Acceleration of SUGURI 2 Review Summary

Cute visuals and diverse playstyles meet innovative bullet hell combat with a stellar soundtrack and solid netcode, but the game is unforgiving for newcomers and casuals.

Cute and vibrant visuals: The cute anime art style and vibrant, charming character designs are widely praised for their visual appeal and consistency.

Innovative bullet hell fighting: The mix of fighting game mechanics with bullet hell elements is frequently highlighted as a unique and genre-defining experience that stands out in the market.

Exceptional soundtrack quality: The soundtrack, particularly the work by DJ Deku, is highly regarded for its quality and how well it complements the game's energetic and stylish atmosphere.

Rewarding learning curve: While the game can be challenging initially, players find that once they get the hang of it, the experience becomes highly rewarding and enjoyable.

Varied game modes: The game offers multiple modes including story, arcade, and match options, providing variety and replay value.

Unfriendly to newcomers and casuals: The game is unfriendly to newcomers and casual players due to a steep learning curve and poor onboarding. It is not recommended for beginners.

Online population is very low: The online player population is very low, with multiple reports of less than 10 active players. This makes multiplayer essentially dead, especially in 2022.

Keyboard controls are unintuitive: Keyboard controls are confusing and unintuitive. Many players find them difficult, especially newcomers, and recommend using a controller instead.

Character imbalance issues: There are significant character imbalances. Some characters like Sora have overpowered moves, while others are too weak to win effectively.

Missing essential tutorial: The game lacks a proper tutorial, leaving players confused about how to play. The training section does not suffice.

Bullet hell fighting hybrid: The game is a hybrid of fighting and bullet hell genres, combining projectile-focused combat with fast-paced action. Clusters 3, 4, 5, and 6 describe it as a bullet hell duel or shoot 'em up with fighting elements.

Unique character playstyles: Each character has distinct attack patterns, combos, ranges, abilities, and combat styles, promoting varied playstyles. Clusters 1, 7, and 9 highlight over 10 characters with unique movesets and character-specific abilities.

Multiple game modes: The game includes Arcade, Story, Versus, Training, and Online modes, offering both offline and online play. Clusters 2 and 11 mention these modes and online multiplayer support.

Fast-paced combat: Combat is described as hyper fast, intense, and requiring great dexterity. Clusters 16 and 21 emphasize the fast movement and fast-paced gameplay.

Character-specific mechanics: Characters have unique abilities and moves, such as IRU's A+B/B+S combos. Clusters 10 and 25 note the two attack buttons (laser and missile) and character-specific mechanics.

Netcode performance is outdated: The netcode was praised for its time but is now considered outdated, with rollback issues, disconnections, and high lag for US players. Multiplayer still works well between Europe and Southeast Asia.

Frequent game crashes: Players report crashes occurring every hour on Windows 11, when language is set to Korean, or after story mode battles. Stability issues are widespread across different scenarios.

Requires time investment: To enjoy this game, players must be willing to invest significant time to learn movesets, master mechanics, and study bullet hell tactics. It is not recommended for impatient or casual players.

Gem for dedicated players: Despite many flaws, the game is called an awesome hidden gem that rewards dedicated players. It is worth the investment for those who take time to learn and appreciate the fast-paced, breakneck mechanics.

Worth it on sale: The game is considered good value if purchased at a discount, such as around 500 yen or 5 Euro. Many reviews advise against buying at full price and recommend waiting for a sale.

Alternative recommendations: Some reviews suggest checking out other games like Maiden and Spell, 100% Orange Juice, or playing the first game instead. If curious about the story, watch it on YouTube.

Hardcore fans only: The game is only for extremely dedicated players who enjoy high difficulty, sinister challenges, and competitive play. Calm or stress-avoidant players should stay away.

Community fair range: $4.00 - $6.00.

Game completion: 11.0h.

Story completion: 0.5h.

Session length: 0.5h.

Acceleration of SUGURI 2 has a steep learning curve due to a text-only tutorial, but once the combat 'clicks' it becomes very fun, especially in multiplayer.

Friction: Steep learning curve; Poor onboarding with text-only tutorial; Lack of interactive tutorial; Overwhelming move list without practice; Character balance issues.

Unlock drivers: Using training mode to learn controls; Getting accustomed to the fast-paced bullet hell mechanics; Understanding hyper gauge and character-specific strategies.

Casual Multiplayer Enthusiast: Plays casually with friends, prioritizes enjoyment over competition, may not master advanced mechanics. Motivation: Fun and social interaction with friends. Stance: sale.

Franchise Devotee: Plays for story, character collection, and connection to other Orange Juice games. Follows franchise updates closely. Motivation: Franchise loyalty and completion. Stance: sale.

Competitive Challenger: Seeks optimal combos and strategies, plays online seriously, often frustrated by balance but still invested in gameplay depth. Motivation: Mastery and competitive ranking. Stance: deep sale.

Steam Deck: The game runs smoothly on Steam Deck with responsive controls and no significant technical barriers. Minor issues include non-standard button symbols displayed and a launcher that may require attention, but overall experience is seamless.