0:00 – Introduction to Godstrike
(Click the timecodes below to jump to that section of the video!)
Godstrike is the bullet-hell, twin stick shooter from The Overpowered Team, and Freedom Games. The player will face off against evil deities in order to lead the protagonist through the story and weed out the corruption that has poisoned the world.
1:10 – See the gameplay!
Talaal, the player-controlled hero, can be augmented with a huge variety of spells and passives. Abilities that create weapons that will automatically attack the boss the player is fighting, abilities that augment your natural shooting ability, ones that will defend the player and destroy projectiles. The sheer level of combinations that are possible between the abilities to choose from, combined with the passives to choose from, is mindbogglingly huge.
2:02 – First impressions
These are our MGN Impressions of the masked-god driven story that is Godstrike. Our experience with the game is based on the PC, Steam version, played with a control pad. As such, if you’re playing the switch version, or playing via steam with a keyboard and mouse, your experience might be different from ours.
2:23 – The MGN Impressions are broken down into four different but equal parts:
- Story
- Sound
- Gameplay
- X-Factor
The X-Factor for our impressions will change from game to game, and for Godstrike we’ve decided to go with accessibility. Will the game be accessible enough for players who are new to the genre, or aren’t fans of bullet-hell games in general? Want to find out? Stick with us, and you will.
2:52 – Story 9/10
The thorn in the paw of most bullet-hell games is that there is very little purpose to them beside from the base-level gameplay. You evade the boss, and you deal damage. You progress through, and that’s about it. Where Godstrike marks is difference from the other entries in the genre, is that it has a genuinely well-crafted story.
Without giving too much away I will say that the introductory cinematic gives enough purpose and interest to the player, that they are loathe to skip any later implications of lore. This is really good drawing point, not only are you here for the gameplay, or from your curiosity of what you’ve seen about Godstrike online – you’re given enough early to be invested in seeing it through.
3:53 – Sound 7/10
First off, let me just sound that the soundtrack fits the game so well. It’s harrowing and foreboding in places where it fits, and is exhilarating in moments where you expect to feel that rush. The lack of a 10/10 rating has absolutely nothing to do with the soundtrack. It’s of the highest quality and execution, and has made for excellent background noise whilst writing and recording this review. You can look it up on YouTube, give it a listen, even if you’re not a huge fan of listening to game soundtracks as background noise or as an experience in general, I highly recommend it.
What lets the sound department is the quality of that open cinematic. It’s incredibly well done, but the lack of an appropriate voice to match the text, is a let-down. My mind is immediately drawn to a voice like Galadriel, narrating the opening exposition. The addition of that hauntingly beautiful smooth voice, would bring the cinematic to life and would give the sound the quality to match the video and the story.
5:20 – Gameplay 10/10
My instant impression is of the game is that it delivers what it promises. It delivers what you’re expecting it to. There is no mistaking that Godstrike is a bullet-hell game. You don’t have to wean yourself in, or get a feel for the game, you get what you’re expecting and this makes the same so simple to pick up. That’s a pass mark for gameplay for us.
So, what takes Godstrike from a pass mark to a 10/10? A few things.
First, the tutorial room is a great idea. The player can experiment with abilities, ability set ups, the game mechanics like souls, and more. That’s a great gameplay decision from the developer.
Next, the shear level of different ways you can play the game. The ability and passive set ups that are possible are of a ridiculous level, and provide so much variety in how you can play the game from attempt to attempt. That’s going to keep you coming back again, and again.
Next, the health is timer, and timer is health gimmick. It provides something different, and gives the player a fresh experience even if they play bullet-hell games often. And that’s a very good thing, because if you’re heavily experienced with games like this, it can be hard to feel like you’re playing a different game each time you try and buy something new. But here, you do – there’s a point of difference and that’s great.
7:16 – X-Factor 8/10
The X factor for Godstrike is accessibility. How easy is the game to pick up, if you’re inexperienced with bullet-hell games, or are just not a fan of the genre in general.
What would I say? Very accessible.
How can I say this? Because bullet-hell games aren’t in my top three favourite genres, nor do I have a huge amount of experience with them, but I find myself wanting to play more and more Godstrike.
Wanting to play the game in my own personal time, without recording, or preparing for an article? That means the draw and the accessibility is there for people like me, and perhaps you too. So, if you’re on the fence because you’re not the biggest fan of the genre, or you don’t have much experience trying them, give Godstrike a go. You might be very pleasantly surprised.
I hope you enjoyed our first impressions of Godstrike. See our related articles below by MGN!
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Credits
| Program | Founding Writers |
| Author | Luke Cowling |
| YouTuber | Luke Cowling |
| Publisher | MGN |
| Game | Godstrike on the PC Godstrike on the Nintendo Switch |