Info about DEVIL BLADE REBOOT:

Official game description:
**DEVIL BLADE REBOOT**
●Overview
---------
Devil Blade, a 1996 indie shmup released only in Japan,
has received a full remake almost a quarter century later by the original creator,
taking advantage of the latest technology.
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!
Devil Blade Reboot is presented in a seamless and cohesive package,
for the first time in English!
Simply "dodge, shoot, and destroy" without any extra baggage.
Devil Blade Reboot strictly follows a strict design concept that pursues
catharsis of shmups to the extreme.
But, as they say... no pain, no gain! If you want to enhance your score,
you will have to shoot down enemies in close proximity. The closer they are,
the higher the score multiplier. With the Berserk System,
dangerous play is the way to climb the ladder, as high risk brings high reward.
●Features
---------
**【2D pixel art graphics with an obsessive level of detail.】**
Rendered in the original native 320x240 resolution of the classics,
but with visuals that defy the limits of pixel art! Experience immersive pseudo-3D,
making use of modern techniques such as multiple parallax scrolling and zoom effects.
**【Berserk System】**
The closer you let them get, the higher your score will climb!
Dramatically increase the score... and the difficulty, by destroying enemies in close range!
The difficulty level changes drastically depending on the way you play the game.
From beginners who just want to clear the game,
to advanced players chasing the highest score possible,
Devil Blade Reboot is designed to be enjoyed by anyone interested in the genre.
**【Retro and Reboot Mode】**
While the enhancements of Reboot are visually stunning,
some may want to look back in history to see the origins of Devil Blade. We have you covered.
Included is an Arrange mode of the original "Devil Blade" created in Dezaemon+ in 1996
with the Berserk system added but the original atmosphere preserved.
Experience this retro recreation of a classic shmup,
delivered here for the first time outside of Japan.
●Specs
------
・Ultra-hardcore, 100% pure, mechanics-focused vertical scrolling shmup
・Two types of shots + bombs - back to basics
・Berserk System increases score when enemies are destroyed nearby
・Story mode to play through all 6 stages in order
・Stage select to choose any stage to replay
・Four levels of difficulty that can be changed at the player's discretion
・Retro Mode that recreates the original Dezaemon+ version is included
・Unlockables that reward repeat playthroughs
・STEAM achievements and global rankings
・Multilingual localization handled by passionate shmup fans
・Heavily customizable settings to tune the game to your liking
・Built using the dedicated shmup game engine Shooting Game Builder
・Intense soundtrack by hasu drives the gameplay
※Dezaemon Plus is a shmup creation tool,
originally released in Japan for PlayStation on May 24, 1996.
●Support
--------
・The "Guidelines for Live Streaming" are intended as a consideration and a request,
　and are not intended to be legally binding.

Release date: May 23, 2024

Categories: Bullet Hell, Vertical Shooter, Score Attack, High Score Chasing, Arcade, Shoot 'em up, 2D Shooter, Retro

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well; summary: The game demonstrates excellent compatibility and performance on the Steam Deck, a Linux-based platform. Users report that it runs perfectly and plays great, indicating a smooth and enjoyable experience without notable issues.
- Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: The overall user feedback for the Steam Deck experience is highly positive. Users have reported seamless gameplay, responsive controls, and high replayability. There are no significant technical barriers or issues mentioned in the reviews.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $12.00 - $40.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence indicates that users find the game worth its full price, with some suggesting they would pay even more. The mentions of the game being a 'steal' at $12 and worth up to $40 suggest a perceived value that aligns with a higher price point. The overall sentiment is that the game offers significant value for its price, supporting a fair price range that is at least the current base price and potentially higher.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 0.5h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct statements about the playtime for DEVIL BLADE REBOOT. The first quote mentions that the game can be cleared in about 20 minutes. The second quote states that a single playthrough takes around 30 minutes. The third quote supports this by mentioning that each playthrough is compact and takes about 25 minutes. The fourth quote provides a range of 40-50 minutes to complete the game. These quotes collectively suggest that the game completion time is relatively short, likely around 30 minutes for a typical playthrough. There is no specific evidence provided for story completion, session length, or endgame playtime, so these fields are marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is immediately fun due to its visuals and action, but truly clicks when players focus on scoring and competition. Lack of co-op and limited modes are notable drawbacks.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Focusing on scoring
  - Time to anchor: 0h 30m
  - Friction: no co-op; single player only; only 2 modes of shooting
  - Unlock drivers: competing with friends; progression system; difficulty options
  - Conditions: solo play; focus on scoring; veteran difficulty settings
- Player Archetypes:
  - Beginner-Friendly Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Accessible entry point into the shmup genre.
    - Playstyle: Casual, learning the basics of shmups.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: newcomer; casual
    - Reference games: Graze Counter GM
  - Balanced Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Balanced challenge and depth in gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Competitive, aiming for high scores and 1cc runs.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: veteran; expert
    - Reference games: Ketsui; DoDonpachi
  - Casual Survivor (sale)
    - Motivation: Relaxed and enjoyable gameplay experience.
    - Playstyle: Casual, playing for survival and enjoyment.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual; survivor
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Outstanding pixel art visuals (weight 0.96): The game's pixel art is frequently mentioned as jaw-dropping and incredible, with a rich color palette and high-quality graphics. The visuals are praised for their detail and for going beyond typical indie pixel art.
- Multiple difficulty modes (weight 0.6): The game offers various difficulty settings that cater to different player skills, altering both bullet patterns and mechanics. These modes are accessible and provide balanced challenges for all types of players.
- Addictive and intuitive scoring system (weight 0.52): The scoring system is designed to be easy to understand yet highly engaging, encouraging players to take risks for higher scores. This system is often described as addictive and well-integrated into the gameplay.
- Fast-paced and intuitive gameplay (weight 0.5): The gameplay is noted for its high tempo and smooth mechanics, making it accessible and enjoyable for both beginners and experienced players. The intuitive controls and clear gameplay feel contribute to its appeal.
- Phenomenal soundtrack (weight 0.49): The game's music is widely praised as awesome and rockin', with a stand-out soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as impressive and well-done.
- Highly praised shmup gameplay (weight 0.49): Players consistently describe the game as an excellent and fun shmup, with many highlighting its old-school feel and high-quality gameplay. It is often referred to as one of the best in the genre, appealing to both casual and hardcore fans.
- Beginner-friendly design (weight 0.35): The game is designed to be accessible for beginners while still offering depth for advanced players. It includes features that make it easy for newcomers to enjoy and progress.
- Simple and pure game design (weight 0.23): The game is praised for its simplicity and lack of unnecessary gimmicks, focusing on pure and straightforward gameplay that is easy to understand.
- Unique pseudo-3D visual style (weight 0.16): The game features a unique pseudo-3D style with pixel art graphics, creating a distinctive visual experience that stands out in the genre.
- Strategic shield system (weight 0.15): The shield system in the game is noted for allowing strategic gameplay and preventing accidental damage, adding a layer of depth to the mechanics.

Common complaints:
- Game mechanics and design flaws (weight 0.27): The game mechanics, including the scoring and rank systems, are criticized for being too static, too generous with resources, or poorly implemented.
- Eye strain from visuals (weight 0.23): The background colors and visuals cause eye strain and fatigue, making it difficult to see enemy attacks clearly.
- Game is too short (weight 0.17): Many players feel that the game is too short, with only a few stages and a final boss, leading to a lack of depth and replayability.
- Music and sound issues (weight 0.16): The music did not excite reviewers and there are issues with sound intensity and repetition, affecting the overall enjoyment.
- Control and button mapping issues (weight 0.13): Controls can feel twitchy and the mapping of boost and bomb to the same button can lead to accidental bomb usage, frustrating players.
- Visual and screen size complaints (weight 0.13): The screen size is too small and the camera is too close to the action, leading to a lack of visibility and a cramped feeling.
- Lack of customization and power-ups (weight 0.12): There are limited power-up options and few ship types, reducing the depth and customization available to players.
- No co-op or multiplayer (weight 0.1): The lack of cooperative or multiplayer modes is a common complaint, as players desire more social and interactive gameplay options.
- Collision and visibility issues (weight 0.09): Accidental collisions due to high speed and poor visibility of certain visual elements are common complaints.
- Lack of auto-fire (weight 0.05): The absence of an auto-fire feature is noted as a significant drawback, making the game less accessible and more tedious.
- Unskippable scenes (weight 0.05): Players are frustrated by unskippable scenes, which can interrupt the flow of gameplay and feel like a waste of time.
- Limited shooting modes (weight 0.05): The game offers limited shooting modes, which restricts gameplay variety and can make the experience feel repetitive.
- No online leaderboards (weight 0.05): The absence of online leaderboards is a missed opportunity for competitive players who want to compare their scores and achievements.
- Repetitive unlock menu (weight 0.05): The unlock menu may feel repetitive to players, detracting from the overall enjoyment and progression of the game.
- Poor TTS voices (weight 0.05): The text-to-speech voices in the game are considered bad, which can negatively impact the immersion and overall experience.
- Training mode inadequacy (weight 0.05): The training mode is not fleshed out enough, leaving players without adequate tools to improve their skills.
- Streaming mode disclaimer (weight 0.04): The disclaimer for streaming mode is considered weird and out of place by some players.
- Soundtrack availability (weight 0.04): The soundtrack is not available for purchase, which is a missed opportunity for fans who enjoy the game's music.

Gameplay feedback:
- Dynamic scoring system (weight 0.45): The game features a well-designed scoring system that encourages high scores through dynamic and fun scoring methods, including risk/reward mechanics.
- Classic arcade-style shooter (weight 0.38): The game is a retro shooting game with old-school shmup mechanics, featuring 2D shooter elements and sprite-based graphics reminiscent of classic arcade-style vertical and side-scrolling shooters.
- Balanced difficulty levels (weight 0.35): The game features various difficulty levels, including normal and hard modes, making it approachable for beginners while offering challenges for more experienced players.
- Telegraphed enemy attacks (weight 0.32): Enemies in the game telegraph their attacks, providing warnings and clear indicators that help players anticipate and avoid incoming threats.
- Shield and bomb mechanics (weight 0.25): The game includes mechanics for shields and bombs, which can be used strategically to protect the player and clear the screen of enemies and bullets.
- Bullet hell mechanics (weight 0.23): The game incorporates bullet hell mechanics, a staple of the STG (Shooting Game) genre, where players navigate through dense patterns of enemy bullets.
- Berserk system for high scores (weight 0.2): The Berserk mechanic encourages aggressive play and high scores, adding a layer of strategy and risk to the gameplay.
- Multiple gameplay modes (weight 0.16): The game features multiple gameplay modes, including stage select and varied stages, offering different experiences and challenges.
- Unique enemy patterns (weight 0.13): Enemies in the game have unique movement and attack patterns, providing varied and challenging encounters for the player.
- Fair and challenging gameplay (weight 0.1): The game is designed to be fair and enjoyable, providing a challenging yet balanced experience that is accessible to players of all skill levels.
- Intuitive controls (weight 0.1): The game features intuitive and easy-to-learn controls, making it accessible for new players while still offering depth for advanced players.
- Thoughtful encounter design (weight 0.1): The game's encounter design is thoughtful and concise, providing thrilling and engaging gameplay experiences.

Performance notes:
- Great performance on handheld devices (weight 0.1): The game runs smoothly on various handheld devices such as the Steam Deck and Retroid Pocket 5, providing a great gaming experience on the go.
- Volume control issues (weight 0.1): Some players experience problems with in-game volume control, where volume settings do not work as expected in their environment.
- Minimal input lag (weight 0.06): Players report zero input lag, which enhances the responsiveness and overall gameplay experience.
- Quick loading times (weight 0.05): The game features quick loading times, which helps maintain immersion and reduces downtime between gameplay sessions.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for SHMUP enthusiasts (weight 0.51): The game is highly recommended for fans of the SHMUP genre, including both experienced players and beginners. It is praised for its appeal to shoot 'em up game enthusiasts and is considered a must-have for any shmup fan.
- Highly recommended as a masterpiece (weight 0.27): The game is highly recommended and considered a masterpiece in the STG (shooting game) genre. It is praised for its quality and appeal to fans of arcade and classic shooting games.
- Worth the price (weight 0.17): Many reviews indicate that the game is worth its full price, suggesting that it offers good value for money and a satisfying experience for players.
- Suggests more content and DLC (weight 0.09): Some players suggest adding more content, such as additional flyers, weapons, and downloadable content (DLC) to enhance the gaming experience.
- Includes unlockable content and retro mode (weight 0.09): The game includes a shop where players can unlock various items such as continues, illustrations, and sound tests. It also offers a retro mode for a classic gaming experience.
- Incredible soundtrack available (weight 0.05): The game features an incredible soundtrack that can be purchased separately on Bandcamp, adding to the overall appeal of the game.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.17): The game's unique and engaging gameplay mechanics, detailed graphics, and high immersion create a sense of excitement. Features such as nonstop action, berserk system, and enjoyable level design contribute to this feeling, along with the outstanding design and fun gameplay.
- Excited (weight 0.16): The game's pure shmup fun, pulse-pounding action, and challenging scoring mechanics generate excitement. The unique pseudo-3D style, appealing score attacks, and adrenaline-filled soundtrack add to the thrill, making it a highly engaging experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): The game offers fun gameplay and an iconic soundtrack, making it enjoyable for players. Its suitable difficulty for beginners, classic shooting game mechanics, and overall positive experience contribute to the enjoyment.
- Appreciation (weight 0.08): Players appreciate the game's accessibility for different skill levels and its well-balanced difficulty. The detailed game mechanics, visual and auditory appeal, and high-tension BGM are also highly valued.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): The game's beginner-friendly nature, well-balanced mechanics, and fair difficulty satisfy players. Its accessibility, balanced difficulty, and multiple game modes make it enjoyable for all skill levels.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.06): The game evokes nostalgia through its old school shooter style and homage to classic games. Its retro graphics, soundtrack, and reminders of classic arcade games from the 80s and 90s contribute to this feeling.
- Admiration (weight 0.06): Players admire the game's pseudo-3D feel, beautiful visuals, and excellent soundtrack. The developer's history, game execution, and overall quality are also highly regarded.
- Happy (weight 0.05): The game's beautiful graphics, amazing visuals, and relaxing gameplay make players happy. Its newcomer-friendly nature and overall positive experience contribute to this emotion.
- Joy (weight 0.03): The game brings joy through its enjoyable gameplay and excellent graphics, effects, and music. The engaging gameplay experience and rhythm contribute to this feeling.
- Frustration (weight 0.02): Players feel frustrated due to the lack of directional key settings and the game being too easy. Visual elements causing accidental collisions and limited power-up options also contribute to this frustration.
- Nostalgic (weight 0.02): The game induces nostalgia through comparisons to classic military space anime like Gundam and similarity to Sega Saturn pixel art games. Personal history with shooting games and comparisons to classic Sega Saturn games enhance this feeling.
- Impressed (weight 0.02): Players are impressed by the fact that the game was made by one person almost 20 years ago and remade for this version. The high-quality entertainment, adaptable difficulty, and game's fairness and challenge contribute to this impression.
- Enthusiastic (weight 0.02): The game generates enthusiasm due to its high-quality content and fun gameplay. Its balanced difficulty and fair gameplay mechanics make players enthusiastic about the game's features.
- Satisfied (weight 0.02): Players are satisfied with the game's well-made mechanics and extra content. The incredible presentation, solid gameplay, and low barrier to entry with depth for higher skill players contribute to this satisfaction.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Players feel frustrated due to accidental bomb usage instead of boosting and the narrow vertical space with fast enemy movements. Specific complaints about stage design and difficulty modes also contribute to this frustration.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): The game's great graphics and music generate enthusiasm. The positive description of the game's features and design, along with recommendations to fans of the genre, contribute to this feeling.
- Disappointment (weight 0.01): Players feel disappointed as the game did not meet the excitement level of Gunvein. The poorly implemented hardest difficulty mode also contributes to this disappointment.
- Appreciative (weight 0.01): Players appreciate the game's graphics and soundtrack. The game's feel and suitability for short play sessions are also highly valued.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Players express gratitude towards the creator for the game's balanced difficulty and engaging development story. The accommodating difficulty and clear enemy patterns are also appreciated.
- Amazement (weight 0.01): Players are amazed by the game's incredible spritework and visuals.}