(This is a review of both the main game and the new World EXplosion release).
Crimzon Clover is the kind of game where it can be immediately felt that it’s created by someone who has extensive knowledge and experience of the shmup genre. Not only does it play amazingly well, but it’s also a great love letter to the genre as a whole.
The mechanics pick and choose from various other shmup titles to create a familiar yet fresh experience, with a priority in making the player feel powerful by constantly encouraging the use of the various tools at the player’s disposal. On top of the bread-and-butter regular shot you’ll be holding onto, for the most part, you also have a lock-on weapon that deals extensive damage and can prioritize various parts in bosses to not only weaken them but also to milk out further score.
Instead of limited bombs, you’re given a Break meter where you can fill by destroying enemies and collecting stars. Fill it up enough and you can bomb to clear the screen, fill it up all the way and you enter Break Mode. Break Mode is this game’s hyper mechanic where your shot and lock-in damage get stronger, alongside faster lock-in. You can even go further by filling a second bar where you can go into Double Break Mode. This makes bombs, not just a safety net, but also the main mechanic you use often to gain optimal score.
These mechanics together create a dynamic feeling rhythm to the combat on top of weaving through the hail of bullets. There’s a lot of emphasis on aggressive play and you can cancel out enemy bullets consistently through mastery of these mechanics.
The feedback in general feels really good, the constant explosions that output stars to collect alongside enemy bullets that fill most of the screen is a consistent adrenaline rush throughout the game. The feeling of power your ship is capable of compliments the experience of facing an overwhelming enemy force.
The game also features an extensive number of extra modes to play around with. All these different modes provide a different take on the same core gameplay, making the experience feel fresh as you play through each.
On top of the brutal yet fair Original Arcade Mode, the Novice Mode provides a great experience for newcomers of the genre, providing a good balance between a softer pace and a genuine challenge that has to be overcome. You also have a Training Mode that allows you to jump onto any stage with any ship, and even adjust conditions such as lives, Break Gauge, and stars collected. It could be a bit more extensive, such as being allowed to skip through specific sections of a stage or at least a mid-boss. But it’s still a great tool to learn the game.
There’s the Boost Mode that also changes the way the Break Mode mechanic works, where it’s instead automatically triggered by collecting enough stars, and the player is put onto a constant state of Break Mode, only being stopped through bombing or dying.
Unlimited Mode can be described as the Original Mode on steroids, with faster bullets, more complex patterns, and overall harsher difficulty. People familiar with Mushihimesama’s Ultra Mode will be right at home with Unlimited Mode in particular. Finally, a Time Attack mode akin to older caravan-style shmups where you play through a single-stage within a 3-minute timer, with the goal to earn as many points as possible towards the end.
New to the World EXplosion release is the Arrange mode, which features a Gradius-style power progression system. Collecting stars will increase the gauge, which gives you various upgraded abilities such as faster speed, extra lock-ons, weapon options, auto-bomb shield, and the familiar Break Mode. It’s a really fun mode that adds a new layer of complexity to the core gameplay without straying too far from it.
You also have a brand-new soundtrack option, which features a noticeable different set of music. I still prefer the original tracks, and there are some songs I felt that were rather underwhelming with this new set, but there are still some good highlights here, such as the sortie tune and second stage theme, and it also gives another way to keep each playthrough feel fresh.
There’s also the addition of extra customization in the form of selectable new color palettes for each ship. I would have loved to see more color options, but the options provided are still a nice touch that adds a bit more personalization to the game.
The extra polish is also appreciated, including better resolution outputs for HD displays which scale better for modern screens. There’s no dramatic visual rework here going on, so it’s still the same original visuals everyone knows and loves but finally presented with more clarity.
Overall Crimzon Clover is an amazingly fun shmup, it’s designed and balanced in such a way that you only get from someone who has the player’s mentality and a love for the genre as a whole. This World EXplosion re-release is also a testament to the passion both the fans and the creator have for the game and is overall a great experience for both seasoned veterans and new players.
Crimzon Clover is the kind of game where it can be immediately felt that it’s created by someone who has extensive knowledge and experience of the shmup genre. Not only does it play amazingly well, but it’s also a great love letter to the genre as a whole.
The mechanics pick and choose from various other shmup titles to create a familiar yet fresh experience, with a priority in making the player feel powerful by constantly encouraging the use of the various tools at the player’s disposal. On top of the bread-and-butter regular shot you’ll be holding onto, for the most part, you also have a lock-on weapon that deals extensive damage and can prioritize various parts in bosses to not only weaken them but also to milk out further score.
Instead of limited bombs, you’re given a Break meter where you can fill by destroying enemies and collecting stars. Fill it up enough and you can bomb to clear the screen, fill it up all the way and you enter Break Mode. Break Mode is this game’s hyper mechanic where your shot and lock-in damage get stronger, alongside faster lock-in. You can even go further by filling a second bar where you can go into Double Break Mode. This makes bombs, not just a safety net, but also the main mechanic you use often to gain optimal score.
These mechanics together create a dynamic feeling rhythm to the combat on top of weaving through the hail of bullets. There’s a lot of emphasis on aggressive play and you can cancel out enemy bullets consistently through mastery of these mechanics.
The feedback in general feels really good, the constant explosions that output stars to collect alongside enemy bullets that fill most of the screen is a consistent adrenaline rush throughout the game. The feeling of power your ship is capable of compliments the experience of facing an overwhelming enemy force.
The game also features an extensive number of extra modes to play around with. All these different modes provide a different take on the same core gameplay, making the experience feel fresh as you play through each.
On top of the brutal yet fair Original Arcade Mode, the Novice Mode provides a great experience for newcomers of the genre, providing a good balance between a softer pace and a genuine challenge that has to be overcome. You also have a Training Mode that allows you to jump onto any stage with any ship, and even adjust conditions such as lives, Break Gauge, and stars collected. It could be a bit more extensive, such as being allowed to skip through specific sections of a stage or at least a mid-boss. But it’s still a great tool to learn the game.
There’s the Boost Mode that also changes the way the Break Mode mechanic works, where it’s instead automatically triggered by collecting enough stars, and the player is put onto a constant state of Break Mode, only being stopped through bombing or dying.
Unlimited Mode can be described as the Original Mode on steroids, with faster bullets, more complex patterns, and overall harsher difficulty. People familiar with Mushihimesama’s Ultra Mode will be right at home with Unlimited Mode in particular. Finally, a Time Attack mode akin to older caravan-style shmups where you play through a single-stage within a 3-minute timer, with the goal to earn as many points as possible towards the end.
New to the World EXplosion release is the Arrange mode, which features a Gradius-style power progression system. Collecting stars will increase the gauge, which gives you various upgraded abilities such as faster speed, extra lock-ons, weapon options, auto-bomb shield, and the familiar Break Mode. It’s a really fun mode that adds a new layer of complexity to the core gameplay without straying too far from it.
You also have a brand-new soundtrack option, which features a noticeable different set of music. I still prefer the original tracks, and there are some songs I felt that were rather underwhelming with this new set, but there are still some good highlights here, such as the sortie tune and second stage theme, and it also gives another way to keep each playthrough feel fresh.
There’s also the addition of extra customization in the form of selectable new color palettes for each ship. I would have loved to see more color options, but the options provided are still a nice touch that adds a bit more personalization to the game.
The extra polish is also appreciated, including better resolution outputs for HD displays which scale better for modern screens. There’s no dramatic visual rework here going on, so it’s still the same original visuals everyone knows and loves but finally presented with more clarity.
Overall Crimzon Clover is an amazingly fun shmup, it’s designed and balanced in such a way that you only get from someone who has the player’s mentality and a love for the genre as a whole. This World EXplosion re-release is also a testament to the passion both the fans and the creator have for the game and is overall a great experience for both seasoned veterans and new players.