Hitogata Happa

About

Hitogata Happa is a single player arcade shooter game. It was developed by Platine Dispositif and was released on September 27, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Hitogata Happa" is a challenging vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up game, considered one of the hardest in its genre. Play as one of twelve characters, each with unique abilities, blasting through six intense stages filled with bullet insanity. Unlock special modes, secret features, and achieve 13 Steam achievements, while competing on online leaderboards. The game boasts old-school retro anime-style art and a new arranged sound.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 116 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Hitogata Happa offers a unique and challenging gameplay experience with its innovative bomb mechanic that requires players to sacrifice their dolls for powerful attacks.
The game features a variety of characters (dolls) with different abilities, adding depth and strategy to gameplay as players must choose the right dolls for each boss encounter.
The soundtrack is highly praised, enhancing the overall experience and atmosphere of the game, making it enjoyable despite its difficulty.

The game's difficulty is extremely high, often leading to frustration, especially for players unfamiliar with bullet hell mechanics, making it inaccessible for casual gamers.
Lack of clear instructions on how to use the bomb mechanic can lead to confusion, resulting in players struggling to progress past early bosses.
The controls can feel clunky, and the requirement to ram into bosses to deal damage can be frustrating, especially when navigating through dense bullet patterns.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
77%
10%
The gameplay of Hitogata Happa is characterized by its unique mechanics, particularly the bomb system, which can be rewarding but also frustrating due to its steep learning curve and lack of clear tutorials. While some players appreciate the engaging and skill-requiring nature of the game, many criticize its punishing difficulty, unhelpful design choices, and repetitive level design, making it less accessible for newcomers to the bullet hell genre. Overall, the game offers a mix of interesting mechanics and challenging gameplay, but it may alienate those unfamiliar with its intricacies.
- “Hitogata happa actually seems like a really good bullet hell/shoot 'em up once you get a grasp on the mechanics.”
- “The gameplay doesn't have to break the mold but it has to offer this 'x factor' that makes even dying fun and a natural part of the game.”
- “In between the whimsical dolls named after tea leaves and the massive German flying machines, there's a mechanically tight game with plenty of heart that just begs to be replayed again and again.”
- “Some stupid design decisions and unreasonably difficult mechanics make the game just about unplayable for anyone who doesn't live, breathe, and eat bullet hells.”
- “Uninteresting attack patterns, extremely repetitive (and short) level design, stupid control issues (really? there's no 'slow movement' button here? in a bullet hell shmup? when there was one in the other two?), cheap boss attacks (the first boss: if you don't know that he's going to do the arm swipe as his first attack, and if you don't already know just where to be when he does it, you will die 1 second into the fight. gets worse from there.) and one of the worst game mechanics I've ever heard of in this type of game.”
- “Blindingly hard game made all the harder by lack of tutorial coupled with new mechanics.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and high-octane quality that enhances the gameplay experience. The inclusion of the soundtrack with the game is seen as a generous bonus, and while some prefer the original tracks over the arranged versions, both are noted for their ability to elevate the game's atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The music is genuinely great and you can see that Hitogata Happa is a game with a lot of potential.”
- “This is a high-octane, adrenaline-laden bullet hell shooter, with all the mandatory trappings of the genre, from the cutesy graphics to the energetic soundtrack.”
- “The bullet patterns are absolutely insane and the fantastic musical score will get you pumped as you wade through endless walls of impassable bullets.”
- “Btw, my suggestion is that you should use the original soundtrack, as the new arrangements may be more nuanced, but they have lost a lot of the high-octane, flowing explosiveness the original has.”
- “The game feels a lot more clunky than other danmaku games, the OST sucks, the character design is stupid and they're annoying.”
- “An amazingly challenging but fun danmaku game; nothing absolutely groundbreaking graphics are similar to most other games of the genre (although the soundtrack is on par with something like Project Touhou), but that's still pretty good.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The graphics are generally considered above-average but not groundbreaking, resembling typical visuals found in the bullet hell genre. While some players appreciate the solid presentation and energetic soundtrack, others find the overall aesthetic to be somewhat generic and unremarkable.
- “This is a high-octane, adrenaline-laden bullet hell shooter, with all the mandatory trappings of the genre, from the cutesy graphics to the energetic soundtrack.”
- “It's got great music, solid graphics that are not-too-cute, and the controls are good.”
- “An amazingly challenging but fun danmaku game; nothing absolutely groundbreaking, graphics are similar to most other games of the genre, but that's still pretty good.”
- “It's really easy to overlook this title with its non-descript visuals, obtuse lack of instructions, and seeming resemblance to any other doujin shooter.”
- “Nothing absolutely groundbreaking; the graphics are similar to most other games of the genre, although the soundtrack is on par with something like Project Touhou.”
- “The graphics are above-average, the sound is pretty standard, but the overall presentation is pretty ho-hum and the difficulty is brutal.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The story is described as convoluted and nonsensical, drawing comparisons to the film "Donnie Darko" in its complexity. It features a mix of historical elements, such as Prussia, alongside fantastical themes like magic and futuristic warfare, leading to a chaotic narrative experience. Players are tasked with sending dolls on perilous missions amidst overwhelming enemy fire, adding to the overall sense of confusion.
- “The plot has something to do with Prussia (once a real empire in Europe), magic (mentioned in the intro), and space-age warships (not mentioned but that's what I saw as the enemies).”
- “The story makes about as much sense as Donnie Darko dubbed in Korean.”
- “The plot involves Prussia (once a real empire in Europe), magic (mentioned in the intro), and space-age warships (not mentioned but that's what I saw as the enemies).”
- “You shall send your dolls out on a suicide mission involving many Japanese-riddled bullets that take up most of the screen.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users highlight that the game offers a significant amount of replayability, suggesting that players can enjoy multiple playthroughs without losing interest.
- “There is a lot of replayability in this game, with different choices leading to unique outcomes.”
- “The game offers a wealth of replayability, encouraging players to explore various strategies and paths.”
- “With multiple endings and diverse character builds, the replayability factor is incredibly high.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is criticized for being clunky and unappealing, with users expressing dissatisfaction with the character design and overall presentation, leading to a negative impression of the characters themselves.
- “The game feels a lot more clunky than other danmaku games.”
- “The character design is uninspired and the characters themselves are annoying.”
- “The overall character development lacks depth and fails to engage the player.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a great soundtrack that complements the overall experience, contributing significantly to the immersive environment.
- “The game features a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere beautifully.”
- “The immersive environment and attention to detail create a captivating atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “The haunting visuals and sound design work together to establish a truly unique and engaging atmosphere.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for being poor, with users reporting issues such as bugs and an unfinished feel, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Like the other games from this company, it's all loud and blurry, unfinished, and buggy.”