Gundemonium Collection Review

Gundemonium Collection (Steam)
Developed By: Platine Dispositif
Localized and Published By: Rockin Android
Date of Release: September 27, 2011
Price: $9.99

And now for your consideration, the "Bullet Hell" genre. Sometimes known here in the west as Shoot-Em-Ups, in Japan they are known as Danmaku (literally "curtain of bullets"). Nowhere else will you find a comparably edge-of-your seat, white-knuckle amount of tension from playing a game. From vertical scrollers like Triggerheart Exelica, Touhou and Ikaruga, to sidescrollers like Soldner X and Gradius, the Bullet Hell is all about dodging intricate patterns of flying lead with great finesse, all the while dishing out your own lethal barrage. And now a new contender has arrived to fight for the right to wear the coveted bullet hell crown: Gundemonium Collection.



The Gundemonium Collection is comprised of 3 individual titles, which are the horizontally scrolling Gundemonium Recollection and GundeadliGne, and the vertically scrolling Hitogata Happa. Previously released to great acclaim among shooter fans on the PS3, the Gundemonium Collection has exploded onto Steam with a wonderful assortment of new goodies. Among the new features are numerous tuneups to the game mechanics, Steam achievements, online co-op for GundeadliGne, and arranged soundtracks for Gundemonium and GundeadliGne by DM Ashura, and Hitogata Happa by Woofle.




The first game in the collection is Gundemonium Recollection, and it tells the story of Rozenkreuz Foundation agent Eryth Millfall as she fights the evil Demonium army led by her former comrade, the artificial Chrome Matrix Elixirel. Elixirel has been seduced by the very being she was meant to protect the world from, Gundemonium. The sequel GundeadliGne continues Eryth's story as she teams up with the reborn Elixirel and the new Matrix Masters. Together they face off against the forces of the rogue Matrix Master Lotus, who has turned against humanity out of spite.




As similar as the two games may seem though, they are actually two entirely different beasts. Both have you controlling your character on a horizontally scrolling field dodging waves of enemy bullets, which will only cause you harm if they come into contact with your character's Fatal Point, which on each character is represented by a scarf, bell or gem on their chest.

Both games have you juggling various special abilities to help you blow away your foes as you dodge between their shots. For example, getting close to enemy bullets without being hit builds up Friction, which restores your mana. You also have a limited number of bombs at your disposal, which when activated turns all enemy bullets onscreen into collectable gems, with the proper timing you can use this to avoid being killed by enemy attacks. Both of the games have hidden true forms for the final bosses, but only the truly adept will ever meet the astringent requirements to face off against them.



The third game in the series is Hitogata Happa, and it is a completely different experience from it's companions. It is a vertical scrolling shooter where you control an army of flying dolls to fight off enemy mecha, and face off against massive bosses. At any time you can charge up a kamikaze explosion attack, and sacrifice one of your dolls as a contact bomb to inflict greater damage. It can really turn the tide of battle, but use it sparingly as you are limited to the amount of dolls that you can afford. Dolls are paid for with the gems you collect from defeating enemies, so get out there and cause as much carnage as you can!




The anime style art direction on all three titles is nothing short of amazing, with gorgeous hand-drawn sprites and backgrounds. The characters are vibrant and well animated, and the stunning array of bullet patterns will leave you mesmerized. As for the music, the original soundtrack does it's job, albeit with a midi-era quality. Switch to the arranged soundtracks however, and you are in for a treat. Every track in each game has been lovingly arranged and retooled masterfully. The two Gundemoniums soundtracks are provided by DM Ashura, and Hitogata Happa is arranged by Woofle. I would imagine that if there is enough demand that Rockin Android will have to consider releasing an OST album, the music is just THAT good.



Gundemonium Collection is an amazingly well polished experience that is enjoyable by hardcore bullet hell fans and newcomers alike, though fair warning: it will not be a cakewalk. Bullet Hell games have long been known for the level of skill needed to navigate them, but with a bit of patience and practice anyone can master them. The games have a good amount of variety in their game mechanics, which each title able to stand on it's own. Demos of each game in the collection are now up on Steam, so shooter fans have no excuse not to give it a try. Gundemonium Collection is a worthy addition to anyone's library.