GRAND CROSS: ReNOVATION

[h1]国産インディーSTGを応援したくて買ったが…[/h1] ＜昔買ってレビューを書いていなかった作品。通常のレビューより簡素＞ 自分が書きたいことはもう他のレビュアーが散々書いているがそれでも最低限書いておきたい・ ・エフェクトが派手過ぎて画面が見づらい ・自分がどこにいるのかわかりにくい ・敵と戦っていて自分が正しい行動をしているのかわかりにくい ・倒せるんだか倒せないんだかわからないあやふやさ など「圧倒的パワーで敵を倒していく爽快感」のようなものを追求したかったのだろうな、というのは伝わったがSTG作品として遊びにくさを結集したものでしかなく、2時間もプレイせずにやめた作品だ。 発売日に買ったが応援したい気持ちがあっても、応援しようがない出来の作品はどうしようもない。

うーん、期待を寄せすぎた分ガッカリ感が強いゲームでした 眼が痛いのはまぁいいのだけど （いや、正直よくない、てんかん怖いレベル） 自機が何しているのか何処にいるのかわかんないとか、システムの中枢である太陽剣とかいう360度攻撃が異常に使い辛くて慣れるまえに嫌になって方向動かさない直進レーザーとしか使わないとか、キーコンフィグ不親切過ぎとか色々言いたいことはあるのだけれど、全部ひっくるめて一言で表わすなら「大味」……ですかね ストーリーからよくわかんない。いっそ斑鳩みたいにフレーバーのみに徹すればもっと雰囲気出たのかも なんかやたら意味ﾜｶﾗﾝことベラベラ話されて、こっちはまだゲームフィーリングを確かめているトコだよって感想 ストーリーって、先を読み進めたくなるためのものであって作者の主観の押しつけではないのだが 自機がなんかやたら強い武器をなんかして頑張るお話、程度の把握しかしてないトコになんか向こうだけ解った風な台詞並べられるのは流石になあ……厨二臭い台詞がダメって訳じゃなく、伝え方が悪い こういうやり方するならいっそ主人公にも喋らせてプレイヤーを観客側に徹させるすべきでは？ 置いてきぼり感ばかりで、没入感は得られなかった。せめて一周すれば何か変わるのかな？ あとこれは自分の好みに過ぎないのですが、パワーアップアイテムでもなんでも回収要素って欲しいですね 自機が最初から最強兵器装備、それを駆使してゲームクリアを目指すスコアアタックゲーム ということが最初から解っていたら購入は控えたかもしれない ギガウィングと比べられているようですがあっちは私、大好きなんですよね 自分が何をしているのか解る、というのは大事なんだな、と ボム使い放題を新感覚というならアイレムのサンダーブラスターとかとっくに存在しているわけで なんで死んだのか解らないうちに死んでゲームオーバーになったトコでそっ閉じしてアンインスコしました わけわからんからやらないのではなく、 もう一回やってみよう、という気にさせてくれないからやらないのです

hahahahah. god, yes. Yes, yes, yes. A thousand times [b]yes[/b]. It's [i]so[/i] unapologetically cool, man. So exceptionally over-the-top and guided by a downright incredible love for the genre and everything it encompasses. It's not awfully hard, to be sure—although you WILL need a decent chunk of practice if you want to 1cc, rest assured—but that's not even important. It's aware that it's not providing some incredibly difficult challenge. That's not what it's here for. No, what it sets out to do is ensure you're—at the very least—seated for a good 40 minutes to delight in the STG equivalent of a very, [i]very[/i], [i][b]very[/b][/i] striking fireworks show. And frankly, for the price point it's at... those are some remarkably pretty fireworks, I'll tell you. Non-exhaustive list of things I [b]adore[/b]: [list] [*]The Sun Blade itself, naturally. A beast that's iffy to tame for the first couple of stages, but once you inevitably get a hang of it, it makes for a hell of a grin-inducing tool—if you've wanted to [b]become[/b] the final boss of an STG, here you go. Still, wanting to balance things within reason, RAYNEX did give it the fine-print addition of using your Life as a battery of sorts... [*]... which ties perfectly into the game's Risk system. Sure, you can play for survival and be cautious with how much you use your overpowering beam of death, but why would you when minimal health over extended periods of time nets you [i]that[/i] much more score AND rewards you with Tech popups as if to activate your neurons even further? [*]The visuals are distinctly noisy and somewhat JPEG-y at times, which you'd think would be a point that I'd chuck into the cons rather than the pros, but something about that—moreso combined with the game's overall glitchy, vector-y aesthetic—gives it a style that is equally overwhelming and unforgettable. Difficult to put into words, and even more difficult to showcase it in static imagery; very much a "see it for yourself in action" thing. [*]The Radiant Silvergun approach to boss entries is [i]extra[/i] funny because whereas BE ATTITUDE FOR GAINS came with notes of a sort—pointers as to how to approach a boss, in a sense—Grand Cross simply tells you which boss you're encountering and then proceeds to, presumably from Nexalts' POV, state that [i]this is not enough.[/i] For you, no challenge is enough. Endless battle could not sate you. GOD, that's awesome. [*]THE SOUNDTRACK. GAH. YOU ATTACH YOURSELF TO A GIANT POWER-UP AND YOU GO FACE TO FACE WITH THIS BIG HUGE JERKWAD WHO GOES [i]"DO YOU PLAN TO DIE WITHOUT EVEN USING YOUR FULL POWER?"[/i] AND NEVER BE SURRENDER BLASTS IN THE BACKGROUND AND IT'S THE BEST <EXPLETIVE> EVER [/list] Cough. So on and so forth. It's times like these that I wish I could super-recommend a game or something, or at least mark it as a favorite. Grand Cross may not have a whole lot going for it in the longevity department by virtue of, again, unarguably being easier compared its peers, and I get that. I also don't care. This is a hyperactive game that absolutely revels in the medium it resides in—and, faced with its contagious destruction-friendly mindset, who am I to say no? I hold its hand. I run by its side. I adore it. [b]Shine bright, and bring light to this world!![/b]

Welp, I'm gonna have to recommend you give this one a pass. My first playthru was cool. Very cinematic , very epic, not hard at all to 1cc, yet was engaging. However, each playthru is like 35mins long, and the there's really no rhyme or reason to the bullet patterns and it is very flashy (flashing lights that is), so it took a bit of motivation to get around to a second playthru and try a new ship bc i was afraid of it ruining my experience. So what's wrong with the game.... well, the game has a very heavy risk/reward scoring format but.... there is no online leaderboards smh . This then ties into the , "Why get a high score if I'm not competing?," which ties into the reason it is easy to 1CC the game... your scoring multiplier is tied to your health. Your health is primarily drained by using the Sun Blade laser... enemy bullets do little to no damage so everything falls apart without a leaderboard. Next, I was right. The second playthrough has left a sour taste in my mouth. I tried a new ship that primarily uses swords.... Swords that can't reach certain boss parts ... smh again. So you have to really on these very underpowered homing discs bc u take damage if you are hovering over certain bosses. idk maybe I am missing something with that ship???? Anyways, that 2nd playthru froze up on me. The stage 5 boss kept flashing into a huge floating white square that was basically off screen at the top of the screen... I guess the pixel actor was hitting an invisible boundary that kept "destroying the actor" or some sort of "z-axis battling" (game dev terminology). Then I took a screen pic and the screen went black. Tried to start a 3rd playthru with the 3rd ship, but for whatever reason the change ship button stopped working even after reloading lmao. The game is made with directX9... not sure if you are keeping track but we are on directX12 now so some ppl may have compatibility issues also. The Steam achievements are a big "F U" to Steam fans begging for achievements bc the achievements are ridiculous... like every single one is basically do a playthru without getting touched for 35mins? lol okay. So all in all: You have a special shmup here that is good for a play-through but has some glaring flaws and little replay-ability. And with that it's a Meh rating from me.

1cc'd on my second playthrough without firing a weapon. Best shmup ever. Edit: Changing my recommendation to a thumbs up, because this is a really interesting game. I just wish the difficulty matched the gameplay mechanics and the presentation. As it is I'm giving it a mild recommendation, but go into it knowing it's an art game that doesn't pose any challenge whatsoever unless you go score chasing.

This game is a mess. Constant hard lockups resulting in having to reboot your entire computer just to recover. No combination of settings work well. Crashing can happen when switching to full screen or when loading a level, at the menu or in the middle of game play. Steer clear of this glitchy garbage.

I am late to this thing but finally getting to play through it and thensome with some of the extra stuff you unlock after finishing the game once. This isn't a difficult game to clear by any means if you were focused on survival and safety, but this game shines hardest when going all in to maximize your score. The higher the risk you take, the sooner you die at the cost of higher score. It becomes sadistic to a point when everything in the game will kill you in one hit if you're insane enough to keep risk all the way up for 35 minutes. The two main flaws of this game involves screen tearing when full screen meaning you'll need to activate vsync to get rid of it but there's no option in-game for that. The other issue is that there are some real visibility issues in this game amidst the chaos of screen shake and crazy lights everywhere. It will probably take a bit of time to sit down with this game and be comfortable with it. Even if you don't end up doing the whole thing on one credit on your first try, you should definitely credit feed because there is a pretty generous amount of content unlocked after doing so with two well known Doujin shmup ships I won't spoil here that bring their own mechanics to the game for a completely new feel each time. This game's greatest strength is being an absolutely insane powerhouse in visual style and presentation, it is loud and unique in a way that tickles my shmup strings like it's a near damn cinematic experience at times. So while the game isn't the most challenging until you push yourself harder with the risk mechanics, the presentation of this game is completely astounding. It was genuinely amazing seeing the gigantic list of testers, retweeters, streamers and special thanks given to all kinds of people in the SHMUP community in the credits, and I think this game absolutely deserves it's recognition especially with the endorsement of so many other people willing to come on board and help/promote this game. A high earned purchase for anyone looking for a SHMUP uniquely laid back in difficulty but still amazingly powerful presentation-wise. It is a real treat and I wish I knew about it sooner.

音がデカくて鼓膜が破れる！ キーコンフィグできねぇ！ という人はインストールフォルダ(Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Cross Renovation\)にあるKey_Config.exeを起動すれば変更出来ます。最初わからなくて返品しそうになりました。 「(良い意味で)大雑把なシューティングがやりたい」という気持ちで買ったのでぴったりハマりました。

GRAND CROSS: ReNOVATION, developed by ES4 / Eternal Sphere 4 and published by Henteko Doujin, is an unapologetically intense vertical shooter that reinterprets the shoot-’em-up formula through a lens of aggression and spectacle. Rather than emphasizing careful dodging and slow mastery in the traditional sense, it pushes players toward constant forward momentum, encouraging them to overwhelm enemies with sheer firepower while navigating dense waves of threats. The result is a game that feels fast, volatile, and deliberately excessive in both its mechanics and presentation. At the heart of the experience is a risk-driven combat system built around a powerful offensive tool that doubles as a liability. Players are given access to devastating attacks capable of clearing large portions of the screen, but these abilities are tied directly to their survivability, creating a constant push-and-pull between safety and destruction. This mechanic fundamentally changes how the game is approached. Instead of cautiously avoiding danger, players are often incentivized to lean into it, using aggressive tactics to maintain control of the battlefield. It’s a design choice that gives the game a unique identity, transforming each run into a balancing act between dominance and self-preservation. Moment-to-moment gameplay is relentless. Enemy formations appear rapidly, filling the screen with projectiles, movement patterns, and visual effects that demand quick reactions and sharp awareness. While the chaos can initially feel overwhelming, there is a structure beneath it that becomes clearer with repeated play. Success depends on recognizing patterns, positioning effectively, and making split-second decisions about when to commit to offense or pull back. The pacing rarely lets up, creating a continuous sense of pressure that defines the overall experience. Stage design supports this intensity by maintaining a steady escalation of challenge across its relatively concise set of levels. Each stage introduces variations in enemy behavior and attack patterns, requiring players to adapt rather than rely on a single strategy. Although the total number of stages is limited, the game is built with replayability in mind. Completing a run is only the beginning; the real challenge lies in refining performance, achieving higher scores, and mastering the nuances of its systems. This arcade-style structure ensures that the game remains engaging for players who enjoy repetition and incremental improvement. Visually, GRAND CROSS: ReNOVATION embraces a bold and often overwhelming aesthetic. Bright colors, layered effects, and constant motion dominate the screen, creating a sense of scale and intensity that matches the gameplay. Explosions and particle effects are frequent, sometimes to the point of visual saturation, which can make it difficult to parse certain situations during particularly hectic moments. However, this sensory overload is clearly intentional, contributing to the game’s identity as a high-energy spectacle rather than a restrained or minimalist shooter. The audio design complements this approach with a driving soundtrack that reinforces the pace and urgency of each stage. Music and sound effects work together to create a rhythm that players can fall into, helping to guide movement and timing even amid the chaos. This synchronization between audio and gameplay adds an extra layer of immersion, making each run feel cohesive despite the intensity of the action. Difficulty is handled in a way that makes the game approachable on the surface while still offering depth for dedicated players. Early runs can be completed with persistence, thanks to systems that soften the initial learning curve, but true mastery requires a deeper understanding of mechanics and precise execution. The emphasis on aggressive play may feel unconventional for players accustomed to more defensive shooters, but it also opens up a different kind of challenge that rewards boldness as much as skill. Narratively, the game remains minimal, providing just enough context to frame the action without diverting attention from gameplay. The story functions more as a thematic backdrop, supporting the sense of conflict and scale without attempting to drive the experience in a meaningful way. This aligns with the game’s overall design philosophy, which prioritizes mechanics and presentation over narrative depth. In the end, GRAND CROSS: ReNOVATION is a focused and visually striking shooter that distinguishes itself through its emphasis on risk, power, and constant motion. It delivers a fast-paced, replay-driven experience that will resonate strongly with players who enjoy high-intensity arcade challenges and score-based progression. While its limited content and overwhelming presentation may not appeal to everyone, it succeeds in carving out a distinct place within the genre by fully committing to its aggressive design philosophy. Rating: 8/10

This is the culmination of "What if shmups utilized 3d space more?". Amazing and one-of-a-kind experience. The normal ship can be hard to control with a stick, but it is definitely possible. The other two unlockable ships are EXTREMELY playable with an arcade stick.