Graze Counter GM

About

"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

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 130 reviews

gameplay15 positive mentions

Satisfying shoot 'em up gameplay with mechanics that are easy to grasp.
Pixel-perfect old-school visuals that enhance the overall experience.
Contains some very cool extra modes, providing great replay value.

Not many stages to master, which may limit long-term engagement.
Audio can be a bit grating, detracting from the enjoyment.
Odd situations can feel unfair, leading to frustrating moments.

gameplay
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
68%
5%
The gameplay is centered around a unique "graze counter" mechanic that allows players to charge powerful attacks by grazing bullets, 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 excellent pixel-art graphics and intuitive controls. Overall, the gameplay is described as intense yet accessible, making it a solid choice for both newcomers and genre veterans.
- “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.”
- “With such a simple yet strong system mechanic, this makes for a surprisingly intense and exciting game without feeling overly punishing or difficult.”
- “Mechanics are intuitive and engaging, and they go along smoothly with the challenges thrown at you.”
- “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
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
31%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant pixel-art style and retro presentation, contributing to an engaging atmosphere and enjoyable gameplay. While the visuals are generally well-received, some players noted that the pixel graphics can appear messy in full-screen mode. Overall, the combination of appealing graphics, sound, and mechanics enhances the game's appeal, 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 heavy emphasis on its 'graze' mechanic.”
- “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
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
79%
11%
The game's story is a retelling of the original "graze counter," featuring improved gameplay and additional explanations of the narrative, though the writing is often criticized as confusing and incoherent. While the main characters have dialogue, many players suggest focusing on gameplay rather than the story, as the mission mode serves as a more effective tutorial for mastering game mechanics. Overall, the game offers a wealth of content, including branching paths and various challenges, but the narrative may not be its strongest aspect.
- “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 has been made overall easier than its base release.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and enjoyable soundtrack, with many reviewers highlighting the effective sound design. However, some note that the sound effects have a retro 8-bit feel, which may not appeal to everyone. Additionally, there are mentions of similarities to the soundtrack of "Graze Counter," which could detract from its originality.
- “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 feels like it 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.”
- “The music lacks originality and seems heavily inspired by other games.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game boasts significant replayability due to a variety of unlockable ships, multiple difficulty levels, and a diverse cast of characters. Players appreciate the accessibility and engaging presentation, which further enhance the overall replay value.
- “Huge replayability because of the number of different characters.”
- “Freaking amazing shmup with tons of replay value.”
- “The game is pretty accessible with multiple difficulty options, great replay value, and a remarkable presentation.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its playful mechanics, such as the absurdly broken reversal of the graze counter and the inclusion of cameo ships from other games, which adds a lighthearted and whimsical touch to the gameplay experience.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight that the game's atmosphere has been significantly enhanced through improved frame rate performance and graphical upgrades, such as backgrounds seamlessly extending to the edges of the screen, creating a more immersive experience.
- “The improved frame rate performance and significant graphical enhancements create a more immersive atmosphere, with backgrounds seamlessly extending into the borders.”
- “The graphical improvements, including the way backgrounds continue into the borders, significantly enhance the game's atmosphere.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
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.
- “Improved frame rate performance because they rewrote it on GameMaker Studio and made significant graphical improvements. For example, backgrounds continue into the borders, making it more atmospheric.”