PAWARUMi
- January 30, 2018
- Manufacture 43
How this hadn’t been done before I will never know, but Pawarumi’s melding of rock, paper, scissors to a shooter is quite frankly, a blast.
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Get on itch.io Store"PAWARUMi is a single-player Science Fiction Shooter game with good graphics. As Axo, piloting the legendary ship Chukaru, players face the Council's armies and uncover a dark secret. The unique Trinity Mechanic allows for strategic weapon usage to deal extra damage, heal the shield, or recharge the super attack."
Reviews
- PAWARUMI features outstanding presentation with detailed visuals and a well-composed soundtrack, creating an immersive experience.
- The unique three-color weapon system adds depth and strategy to the gameplay, allowing players to adapt their approach based on enemy types.
- The game is polished and offers a satisfying shooting experience, appealing to fans of the shmup genre who appreciate classic mechanics.
- The game's reliance on a one-credit clear (1CC) system and lack of continues can be frustrating, especially for casual players or newcomers to the genre.
- Visual clarity issues arise due to the busy backgrounds and effects, making it difficult to track projectiles and enemies during intense gameplay.
- The steep learning curve and memorization required for enemy patterns may deter players who prefer a more accessible gaming experience.
- gameplay19 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of inspiration from classic shmups like Ikaruga, featuring a nuanced three-weapon system that incorporates a clever color-switching mechanic, adding depth and strategy. While the game is praised for its polished presentation and engaging mechanics, some players find the gameplay confusing and the user interface a bit cluttered, particularly regarding scoring tactics and the tutorial's lack of clarity. Overall, it offers a fun and challenging experience, though it may require some adjustment for new players.
“The game takes several inspirations from Ikaruga, which is one of the best games in the shmup/bullet hell genre, to form its gameplay and presentation.”
“A fantastic and frankly underrated shmup with lots of care and polish put into its presentation and gameplay.”
“Clever and well thought-out color switching mechanic - it's not trying to be Ikaruga, it's a completely different beast - combined with beautiful graphics and a stirring soundtrack resulted in a memorable, unique experience.”
“But on the other hand, it also makes the gameplay very confusing.”
“Note that you must fully understand the 3-color mechanics, else utter failure is unavoidable.”
“If I were to be critical: the UI is a bit invasive (especially the lightning effects) and score mechanics aren't explained in the tutorial, nor made clear during the stages it seems.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are consistently praised as stunning and polished, with cinematic camera shots enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the beautiful artwork and clever color-switching mechanics, which contribute to a memorable and unique gameplay experience. Overall, the visuals are described as jaw-dropping, with no readability issues, making it a standout feature of the game.
“Extremely polished, jaw-dropping graphics and crazy good gameplay.”
“Clever and well thought-out color switching mechanic - it's not trying to be Ikaruga, it's a completely different beast in case your mind started wandering in that direction - combined with beautiful graphics and a stirring soundtrack resulted in a memorable, unique experience.”
“Graphics: absolutely stunning.”
- music10 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's soundtrack is widely praised for its composition and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting specific levels where the music stands out. While some mention that the music could be improved, the majority find it to be a memorable and stirring accompaniment to the gameplay, contributing to the game's unique atmosphere. Overall, the music, alongside the impressive graphics, creates a captivating and immersive experience.
“The soundtrack of the game is very well-composed.”
“The overall gameplay, music, and presentation, while a tad cluttered at times, is fantastic, and the futuristic neo-Aztec and Mayan theme is a great standout!”
“Music: pretty friggin awesome, especially level 2, level 2 boss, and level 4 boss.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally perceived as weak and disjointed, lacking coherence and integration with gameplay, despite being presented through short skits between levels. While some players appreciate the moody atmosphere and pacing, many find the plot simplistic and difficult to fully understand, leading to a sense of detachment from the overall experience. Overall, the narrative fails to elevate the game, leaving it feeling more like a score attack than a cohesive story-driven adventure.
“The storyline, told via short skits between the stages, is simple yet well told, adding a moody, foreboding flair to the occasion.”
“Want a great plot with your shoot-em-up?”
“Nice pacing, the color-coded elements are not here to annoy you, the story bits are over quickly (and skippable), the levels seem to be the right length so far, controls are responsive, and enemies aren't bullet-sponge without reason.”
“It makes Natsuki Chronicles’ incomplete plot that was trying too hard look like a masterpiece!”
“Some complaints would be that enemies don't really go for the amount of craziness that other games get out of them, and that the story is there but it really feels like a completely separate thing instead of being integrated with the levels.”
“It's a very attractive game visually, with a kind of meh plot that I didn't really get into.”
Critic Reviews
Pawarumi
Visually, Pawarumi is filled with colour, with each stage, be it the snowy wasteland to the volcanic zone, packed with vibrant environments rendered in 3D that allows the game to twist the view and zoom the camera to heighten the transition during flybys. Loading on the Switch can cause a hiccup in performance as the game judders, but this usually happens during a transition where interaction isn’t enabled. One disappointment about Pawarumi is that it doesn’t run at 60 frames per second. The game is locked to 30 frames per second, because 60 wasn’t as consistent as the developers would have liked. It certainly can be felt in the motion and controls, so if portability doesn’t enter the equation, then picking Pawarumi on PC will be the better option. The soundtrack is rather good too, offering a blend of rock, electro and plenty of bass that sets the mood for the carnage ahead.
70%Pawarumi (Nintendo Switch)
Pawarumi is a good old-fashioned “shoot everything that moves” game which engages the player right from the start; I had an adrenaline rush going the whole time I was playing. At $14.99, it’s a great addition to your Nintendo Switch catalog of games.
90%Pawarumi Review
Pawarumi is a tough-as-nails shmup with a unique central mechanic that takes time to master. Stick with it though and you’ll be rewarded with a slick, fast-paced shooter that looks and sounds amazing and will test your skills to the max. There’s really nothing else like it out there right now and, even with slight reservations over the difficulty, a lacklustre story and paucity of game modes, this is an easy recommend for fans of the genre looking for a proper challenge.
80%
