On paper, Kero Blaster isn't anything special. It's a back-to-basics run-and-gun shoot-em-up with a japanese vibe/aesthetic coated over it. It doesn't innovate on anything - everything you see in this game has been done to some extend.
Yet this is the first game in years that I bothered to "Master". I don't 100% games or go achievement-hunting - it's just not for me. But for some reason, this game compelled me enough to suck all of it's content dry in just a few days. Is it because of the classic-inspired combat? Is it because of the artstyle and it's charming characters? Or is it because of it's tightly-crafted levels? It's all of it combined: Kero Blaster isn't elevated by just one stand-out quality, but by the sum of it. However, you can say that to any video game. I think Kero Blasters accels in two aspects quite well:
1. The game respects the players time. The game feels (and is) small and the game knows that. Because of that, it doesn't dwell and waste it's time on a lot of stuff the player already knows about. This can be seen in the level design: Instead of a Mario-like process of babystepping the player a level mechanic throughout the whole level, alot of the tutorialization or learning process happens at the same screen the level mechanic gets introduced, thereby avoiding the common pitfalls a lot of other short games tend to fall into, where the whole game is a glorified tutorial and the player doesn't truly feel like playing the game. What get's worse in these games is that once the game is finished doing that, it just ends. Kero Blaster avoids this by making every moment count and not dragging the game wastefully out. Even the story goes straight to the point: We don't know the names of the characters, but the few lines they speak already gives us the gist on what's all about. There are only 4-ish weapons, but each feel distinctly different. The upgrade system isn't just a plain stat booster, it keeps the weapons fresh as they transform and extend their characteristics. The bite-sized delivery of encounters, rewards, progression empathizes every moment without feeling fatiguing or boring. Even the different "modes" aren't just cheap reskins: The Zangyou mode, titled "Hard mode", is just a lie - it feels more like the 2nd act of the game, with remixed stages, different encounters and even new content. Even the NG+ mode (Omake) introduces something new. It's just great.
2. The game feels non committal. This is more a plus on my end then I assume for anyone else. For me, it's hard to get invested into games, films or stories purely because I have to commit to it. Errant Signal talk about that in his "Gaming In the Quarantine Years" video and it perfectly summarizes my dilemma. It's hard to force myself to "consume" something without having a deadline or reason to. (This the reason why I didnt play all them popular games yet) Kero Blaster's "familiar from a distance" aesthetic combined with moment-to-moment arcadey gameplay eliminates that problem. Coupled with the short playtime, it was easy to get into, because I didn't have to commit to it for 20+ hours. It doesn't look that special and the gameplay pleases my "peanut brain" and the short length allowed me to chip away at this game without havin' to really "invest" myself in this game.
By and large I am just so suprised by this game. I highly recommend this game for bite-sized, cute fun.
Yet this is the first game in years that I bothered to "Master". I don't 100% games or go achievement-hunting - it's just not for me. But for some reason, this game compelled me enough to suck all of it's content dry in just a few days. Is it because of the classic-inspired combat? Is it because of the artstyle and it's charming characters? Or is it because of it's tightly-crafted levels? It's all of it combined: Kero Blaster isn't elevated by just one stand-out quality, but by the sum of it. However, you can say that to any video game. I think Kero Blasters accels in two aspects quite well:
1. The game respects the players time. The game feels (and is) small and the game knows that. Because of that, it doesn't dwell and waste it's time on a lot of stuff the player already knows about. This can be seen in the level design: Instead of a Mario-like process of babystepping the player a level mechanic throughout the whole level, alot of the tutorialization or learning process happens at the same screen the level mechanic gets introduced, thereby avoiding the common pitfalls a lot of other short games tend to fall into, where the whole game is a glorified tutorial and the player doesn't truly feel like playing the game. What get's worse in these games is that once the game is finished doing that, it just ends. Kero Blaster avoids this by making every moment count and not dragging the game wastefully out. Even the story goes straight to the point: We don't know the names of the characters, but the few lines they speak already gives us the gist on what's all about. There are only 4-ish weapons, but each feel distinctly different. The upgrade system isn't just a plain stat booster, it keeps the weapons fresh as they transform and extend their characteristics. The bite-sized delivery of encounters, rewards, progression empathizes every moment without feeling fatiguing or boring. Even the different "modes" aren't just cheap reskins: The Zangyou mode, titled "Hard mode", is just a lie - it feels more like the 2nd act of the game, with remixed stages, different encounters and even new content. Even the NG+ mode (Omake) introduces something new. It's just great.
2. The game feels non committal. This is more a plus on my end then I assume for anyone else. For me, it's hard to get invested into games, films or stories purely because I have to commit to it. Errant Signal talk about that in his "Gaming In the Quarantine Years" video and it perfectly summarizes my dilemma. It's hard to force myself to "consume" something without having a deadline or reason to. (This the reason why I didnt play all them popular games yet) Kero Blaster's "familiar from a distance" aesthetic combined with moment-to-moment arcadey gameplay eliminates that problem. Coupled with the short playtime, it was easy to get into, because I didn't have to commit to it for 20+ hours. It doesn't look that special and the gameplay pleases my "peanut brain" and the short length allowed me to chip away at this game without havin' to really "invest" myself in this game.
By and large I am just so suprised by this game. I highly recommend this game for bite-sized, cute fun.