Games like Project AETHER: First Contact

90%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, story

91% User Score Based on 454 reviews

Critic Score 84%Based on 2 reviews

Blast hordes of alien ships into junk. Collect the scrap to upgrade your ship into an unstoppable force of destruction. Unlock new characters and weapons and upgrade your stats between runs. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Void Scrappers.

82%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, replayability

82% User Score Based on 160 reviews

Horizon Shift is an explosive wave based, single screen shooter, with a ton of new ideas and platformer elements. Do what it takes to protect your horizon from the ever encroaching enemy attack! Use the unique risk reward multiplier system to maximise power-ups, build your bomb and destroy EVERYTHING! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Horizon Shift.

81%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

81% User Score Based on 456 reviews

Super Galaxy Squadron is a fast-paced vertical shooter designed for human beings as well as shmup veterans. Featuring multiple game modes, a challenging but merciful difficulty curve, forgiving health system, and seventeen playable ships. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Super Galaxy Squadron EX Turbo.

90%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

93% User Score Based on 1,918 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 3 reviews

X-Morph: Defense Complete Edition includes: X-Morph: Defense core game, European Assault DLC, Survival Of The Fittest DLC, Last Bastion DLC If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to X-Morph: Defense.

93%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, monetization

96% User Score Based on 523 reviews

Critic Score 81%Based on 1 reviews

This is a side-scrolling shooting game in which the player takes control of the "Drainus", a ship that can absorb energy bullets, to take down the countless enemy ships zipping through space. Energy absorbed can be used to enhance the ship's functions, such as adding new weapons. StoryThe Planet Halpax is located in the far reaches of space, suffering from the oppressive rule of the Khar… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to DRAINUS.

93%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, monetization

93% User Score Based on 342 reviews

Danmaku Unlimited 2 is an indie labor of love to bring classic Japanese vertical shooting action to modern HD systems. Inspired by Japanese doujin shooters and being authentic to a fault, the game features epic stages filled with beautiful but deadly bullet patterns, nail-bitingly difficult boss fights and seriously rocking soundtracks! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Danmaku Unlimited 2.

94%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

97% User Score Based on 10,045 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Nova Drift distills the mechanical depth of an action RPG into classic arcade space combat. Control an endlessly evolving bio-mechanical ship, face legions of strange and deadly foes, and ride the wake of a dying star across the void. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Nova Drift.

90%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

94% User Score Based on 169 reviews

Critic Score 83%Based on 5 reviews

Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax is an engaging 1-4 player couch co-op action shooter game, combining SHMUP and Brawler-like gameplay with light RPG elements. Choose from different game modes, gameplay settings, mechs, weapons and upgrades to customize your experience freely. Soar through space, defeat evil and save the future... from itself! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax.

85%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

85% User Score Based on 468 reviews

Built for PC, Enemy Mind lets you battle your way through 70+ waves of challenging enemies. Deftly maneuver over twenty unique ships, each with different abilities for you to harness. Backed by an all-new chip-emulated soundtrack by the psychoacoustic artist Rainbow Kitten, Enemy Mind features an adaptive story system as innovative as its gameplay. Are you ready to unlock the secrets of Enemy Mind… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Enemy Mind.

86%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

86% User Score Based on 519 reviews

Get back to some serious Old-School gaming with Syder Arcade! A love letter to Amiga games of the 90′, no coins, no upgrade grinding, just your tenacity and a motherload of alien invaders. Syder Arcade is a free scrolling, multi directional shoot ’em up, an uncompromised old-school experience, furious, challenging, straightforward. This game will bring you back in time, when bulky starships were … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Syder Arcade.

76%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

76% User Score Based on 127 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 2 reviews

FIGHT IN EVER CHANGING SPACE BATTLES! Run through the universe, discover the numerous perks/consumables and their synergistic effects. Explore the randomly-generated galaxy to find merchants,... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Stellar Interface.

84%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

89% User Score Based on 1,052 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 11 reviews

You are Roy Becket, a young pilot with dreams of becoming as skilled as his adoptive father. When a galactic war with an ancient mechanical alien race reaches its boiling point, Roy is forced to spring into action and take control of an otherworldly bipedal war machine in hopes of saving what's left of humanity. Joining Roy is a young girl who claims to have escaped the clutches of the nefarious a… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Astebreed.

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability

89% User Score Based on 101 reviews

The year is 2192 AD. The stellar-class all-purpose adminstrative computer ALLTYNEX goes berserk upon the Satariel System's activation, and 85% of humanity is wiped out within 72 hours. The remainder escape to the reaches of the solar system, but humanity is unable to cope with the new conditions. The ALLTYNEX War continues for fourty years. The year is 2232 AD. Humanity is down to a single fleet… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ALLTYNEX Second.

62%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:music

90% User Score Based on 20 reviews

AstroViking is a wave-based survival shoot em' up! Play as a superpowered female viking fending off endless hordes of aliens! Combine 60+ upgrades to construct your own ultimate warrior! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to AstroViking.

90%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

90% User Score Based on 494 reviews

Shred the skies to pieces in Furious Angels, an endless shooter with flying tanks, leaderboards and different waves each day! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Furious Angels.

65%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, monetization

68% User Score Based on 76 reviews

Critic Score 56%Based on 4 reviews

Gun Crazy is a fast paced and hectic arcade style action shoot em’ up in this homage to classic old school classics! Become the fiercest lady on the police force! Take out the bad guys through 4 unique levels filled with challenging bosses and powerful special guns. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Gun Crazy.

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

91% User Score Based on 482 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

A roguelite labyrinth lodged in the side of a star. Dodge gorgeous waves of bullets, claim weapons and upgrades, defeat The Warden, and rescue... Rodney? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Starward Rogue.

92%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, monetization

95% User Score Based on 1,542 reviews

Critic Score 84%Based on 2 reviews

"Assault Android Cactus is a manic twin stick arena shooter for the PC with screens full of enemies, buckets of bullets and high scoring combo chains! Take on the role of Cactus, an enthusiastic police android, who responds to a stranded space freighter only to discover it under siege by its malfunctioning robot workers. Cut off from the outside and in over her head, Cactus and the androids she re… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Assault Android Cactus.

72%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding

72% User Score Based on 122 reviews

“We thought they were our friends and benefactors, but instead they are our masters. The Chronicles didn’t liberate us from our primitive ways – they conquered and destroyed us. The others don’t know, their heads are still full of the melodious voices of our alien masters. But that will change. I will change it!” – Sasaki Survive in Space is a skill-based space shooter with a hardcore focus on ga… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Survive in Space.

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, graphics

89% User Score Based on 109 reviews

Xenoraid is an exciting vertically scrolling shoot'em up rooted in the classic action gameplay of the genre with added modern features. Xenoraid upgrades the basic shmup gameplay with advanced shooting mechanics. Fighters tilt left and right when moving horizontally and weapons heat up when firing. Master the mechanics and line up devastating bursts of fire! Missions in Xenoraid a procedurall… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Xenoraid: The First Space War.

83%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

88% User Score Based on 1,432 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 17 reviews

In addition to the full game, the Valfaris Digital Deluxe Edition includes the following content: - Valfaris - Digital OST - Valfaris - Digital Artbook If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Valfaris.

78%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, story

80% User Score Based on 115 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 2 reviews

Take control of a cyberdragon and annihilate swarms of rocket propelled chainsaws either online or via LAN in this high speed, high skill 8 player co-op twinstick shooter. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to XenoRaptor.

95%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization

98% User Score Based on 691 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

BLUE REVOLVER is a fresh new shoot-em-up built for newcomers and psychos alike. An adaptive difficulty system tailors the game to your skill level as you fight and flourish to evade the maniac environmental force, "Blue Revolver"! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to BLUE REVOLVER.

90%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

95% User Score Based on 1,140 reviews

Critic Score 82%Based on 6 reviews

Jet Lancer is a frenetic aerial dog-fighting game where you hunt enemy pilots, carve up giant robots, and defy death at supersonic speeds as a daring mercenary in the far future. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Jet Lancer.

68%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

68% User Score Based on 702 reviews

Humanity is on the verge of extinction. It's up to you to infiltrate the AI core and win the war against the machines.Start your journey with a simple ship, outfitted with only basic machine guns and air-to-ground missiles. As you take down more and more of the AI’s fighter’s you’ll unlock new technologies like plasma shields, wave beams, and ion cannons. It's totally up to you how you outfit your… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Revolution Ace.

85%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

89% User Score Based on 727 reviews

Critic Score 78%Based on 4 reviews

Steredenn is a frenetic and chaotic space shooter, carved in big beautiful pixels, with insane boss battles. Embark in your ship and engage the fight against dreadful space pirates in a never-ending combat for your survival. Steredenn is at the crossroads between a shmup and a rogue-like. Enjoy the infinite replayability of the game with its unforgiving gameplay, intense boss fights, (almost) ran… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Steredenn.

65%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

62% User Score Based on 349 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Asteroid Bounty Hunter is a space shooter mixed with interesting boss fights and breathtaking visuals, with a reward system to take your skill to another level. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Asteroid Bounty Hunter.

83%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

80% User Score Based on 548 reviews

Critic Score 86%Based on 8 reviews

Rive: Ultimate Edition is a metal wrecking, robot hacking shooter. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to RIVE.

88%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:character development

96% User Score Based on 188 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 1 reviews

70s giant robot anime-inspired side-scrolling shooter. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Supercharged Robot VULKAISER.

94%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding

97% User Score Based on 816 reviews

Critic Score 90%Based on 5 reviews

Sektori is an intense, fast paced twin-stick shooter infused with hard hitting techno music. Choose your upgrades carefully and create powerful builds to take on the relentless enemies and epic bosses on a constantly evolving battlefield. Sektori is a game that requires your complete focus, a game where the high-adrenaline visuals, music, and gameplay come together to transport you into another st… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sektori.

97%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization

97% User Score Based on 132 reviews

GUNFIELD - A game that combines genres: shoot 'em up, roguelite and bullet heaven. Destroy hordes of alien ships and giant bosses, unlock and upgrade new weapons and abilities. If you liked the game, you can add it to your wishlist on the Steam page The prototype of the game was developed on jam. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to GUNFIELD.

99%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, optimization

99% User Score Based on 496 reviews

An immersive pseudo-3D shoot 'em up experience that pushes the limits of pixel art. Push your score higher with the innovative Berserk System: the closer they are, the more points you get! Dive into an immersive pseudo-3D experience that pushes the limits of pixel art. With a perfect fusion of background music and evolving stage design, you can experience a feeling only possible in a SHMUP! Featur… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to DEVIL BLADE REBOOT.

94%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, stability

94% User Score Based on 1,422 reviews

Prepare yourself for an insatiable rain of bullets, bombs, and beams in Crimzon Clover. From Japanese indie developer YOTSUBANE, AdventurePlanningService, this unique top-down shooter is a wild ride you won't want to miss out on. Your first step in Crimzon Clover: World Ignition is as simple as choosing how you want to play, and which powerful ship will be yours to command. Choose your difficulty … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION.

85%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

90% User Score Based on 648 reviews

Critic Score 81%Based on 17 reviews

The Bug Butcher is an action-packed 2D side scrolling shoot em up game where peril comes from above. So in a nutshell, pest control with machine guns in space. The core mechanics hold old ties from the classic arcade shooter "Super Pang" where you shoot vertically, but with modern day twists. You are Harry, a brash and tenacious exterminator who has a knack for decimating bugs. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Bug Butcher.

83%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

85% User Score Based on 1,092 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 1 reviews

Let Them Come is a fast paced pixel art shoot ‘em up. Twitchy trigger fingers and focused battle tactics are the order of the day as wave after wave of alien-like creatures try to take you down. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Let Them Come.

92%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

92% User Score Based on 120 reviews

The second chapter in one of the most loved and respected Japanese shooting game series ever: The Tale of ALLTYNEX by Japanese indie developer SITER SKAIN. Carefully crafted play experiences, destructive fun, and absorbing gameplay have made the ALLTYNEX trilogy renowned in shmup / shooting game communities, both in Japan and overseas. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to RefleX.

87%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

87% User Score Based on 1,241 reviews

From the collaboration between Housemarque (Resogun, Alienation, Matterfall), and Robotron and Smash TV legendary creator Eugene Jarvis comes Nex Machina, an explosive arcade experience created with competition in mind. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Nex Machina.

88%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

96% User Score Based on 706 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 13 reviews

"Bleed 2 is a relentless arcade action game about shooting, dodging, reflecting bullets, slowing time, and lots and lots of bosses. The player controls a young girl named Wryn -- the world's greatest (and only remaining) hero. Together, they must battle an invading force of villains and live up to her title as the Greatest Hero of All Time!" If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Bleed 2.

94%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:atmosphere, stability

94% User Score Based on 1,861 reviews

Jamestown: Legend Of The Lost Colony is a neo-classical top-down shooter for up to 4 players, set on 17th-century British Colonial Mars. It features all the intensity, depth, and lovingly handcrafted pixels of a classic arcade shooter, with a modern twist: deeply-integrated cooperative gameplay.Unlike most top-down shooters, which give multiple players a shared pool of lives or continues, Jamestow… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Jamestown.

92%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, atmosphere

92% User Score Based on 130 reviews

Q-YO Blaster is a shooting game, with peculiar characters, strange enemies, weapons and many explosions. Enter the miniature world and stop the threat If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Q-YO Blaster.

62%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, grinding

81% User Score Based on 26 reviews

Critic Score 68%Based on 1 reviews

Binarystar Infinity is a 1-Bit Shoot ‘Em Up with a challenging experience reminding of the traditional Arcade Shmup classics, that can be experienced alone or with a friend, and with the particularity of being playable in vertical or horizontal scrolling mode. Offering handcrafted levels and bosses with modern fast action gameplay and smooth feedback controls, packaged in a stylized nostalgic 1-Bi… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Binarystar Infinity.

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

89% User Score Based on 618 reviews

Wreak vengeance with your elite craft on waves of Swarm bugs, who are hellbent on killing you and everyone you love. Harvest their guts for scrap and earn a deliciously varied array of upgrades. Beat the last wave if you have the skill, then strap in and try again in this survival roguelite shooter. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Whisker Squadron: Survivor.

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

89% User Score Based on 208 reviews

Defend Earth from an immeasurable alien invasion in GunSuit Guardians, an action-roguelite twin-stick horde survival.Take to the skies in an advanced aerial combat suit, wield enormous weapons, and upgrade your gear to become an unstoppable force of destruction.GunSuit Guardians condenses arcade shooter combat with roguelike elements to create a deep, action-packed experience where each run provid… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to GunSuit Guardians.

94%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, optimization

97% User Score Based on 1,282 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Waves is a twin stick shooter that can be played by anyone, but with a high enough skill threshold to keep even the most hardened shooter fan entertained. Clear the arena of enemies while racking up a big fat Combo with swift kills and well timed Bombs. If it all gets a bit too much you can use your Time Buffer to slow down the action and turn defeat into victory. Players can compete across seven… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Waves.

96%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, character development

95% User Score Based on 205 reviews

Critic Score 100%Based on 1 reviews

Rogue Flight is a breathtaking arcade space combat game inspired by the landmark style of 80's and 90's prestige anime. Jump into true stylish arcade action with a huge host of spacecraft upgrades, game modes and multiple narrative paths. It's been 3 years since the world burned. It was ARGUS; the interstellar watchman system given control of the Solar Defense Force. In a secret facility deep be… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ROGUE FLIGHT.

84%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

84% User Score Based on 558 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 4 reviews

Sine Mora is a horizontal shoot'em up that provides a unique take on challenge, where time is the ultimate factor. Mixing classic shooter sensibilities with contemporary presentation, Sine Mora is a gorgeous shmup that offers a Story Mode that weaves an over-the-top tale and an Arcade Mode that provides deep, satisfying gameplay to challenge fans of the genre. With many ways to manipulate time, Si… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sine Mora.

88%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

88% User Score Based on 678 reviews

A twin stick shooter without the twin stick, Gunlocked is a sci-fi action roguelike about careful positioning and upgrade selection. Manage unique targeting systems across multiple weapons and upgrades, as you battle legions of alien ships, and then do it all over again! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Gunlocked.

97%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability

97% User Score Based on 261 reviews

Gunvein is a dynamic, aggression-based bullet hell shoot em up where you use lock on lasers, charged weapons, bombs & hypers to overwhelm the enemies before they overwhelm you. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Gunvein.

72%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

68% User Score Based on 213 reviews

Critic Score 77%Based on 9 reviews

Drifting Lands is an hybrid of classical horizontal shoot'em'up with a lot of strong gameplay elements coming straight from the action-RPG genre. If you want an original diablo-like game or you want a different kind of shoot'em'up, you're in the right place! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Drifting Lands.

74%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

79% User Score Based on 202 reviews

Critic Score 66%Based on 7 reviews

Omega Strike is an action-adventure game with multiple playable characters. Explore the interconnected world, defeat monstrous enemies, search for hidden treasures and learn new abilities for your heroes. Each character has unique abilities which you must utilize to overcome the deadly traps and enemies that roam the world of Omega Strike. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Omega Strike.