Game:

RagingBlasters (2021)

Duration: 9:00

425 views

26

Primarily developed by a small team of four individuals with a whole lotta play-testers, "Raging Blasters" (also stylized as "RagingBlasters") is a nice retro-themed vertical-scrolling entry-level shmup that pays tribute to the glory days of Caravan shooters with the aesthetic of late 80s and early 90s shooters (particularly the "Star / Soldier" series and Hudson Caravan titles or early Compile titles like "Zanac", "Gun Nac", "Blazing Lazers", etc.) with enough additions to round out the package for players of many skill levels. The game is dubbed a "Speed ​​& Destruction STG" game due to its fast-paced scrolling, large waves of enemies and objects to shoot, and the game's core scoring mechanic which rewards players with more points as they chain (destroy quickly) and defeat full waves of enemies. It was released by "TERARIN GAMES" at the beginning of 2021.

The game features two pilots, Liphelle Arnus and Limlia Evance, who function the same and are purely cosmetic. The ladies are outfitted with a Forward Shot and Wide Shot by default that you can switch at any time as well as configurable speed options. There are also five sub-weapons to collect which have their different uses and some are emphasized for scoring while others make 1CC runs easier. These weapons include a wave shot, ring shot (which spirals around the player), laser (pierces), homing and fire (strong with limited range). These weapons cannot be upgraded which is kind of a shame, but they work as intended within the scope of this game and its variable options and difficulty settings.

Besides the main Arcade Mode which features eight main stages (with stage seven being a boss rush), you can partake in a 3-Minute Caravan Mode, co-op play, dual play (which replicates the hardcore sensation of single-player twin-stick action where one person controls both ships), and tweak in-game options such as using scanlines or even switching to an awesome chiptune version of the game' soundtrack. On the subject of the soundtrack, it slaps as a whole and the sound effects are hearty and impactful. The presentation is also pretty nice and representative of what an 80s shmup should look like but without the limitations of flickering sprite layers and (usually) unnecessary slowdowns. All scores are saved locally as well as online and the game is totally lacking in a real plot, but games like this don't really need one anyway.

In closing, "Raging Blaster" is a pretty good shmup, though some would argue that it's fairly pricey for what you get compared to some titles you can get on the market. If you love shooters, then grab it without hesitation; if you only like shooters or are on the fence otherwise, pick it up when it goes on sale. Either way, you won't get a bad game out of your purchase. The Nintendo Switch version has somewhat improved graphics. This is a video of the game in action. You can get this version at:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1464550/RagingBlasters/

Enjoy.

- ADDITION -

Like Us On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegamingsanctuary/

Follow Us On Twitter: https://twitter.com/GS_Vyse_and_Bel

Visit Us At: http://www.gamingsanctuary.com