Sway

About

Sway is a short bullet hell game modeled after the Touhou series that can be completed in about 15 to 30 minutes. This game was developed by a 2-person team in 4 months as part of a college independent study. Additional shout-out and credit to the folks at Analgesic Productions for allowing us to use sound effects from their game Anodyne! Also, feel free to join our official discord server (link i…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

music4 positive mentions

The game features a beautiful and eerie atmosphere with striking visuals and a captivating soundtrack.
Gameplay offers a fun and challenging experience with interesting bullet patterns and a variety of enemies.
The game shows promise and potential for future improvements, making it worth trying out.

The difficulty level can be frustrating, as it may be too hard for beginners and not challenging enough for veterans.
The character can be hard to see during gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.
Some players find the danmaku patterns to be bland and the story lacking depth.

music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The music in the game is often described as both peaceful and eerie, contributing to a beautiful and atmospheric experience. While some players find the soundtrack to be exceptional, enhancing the gameplay, others feel it is overshadowed by issues with the danmaku mechanics and overall game design. Overall, the music is a standout feature, praised for its emotional depth and quality.
- “The music is peaceful yet eerie, and the art seems so peaceful yet so dangerous.”
- “The game looks amazing and is a great atmospheric experience with the most eerie and beautiful soundtrack I have ever heard.”
- “Great risk/reward bullet hell gameplay with excellent music.”
- “The danmaku is boring and bland, the music is okay, the story barely exists, the character is barely visible half the time, and the difficulty is too low for danmaku veterans and too high for beginners with no difficulty settings.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it engaging and cryptic, motivating them to continue playing, others feel it is minimal and lacks depth. Overall, the narrative is described as decent but not a standout feature, with varying levels of interest depending on the player's perspective.
- “The patterns are good; this isn't too hard but isn't easy, and I like that. The story is really good.”
- “The cryptic story is interesting and made me want to keep playing even after several game overs.”
- “It's a fun, interesting bullet hell with different modes of shooting and a bit of story.”
- “The danmaku is boring and bland, the music is okay, the story barely exists, and the character is barely visible half the time. The difficulty is too low for danmaku veterans and too high for beginners with no difficulty settings.”
- “Story is fine.”
- “It's a fun, interesting bullet hell with different modes of shooting, but it has only a bit of story.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's graphics are praised for their unique and striking monochrome aesthetic, which contributes to a captivating atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the art style, describing it as beautiful and eerie, and note that it gives the game a distinct identity. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The striking monochrome aesthetic gives the game an identity of its own, and a more gradual stage-based progression system has a lot of potential for interesting use.”
- “The game has a beautiful atmosphere with eerie and great visuals.”
- “I love this game; it has an art style and aesthetic that I can't quite describe, but I absolutely love it.”
- “The striking monochrome aesthetic gives the game an identity of its own, and a more gradual stage-based progression system (while done better in other shmups) has a lot of potential for interesting use (though you could say Len'en 4 has already done so).”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its stunning visuals and captivating atmosphere, combining beauty with an eerie quality. The soundtrack is highlighted as one of the most hauntingly beautiful, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- “The game has a beautiful atmosphere with eerie and stunning visuals.”
- “I wish I wasn't so upset by this because the game looks amazing and offers a great atmospheric experience, featuring the most eerie and beautiful soundtrack I have ever heard.”
gameplay
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The gameplay is noted for its challenging difficulty, which may not be suitable for all players.
- “The gameplay is fairly difficult, at least for me.”
- “The gameplay is fairly difficult, at least to me.”