Pros:
+ PS1 era graphic style is distinctive
+ impressive backgrounds and partical effects
+ guard mechanic is a unique selling point that just works
+ boss fights are creative and frequently surprising
+ the missions never outstay their welcome
+ levels have frequent checkpoints
+ story can be quickly skipped
+ movement speed can be adjusted mid-game
+ option to disable collision damage with floors and ceilings
+ large amount of customization options
+ ships can be customized mid-mission...
Cons:
- ...but most weapons feel alike
- attacking backwards is only possible with certain upgrades
- second playthrough becomes a bullet hell
- dying is a double punishment
- restarts don't refill upgrades or smart bombs
- upgrades are generally too expensive
- smart bomb gets refilled too slowly
- enemy debris effects add a lot of confusion
- the tutorial only explains half of the mechanics
- default button configuration is useless
Playtime: 3 hours, two playthroughs on Normal difficulty. Roughly half of all upgrades acquired.
Magic Moment: Seeing each of the planetary backgrounds for the first time. Entering the Credits scene and being surprised by the story twist.
Blahgic Moment: Dying to a boss and realizing that death is a double punishment that makes progress extremely difficult.
Verdict:
Drainus is an old-school, arcade vertical shooter with a distinctive guard mechanic. While it offers high production values, it also shares the core issues that plagued arcade shooters since their inception: the difficulty is frstratingly high, deaths are often cheap or even unpreventable, and the punishment for dying is brutal. Loosing not only weapon upgrades but also your smart bombs is a frustrating double punishment that makes the game harder the longer you are stuck in a section, when it should actually be the other way around. The architecture of some sections and bosses makes it practically impossible to avoid damage on your first attempt, and the later levels and second playthrough devolve into frantic bullet hell parcours. Even though it is possible to change loadouts between and even inside of missions, most primary weapons feel alike, even though the shooting mechanics itself feel satisfying.
Play it if you crave the olden days of the arcades and like the art style, but one playthrough is certainly enough and there are many similar games that offer this type of experience.
+ PS1 era graphic style is distinctive
+ impressive backgrounds and partical effects
+ guard mechanic is a unique selling point that just works
+ boss fights are creative and frequently surprising
+ the missions never outstay their welcome
+ levels have frequent checkpoints
+ story can be quickly skipped
+ movement speed can be adjusted mid-game
+ option to disable collision damage with floors and ceilings
+ large amount of customization options
+ ships can be customized mid-mission...
Cons:
- ...but most weapons feel alike
- attacking backwards is only possible with certain upgrades
- second playthrough becomes a bullet hell
- dying is a double punishment
- restarts don't refill upgrades or smart bombs
- upgrades are generally too expensive
- smart bomb gets refilled too slowly
- enemy debris effects add a lot of confusion
- the tutorial only explains half of the mechanics
- default button configuration is useless
Playtime: 3 hours, two playthroughs on Normal difficulty. Roughly half of all upgrades acquired.
Magic Moment: Seeing each of the planetary backgrounds for the first time. Entering the Credits scene and being surprised by the story twist.
Blahgic Moment: Dying to a boss and realizing that death is a double punishment that makes progress extremely difficult.
Verdict:
Drainus is an old-school, arcade vertical shooter with a distinctive guard mechanic. While it offers high production values, it also shares the core issues that plagued arcade shooters since their inception: the difficulty is frstratingly high, deaths are often cheap or even unpreventable, and the punishment for dying is brutal. Loosing not only weapon upgrades but also your smart bombs is a frustrating double punishment that makes the game harder the longer you are stuck in a section, when it should actually be the other way around. The architecture of some sections and bosses makes it practically impossible to avoid damage on your first attempt, and the later levels and second playthrough devolve into frantic bullet hell parcours. Even though it is possible to change loadouts between and even inside of missions, most primary weapons feel alike, even though the shooting mechanics itself feel satisfying.
Play it if you crave the olden days of the arcades and like the art style, but one playthrough is certainly enough and there are many similar games that offer this type of experience.