Cosmic Scramble

A lightening fast, split second decision, grid based, arcade shooter that will make you lock in for you to complete it. Each sector has different levels to it, so there is no repetitiveness. Plus, each sector brings its share of difficulties, which include ever changing controls, missile placements, energy control, and dodging enemy attacks. The music will keep you going while you enjoy the slick and beautiful art design and animations. Trying to get high rankings on each level will have you repeating sectors over and over to master the controls and enemy attacks. I highly recommend the game to any arcade style lovers out there, and any other players out there as well. I was not much of a fast passed, split second decision, style player myself until I played this game. I very much enjoyed experiencing the feeling of locking in, with the music and beat, and just going for it and trying to figure it out. I have finished it and can say that it is worth it, knowing that you finished something as hard and passed paced as this.

Love this game, the devs did a great job defining a mechanic and then taking it to its limit. It's a great amount of fun for the length of the game. It's very well polished, and the gameplay is really fun. I personally didn't expect to be as large of a fan as the gameplay loops as I was, but I was surprised with how addicting it was to get through each section.

I can pick this up and put it down just like a cabinet arcade game. The difficulty curve goes up smoothly and perfecting your grids is difficult. You're going to have to practice to get these S Ranks for each sector!

This is a great arcade game that is easy to pick up, put down, and come back to time and time again. I'd describe the game as a combination of Crypt of the Necrodancer and traditional arcade space shooters. The game is great for casual players looking for a quick puzzle arcade game to play from time to time. But it also has some great depth for more hardcore players to get into.

This game breaks my brain in the best way. It almost plays like a digital bop-it, turning what would be simple, 4 directional movement, into a hectic and chaotic dance between missiles and asteroids. I really enjoy how streamlined the game is and how quickly you get to the action. The music also rips. It also keeps you on your toes with new mechanics in every zone and a solid difficulty curve, though I got destroyed on Sector 4 at first. I haven't gotten to try the two player mode yet, but I can't wait to!

---Disclaimer--- I am a friend of the dev who has acted as a playtester through multiple stages of this game's development. ---End of Disclaimer--- For those with attention spans more zapped than my spaceship: Gameplay - A rewarding challenge Story - Not the reason I enjoy it, but it's there! Graphics - Solid for an arcade game! Music - Bangin' Replayability - Yes Achievements - A fun hunt Worth $3? - I'd pay at least $5 Actual review: Cosmic Scramble is a deceptively (lots of emphasis on that last word) simple yet wonderfully rewarding game to play and improve at. The game's skill ceiling is not similar to games like Rocket League or Dark Souls; rather, I found myself drawing comparisons to Monkey Ball. Some of the levels within are very straightforward, while others become significantly more complex as you advance through your grid-based peril. The beauty of the level design, however, is that the more you play one level, the more you learn it. Stages and their assets reset to the exact same starting layout/position with every reset (much like Monkey Ball), allowing you to develop your own strategies and pathing that you can feel comfortable/efficient with. A level that may have looked daunting at first (as you stare at, like, eight rotating lasers) becomes almost insignificant to beat as you get an idea of an optimal route to take, knowing which spots on the grid will be safe on certain "turns" (so long as you don't take too long to give an input). This trackable and noticeable improvement during my playtime was like a drug. I found myself wanting to master the levels that I struggled with even after beating a sector and being cleared to move on (although sometimes I just didn't want to move on because I was groovin' to the music too hard). One of my favorite things to do in the game has been to go back to old levels I struggled on after new twists and mechanics have been introduced and I'm absolutely amazed at how easy those older levels now seem. My other favorite thing to do has been to go back and hunt for specific achievements, as unlocking a certain number will get you either a new spaceship model or a new skin/recolor of an existing one. The achievements offered are fun challenges to pull off on their own, but figuring out which sector or level would be the easiest to get the achievement in was part of the fun also. In the end, I feel Cosmic Scramble is challenging without being unfair, replayable without feeling repetetive, and very much worth the price. It toes the line of frustration beautifully, so that finally beating that one level feels absolutely incredible.

An arcade-style shooter with plenty of twists. Runs great on my Steam Deck. I haven't tried two-player mode, but single player has been quite fun. This game demonstrates *way* more care and polish than expected for its price. I wholeheartedly recommend.

Crypt of the Necrodancer meets a space shooter, and then goes CRAZY! In single player mode, you play a very sarcastic captain named "Captain" who meets some sort of eldritch being that's like "Yeah! Let's screw with this guy!" Suddenly your relaxing cosmic space travels get all funky as your controls start randomly swapping like you were hit by a Ramblin' Evil Mushroom. This game has excellent level design and a sick difficulty curve. You're introduced to new elements in a fair way before Game Designer Peter's diabolical mastermind sets them up in a challenging puzzle you have to navigate. Time itself is a resource, for if you take too long, you'll run out of power, and then you have to start the whole episode over. It brings to mind good classic space shooters from the Space Invaders decade: Games like Defender, Gradius, or Galaga. It has that classic arcade feel where the bright colors and intense action are inviting for friends to look over your shoulder and gawk at your mad gamer skills. And yet, the level and difficulty progression reminds me of NES classics like Castlevania or Super Mario Bros., where the first levels ease you in to the concepts and let you build your skills before they present a true challenge. I highly suggest grabbing your gamer buddy and trying out the two-player mode! I've tested it out, and it's a highly addictive, chaotic mashup that will really bring out your competitive edge! PS: Looking forward to unlocking ALL the skins!