[quote][b]S U M M A R Y[/b][/quote]
[u][b]Space Crusaders[/b][/u] is one of many new games populating the trendy Bullet Heaven (BH) genre but, similar to so many clones which seem like they were made in an attempt to cash in on the trend, this one adds nothing new or innovative whatsoever and barely has any content to it even for an Early Access (EA) release. The gameplay is standard for the genre, following the usual BH formula almost exactly, and it doesn't appear as if there are plans to really make it stand out amongst the overcrowded landscape.
The developer has stated that they plan to keep the game in EA for [i]“6 months or less.”[/i] but has only released four "major" updates in the past five months since its EA release on 18 August 2022. The worst part is that those updates added minor features which are standard in the genre: an item-based meta progression system, re-rolls, one new character (for a total of three), and an endless mode. I'm not sure if EA will be extended or not but I don't think that one month is enough time to add everything they had planned to for the full release.
Overall, I can't recommend the game in its current state since it simply does not bring anything new to the table, it barely has any content, and you could play far better games out there for a bit more than its asking price of 3.00 USD.
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[quote][b]A C H I E V E M E N T S[/b][/quote]
As of the writing of this review, the game currently has its "Profile Features Limited" which means that it is not eligible to appear in certain showcases on your Steam profile and does not contribute towards global achievement or game collector counts until it has made a minimum number of sales. That being said, all of the achievements are easy to get and you can probably get them in under two hours (including some grinding for one of them).
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[quote][b]R E V I E W[/b][/quote]
[h3]Gameplay[/h3]
The gameplay is typical of most games in the genre: you pick your character, kill enemies, level up to gain weapons or passive upgrades, kill more enemies, and so on. Currently, there is a meager amount of content: three characters (who only differ very slightly in terms of statistics and their default weapon which all other characters can get), one level, five weapons, six passive items, a stat-based meta progression system (which progresses far too slowly), an item-based meta progression system (called relics), and a trade-off system where you gain bonuses for penalties (i.e. you shoot faster but deal less damage).
[h3]Graphics[/h3]
The graphics use free asset packs for the monsters and single level but I believe it uses its own pixel art for the characters and weapons since no free asset packs are credited for these two. I can't say for sure though but either way the graphics are serviceable but nothing more.
[h3]Sound[/h3]
The music is one single metal song so be prepared to turn it off after a few minutes since it loops quite quickly and isn't anything special anyways.
[h3]Story[/h3]
The story is completely non-existent as there isn't even any text in the game but this genre isn't typically played for the story anyways. That being said, two things about the game caught my eye and made me hopeful for it when I wishlisted it and eventually purchased it on a -50% sale (which I now regret because it went on a -75% sale two weeks later): the game's banner was reminiscent of DOOM and the main character was clearly an homage to Doom Guy. In fact, the main character might even be a direct copy of Doom Guy since their name is "Slayer" which is what Doom Guy is called in Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal.
[h3]Updates[/h3]
The developer has stated the following in their EA blurb: [i]“The full version of the game will feature many new weapons, enemies, playable characters, relics and levels.”[/i] Given that the developer has been releasing a "major" update approximately once every two months, and hasn't been adding anything really notable in these updates (as far as the standard in the genre goes), this slow pace makes me question whether or not they will have enough time to add all of the quoted content within the next month prior to the supposed end of EA. Additionally, the quoted content does not inspire me with confidence that the game will add original ideas to the genre and it will instead end up being yet another cheap clone which used free asset packs.
The game looks even worse when you compare it to similar games such as [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1944570/Boneraiser_Minions/]Boneraiser Minions[/url] which has received weekly updates since its release on 5 August 2022 or [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/2067920/Rogue_Genesia/]Rogue Genesia[/url] and [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1966900/20_Minutes_Till_Dawn/]20 Minutes Till Dawn[/url] which have both received a number of major updates since their respective releases. Overall, I'm just not sure about the direction or planned destination for the game and if it will even reach its destination at this point.
[h3]Conclusion[/h3]
Overall, I can't recommend the game because of the severe lack of content (even for an EA game) and the lack of updates, in terms of frequency and quality, compared to the developer's stated desires in their EA blurb. The game frankly just isn't good enough to stand out from the rest and I recommend that you pass on this one. Instead, save yourself one pop/soda/soft drink/canned beverage this week and add that 2.00 USD to the 3.00 USD you would've spent on this game in order to buy a better BH game — there are certainly a few good ones out there with unique mechanics and twists of their own.
But maybe this developer will add the quoted content in the next 30 days, or maybe they'll extend EA and will add a ton of content over the new timeframe. If they do either then I'll be pleasantly surprised, and will update my review accordingly (whether or not the content actually makes it stand out among the dense and packed genre is another question altogether), but I won't be holding my breath for it.
