cancel anything in front of you.”
- “A mechanically rich shmup about grazing around bullets so you can build meter to retaliate.”
- “With such a simple yet strong system mechanic, this makes for a surprisingly intense and exciting game without feeling overly punishing or difficult.”
- “It's sad, because the gameplay is solid.”
- “Yeah, there are some variations in the gameplay, but you are going to do the same two things: grazing and bombing.”
- “While it does have a few mechanics to figure out, I would prefer the mission mode be a tad more tutorial in explaining those mechanics; they aren't overly complicated.”
graphics
14 mentions
57 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant pixel-art style and retro presentation, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. Players appreciate the clear visuals that maintain information clarity even amidst action, although some note that full-screen mode can make pixel graphics appear messy. Overall, the combination of appealing graphics and sound enhances the gameplay experience, making it a standout in the shoot 'em up genre.
- “Cool mechanics, great pixel-art graphics, nice gaming pace; this game is a really great buy!”
- “A unique and well-done shoot 'em up with gorgeous graphics and a heavy emphasis on its 'graze' mechanic.”
- “Improved frame rate performance because they rewrote it on GameMaker Studio and significant graphical improvements, for example, backgrounds continue into the borders making it more atmospheric.”
- “The 'mental state' display - which I think is associated with player health - does not reliably indicate the health information clearly since it only has two visuals (happy expression vs sad expression).”
- “But playing in full screen mode, the pixel graphics can get a bit messy.”
- “The graphics are bright and simple, but no information is lost despite everything happening on screen.”
story
14 mentions
7 % positive mentions
93 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's story is a retelling of its predecessor, "graze counter," with some improvements and additional content, including optional branching paths and unlockable characters. While the main characters have dialogue that adds to the narrative, the overall writing is criticized for being confusing and messy, leading some players to suggest ignoring the story altogether. Despite these issues, the game offers a variety of modes and challenges that enhance the gameplay experience.
- “Great game, good story.”
- “This game's main story up through at least shot types 5-8, all the non-boss missions, and all stage mode will really improve the abilities of anyone who wants to make their own bullet hell games.”
- “It also has tons of content including optional branching paths, extra stages, boss rush, alternate difficulties with suicide bullets, and a bunch of missions and unlockable characters.”
- “The writing of the story is a mess and doesn't make sense.”
- “Just do yourself a favor and ignore the game's story and character profiles.”
- “Long and short: this is by all accounts a 'retelling' of graze counter in both storyline and stages, though the entire experience I could say has been made overall easier than its base release.”
music
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and enjoyable soundtrack, with some users highlighting the sound design as a standout feature. However, there are mentions of the sound effects being reminiscent of 8-bit styles, and some criticism regarding similarities to the soundtrack of another game, Graze Counter. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.
- “The music is good, but I really like the sound design.”
- “This is a really fun shmup that doesn't take itself too seriously with cool visuals and music.”
- “Shout out to the OST also.”
- “This game's OST comes with Minecraft skins.”
- “This would've gotten a clear pass, but it feels like a lot of things were taken from Graze Counter, soundtrack included.”
replayability
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game boasts significant replayability due to a variety of unlockable ships, multiple difficulty levels, and a diverse cast of characters, making it highly engaging for players. Its accessibility and impressive presentation further enhance the overall replay value, ensuring players have plenty of reasons to return.
- “There are a fair amount of unlockable ships and a handful of difficulties, offering great replayability.”
- “Huge replayability because of the number of different characters.”
- “The game is pretty accessible with multiple difficulty options, great replay value, and a remarkable presentation.”
- “There are a fair amount of unlockable ships and a handful of difficulties, offering some replayability.”
humor
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its playful and absurd mechanics, such as the exaggerated graze counter and hyper loop systems, which lead to hilariously broken interactions. Additionally, the inclusion of cameo ships from other games adds a layer of comedic surprise and nostalgia, enhancing the overall lighthearted tone.
- “The humor in this game is off the charts, with hilarious mechanics like the reversal of the graze counter that turns the gameplay upside down.”
- “I love how the game incorporates cameo ships from other games, adding a layer of humor that keeps things fresh and entertaining.”
- “The absurdity of the mechanics, especially the hilariously broken hyper loop, makes for some of the funniest moments I've experienced in gaming.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game's atmosphere has been significantly enhanced through improved frame rate performance and graphical upgrades, such as seamless backgrounds that extend to the edges of the screen, creating a more immersive experience.
- “The improved frame rate performance, thanks to the rewrite in GameMaker Studio, along with significant graphical enhancements, creates a more immersive atmosphere, especially with backgrounds that seamlessly extend into the borders.”
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly engaging, drawing players into its world with stunning visuals and a captivating sound design that enhances every moment.”
- “The combination of detailed environments and ambient sounds truly elevates the atmosphere, making each location feel alive and filled with history.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been notably enhanced through a rewrite in GameMaker Studio, resulting in improved frame rate performance and significant graphical upgrades, such as atmospheric backgrounds that extend to the edges of the screen.
- “The improved frame rate performance is impressive, thanks to the rewrite in GameMaker Studio, along with significant graphical enhancements. For instance, the backgrounds seamlessly extend into the borders, creating a more atmospheric experience.”
- “The optimization has made a noticeable difference in gameplay fluidity, allowing for smoother transitions and a more immersive environment.”
- “I appreciate the attention to detail in the optimization process, which has resulted in a more polished and visually appealing game overall.”