DoDonPachi Resurrection

Developer: CAVE Interactive CO.,LTD. | Publisher: Degica | Release Date: 2016 | Genre: Action / Shooter | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

DoDonPachi Resurrection is the fifth title in the popular bullet hell shooter series, although it is the first to appear on Steam. The story is a continuation of the previous games and this time features an Android called Next EXY causing trouble. It appears that NEXY, along with the other “Elemental Daughters” have traveled back in time and are attacking the human race with a robotic armada. Acting on the orders of Col. Godwin Longhener, you have to follow NEXY into the past and put an end to her plans. Don’t worry if the story is a little convoluted though, as it is little more than an excuse to blast thousands of robotic enemies to bits before taking on giant bosses that can transform into female mechs.

DoDonPachi Resurrection arrives on Steam courtesy of CAVE, a Japanese developer that is best know for the intense bullet hell shooters they have been consistently delivering. Two of their previous hits, Mushihimesama and Deathsmiles both appeared on Steam, so fans were eagerly awaiting the arrival of DoDonPachi Resurrection. Although it is a pity that PC gamers are missing out on the previous titles in the series, thanks to eight modes of play, nobody can argue that DoDonPachi Resurrection isn’t complete.

First up is the “Normal 1.5” version of the game, which is the final update of the game as it originally appeared in the arcades. Version 1.5 fixed a couple of bugs that were present in the original release, while also making it more balanced. Next up is “Normal 1.51” which is actually more than just an incremental update. It was originally only seen at a special CAVE festival, and allows for much higher scores than the standard game, so fans will definitely want to check it out. Arrange B is a single-level score attack mode that is very customizable, while Arrange A features a ship and mechanics from DoDonPachi Blissful Death. The “Black Label” version of the game cranks up the difficulty even more, but adds a new method of attack while Black Label Arrange adds crossover content from another Cave shooter, Ketsui. Last up are two novices modes for Version 1.5 and Black Label, which makes the game a little more friendly towards newcomers. While all these modes might look very similar at first glance, it is not until you’ve mastered all the gameplay mechanics that you can start to appreciate how different they really are.

One thing is for sure, DoDonPachi Resurrection is not a game for players who simply want to beat a final boss and complete a game. Thanks to the unlimited continues available in all the modes, beating the game is simply a mattering of perseverance. The real challenge comes from racking up a high score in the process and, if you are really good, completing the game on a single credit. DDP Resurrection is a bullet hell shooter so, as expected, each level is filled with so many bullets heading in your direction that you’ll barely see the background. Fortunately your ship has a very small hitbox, so dodging and weaving through the bullet patterns are a little easier. Depending on the mode you are playing you have three ships to choose from, each with their own style of firepower ranging from concentrated front shots to widespread shots. Players can also choose between three different play styles, with “Bomber” for example, providing access to bombs while “Power” provides access to increased firepower. In addition to standard bullets, players can activate a forward firing laser, which is the only way to defend against enemy lasers.

Initially all the different modes and styles can be a little overwhelming, especially if you are new to the series or even genre. Complete a couple of runs on the novice mode though, and you’ll soon get the hang of the game and can start concentrating on racking up huge scores by chaining together enemy kills or turning bullets into bonuses. A complete run of the game can typically be done in less than an hour, but mastering all the techniques and putting up a worthwhile score will of course take much, much longer. With second loops to find and a true final boss to face, along with hidden bee icons to find, DDP Resurrection should keep fans of the genre busy for ages. Increasing the longevity of the game even further is the score attack mode and online leaderboards as well as a slew of Steam Achievements.

The game features some very nice enemy designs and levels, but as is normal for the genre, every screen tends to be dominated by an insane amount of bullets. DDP Resurrection is a vertically scrolling shooter, so when played on a standard widescreen monitor the action is confined to the center of the screen. Very large borders dominate the sides of the screen, but you can soften the blow by choosing some very nice backgrounds. You can even set the backgrounds to automatically change while playing, which can be distracting, but is probably safer for your monitor if you plan on playing for extended periods. Players fortunate enough to own monitors that can be turned vertically will be happy to know that the orientation of the game screen can also be adjusted to match, allowing for a more authentic arcade experience. The game does feature the occasional slowdown when the screen is filled with bullets, but this is intentional and designed to give you a fighting chance. We did notice that on certain modes, there are slowdown when it should or shouldn’t occur, but this appears to be something that the developers are aware of and working on fixing. The soundtrack is rather upbeat and definitely fits the fast paced nature of the game, while the sound effects, sound just like you would expect from an arcade title. We played the game using a wireless Xbox 360 controller and had no issues weaving through the bullet patterns with precision.

Like all of the bullet hell shooters from CAVE DoDonPachi Resurrection is a title that will really appeal to fans of the genre. However, it is still a rather niche genre, so not everyone will really appreciate what the game has to offer. Despite how it might look, the game is actually very newcomer friendly thanks to the practice and novice modes along with the unlimited credits. Once you get over how daunting it looks the game is actually a lot of fun and it only takes a few minutes of playing to see why it is so sought after by fans of the genre. Unfortunately the Steam version isn’t perfect, but it is still one hell of a game.