Pulstar

About

Pulstar is a single player and multiplayer arcade shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Concave Studio and was released on June 11, 2014. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Pulstar" is a Science Fiction Shooter game, offering both single-player and local multi-player modes for up to 2 players in split screen. The gameplay is reminiscent of R-Type, with the addition of a unique power bar mechanism for charged or rapid-fire attacks. Impressive pre-rendered 3D graphics enhance the immersive in-game world, providing a visually engaging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

54%

Audience ScoreBased on 94 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a vibrant art style that enhances the overall experience.
It's an addictive twin-stick shooter that is easy to learn but hard to master, making it enjoyable for both casual and competitive players.
The game offers a quick gameplay experience, perfect for short gaming sessions, and has a local multiplayer option.

The gameplay can become repetitive quickly due to a lack of variety in enemies and levels, with only three enemy types available.
Controls can feel clunky and imprecise, making it difficult to navigate through the chaotic gameplay.
The game suffers from poor visibility, as enemies often blend into the background, making it hard to track them during intense moments.

graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the fluidity and vibrant art style, while others criticize the visuals for being bland, overly saturated, and difficult to navigate during intense gameplay. Many players find the graphics either beautiful or a hindrance, as they can obscure important gameplay elements like power-ups and enemy distinctions. Overall, while there are moments of impressive visuals, the execution often detracts from the gaming experience.
- “Graphics: visuals are very fluid, and the game has a nice ambience.”
- “Art style is eye-catching, and the gameplay is rather slick, I would say.”
- “Overall, this game mixes phenomenal lighting, graphics, and difficulty into one of the most addicting arcade-like shooters to date.”
- “Basic shmup which suffers from bland gameplay and poor visuals.”
- “Lazy pixel-like graphics and garish neon lighting accompany you as you fight waves of samey boring enemies endlessly.”
- “Your main obstacle in this game are the graphics; when they really start throwing enemies at you, it becomes a cluster of explosions, bullets, and enemies that blend together. Every time you're damaged, it blurs and obscures the screen, making it very difficult to avoid taking more damage.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
47%
21%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of chaotic mechanics and RNG elements, leading to a repetitive experience that can quickly become dull for some players. While it offers smooth mechanics and intense challenges, particularly in multiplayer settings, the lack of depth and variety may leave players feeling burnt out. Overall, the gameplay is a blend of fun and frustration, with some appreciating its straightforward twin-stick shooter style, while others find it lacking in excitement and visual appeal.
- “Smooth mechanics, multiplayer, stays very focused.”
- “Playing this game for points, different strategies in movement and shooting produce different results providing a mixture of gameplay routes.”
- “What the game lacks in length, it makes up for in no nonsense twin-stick shooter gameplay.”
- “Basic shmup which suffers from bland gameplay and poor visuals.”
- “This kind of gameplay gets boring very quickly and only rewards those who have the patience to keep circling around.”
- “Most of the gameplay is just dull.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The music in the game is generally described as beautiful and strong, providing a relaxing atmosphere, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of variety. While some players appreciate the soundtrack, others find it simple and not particularly memorable, often opting to use their own playlists instead. Overall, the background music is decent but could benefit from more diversity to enhance the gaming experience.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “The music in Pulstar is absolutely beautiful.”
- “The background music is very strong, but the sound effects are very light and almost fragile sounding.”
- “One or two short music tracks loop, that's it.”
- “The soundtrack is simple and is not something to write home about, but it gets the job done.”
- “The sounds are piercing and unpleasant; the music is awful on top of that.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game's story is minimal and serves primarily as background lore, with some humorous references that add charm. While some players appreciate the lighthearted approach, others find the narrative lacking depth and coherence, leading to a mixed reception overall. A desire for a more developed story mode is noted, but many agree that the gameplay can stand on its own without a strong narrative.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “I wish there was a story mode, but I am content with what there is.”
- “What is there in the story is basic background to why you are playing this game lore-wise, as well as the funniest opening line ever by referencing Star Wars in a Family Guy style manner.”
- “It has a tiny, almost obsolete story, but being the arcade game it is, it really doesn't need one.”
- “You're supposed to be saving this dying star or something, but nothing seems to try and attack it; they just go after you. The whole story is nonsense.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's replayability is largely dependent on its competitive elements, such as online rankings and personal best tracking, which appeal to players seeking challenges. However, many users find the game becomes monotonous quickly, leading to a lack of replay value for those who are not competitive. Overall, the replayability is mixed, with a score of around 5/10.
- “Pulstar's replayability stems from the single and multiplayer world ranking that it offers.”
- “Simple power-up and bonus system and the online ranking and personal best tracking encourage replayability.”
- “The game gets difficult quickly and soon becomes extremely boring; the replayability for such a one-dimensional game is next to none.”
- “This game does not have replay value for non-competitive people.”
- “Replay value - 5/10”