Bullets, everywhere bullets.
I love shooters. There are not enough crazy bullet-hell shooters anymore. In comes Ghost Blade HD to save the day. I cannot believe I am reviewing a game in 2017 that was made for the Dreamcast, but here we are. Ghost Blade HD is the latest from Hucast Games, and it definitely lives up to its genre. Screens filled with digital bullets as I dance around them, picking up power-ups and launching screen-clearing bombs. This is the arcade rush I miss.
Those looking for a revolution of the genre though are going to be disappointed. While Ghost Blade HD lives up to its genre’s name, there is nothing here to force it to stand out. The game features three difficulty modes and five stages, some online leader boards and that’s about it.
MSRP: $9.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Wii U, PC, Switch
Price I’d Pay: $7.99
There is a training mode, which I suggest for newcomers to learn the basics of the game. I also really liked that the game could sense when I was struggling and gave me an extra credit. While I love these types of games, I am terrible at them. Most of the time I play on easy just so I can see the entire set of levels, something I couldn’t do in this game, even on that setting. These games are hard and are meant for practice and repetition, I just wish there was more here.
In addition to the core mode, there is also a score attack and two player co-op mode. The co-op is neat, but it is only local and honestly it takes the challenge right out of the game. So for those that want to see all the stages and bosses, this mode will be the easiest route.
Visually the game looks colorful and flashy, as one would expect of the genre. Performance is fine, and the screen fills with enough mayhem to induce a seizure. Overall this looks and feels like a classic shooter.
Ghost Blade HD is a niche game for a specific crowd. Most people know long before booting it up if it is their thing. There is really nothing special about this game, but what it does, it does well. Fans of the genre have yet another hidden gem to check out.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
