Graze Counter GM Review

Players will take the highway to the danger zone with the release of Bikkuri Software, Henteko Dojin, and Sanuk Inc.’s new shmup Graze Counter GM. Following up on the series’ 2017 debut, should players live life on the edge?

Graze Counter GM Review

Bullet hells earned their name for a very good reason, throwing a technicolor dreamland of color that players need to avoid. Graze Counter GM certainly keeps the tradition alive as players set out to discover the secrets behind the massive virtual reality network EDEN, with plenty of enemy ships spewing out blue and violent bullets.

Rather, the main hook here is the Graze Counter meter that every Saviours pilot possesses. Every millisecond getting up close and personal with a bullet – without touching it, mind you – charges up this meter. Fill it to the brim, and players can fire a large beam right back that deals massive damage and cuts through select bullets.

Most shmups have a mechanic similar to this in place, but Graze Counter GM makes it mandatory rather than optional. There is simply no reprieve in most parts; in addition to bullet and enemy pattern recognition, knowing when to unleash the beast is key as well.

This adds an interesting hook, but it’s not without its faults. For better or worse, there’s simply too much going on at any given time. Those with a trained eye will be able to juggle hundreds of colored bullets and a tiny hitbox, but those less in tune will be forced to cut their teeth until they get it right. The same goes with what bullets can be shot down and which ones cannot, especially since they have a similar color hue – there should have been different colors used.

The Graze Counter isn’t the only hook in this title; there’s also a Break Gauge one can fill. Once filled to the brim, players can turn bullets into stars and unleash additional firepower. It’s nice to have this in a clutch, and it works well here.

Graze Counter GM follows the main vertical shmup beats fans have come to expect. Enemies come hard and fast, power-ups can be collected, there’s multipliers a-plenty, and there’s an intense boss fight waiting at the end of each stage. There’s branching paths at select points, four different difficulty levels, and some unlockables, but what is here is par for the course.

The main adventure will run players around 30 minutes, but there is also a 30 part mission mode to explore and other unlockable ships. Variety is the spice of life, and it can most certainly be found here.

Flinging oneself head-first into danger in Graze Counter GM is a thrilling feeling, but the execution of this death-defying adventure could use a bit more finesse. Those who don’t mind some stacked odds and cheap hits will enjoy this adventure, but less experienced pilots will quickly come to learn what the “hell” in “bullet hell” really means.

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