Platform(s): PC
Genre: Bullet Hell, Roguelite, Fast-Paced, Shooter, Psychedelic

Bullet hell games have a way of wrapping players in a thrilling blanket of chaos, where the satisfaction of overcoming each intensely challenging level feels like a hard-earned triumph. The rush from defeating a tough boss can be addictive, keeping players coming back for more. The latest entry in this frenetic genre is VirusRush + Hazard of the Ages, developed by indie studio Stranger Games.

A Life with Purpose

In VirusRush, you step into the rather unique role of a self-aware virus named “The Engineer.” As players, you embody “Phage 3,” a temporary title that will hopefully find a more fitting name soon. The plot isn’t particularly groundbreaking; it serves mainly to inform players of their mission—to eradicate harmful pathogens as you navigate through the human body.

The game kicks off with a tutorial stage that introduces essential mechanics such as moving, shooting, and dashing. The dash ability is crucial, enabling you to evade incoming projectiles, gain temporary immunity, and even pass through enemies. However, it’s important to manage your stamina wisely since using the dash depletes your energy, which can only be replenished by remaining still. Mastering this gameplay mechanic is key to surviving the frenetic battles that lie ahead.

Once you finish the tutorial, you’re thrust into your first major challenge: a battle against the notorious Staphylococcus aureus, a methicillin-resistant virus. Each encounter grants you three energy bars; take three hits, and its game over—you’ll need to restart the fight from scratch. With differing enemy attack patterns in every battle, memorization quickly falls short; instead, players must hone their skills and find the right balance of defense and offense to prevail.

A notable feature of the gameplay is the star system. Players earn stars based on their performance in battles—faster victories and fewer hits taken result in higher star counts. These stars can be used to unlock new battles within the human body, with a total of 15 battles available, including the initial tutorial stage. Each battle requires a different number of stars to unlock, encouraging players to enhance their performance. Moreover, the game offers two modes: regular and hard. Successfully completing the latter will reward players with more stars. Personally, it’s not meant for those new to the bullet hell genre as completing the regular stage can really test your patience.

Each victory in battle grants DNA points, which can be used to unlock new modifications for your virus and recruit allies for combat. For instance, allies like “Magnety” can create black holes to trap minions, while “Crystalys” fires piercing lasers at foes. Players can bring two allies into battle, though each ally has only a single ability that you must strategically select. This upgrade system is a refreshing touch, allowing customization of your virus’s attributes to align with your preferred playstyle.

Needs A Booster

However, the game stumbles in areas beyond its core mechanics. The storyline feels underdeveloped, and the voice affect—along with the retro 80s psychedelic aesthetics—feels disjointed. While the trippy visuals might aim to improve the overall look in the game’s limited environments, however, the result can be jarring. The voice of your character, in particular, might have been better left out, as they contribute to an incoherent narrative experience. The animations are decent, but boss designs could benefit from a sharper presentation. That said, the soundtrack notably enhances the game’s atmosphere, energizing players with upbeat electronic beats during boss battles.

VirusRush + Hazard of the Ages has solid gameplay that lay the foundation for a fun bullet hell experience. However, its execution in storytelling and presentation requires further refinement. The concept of a self-aware virus battling against nefarious foes is intriguing, but it needs more polish to stand out among the crowded landscape of bullet hell games. With some tweaks and enhancements, this title could evolve into a memorable addition to the genre.

Pros

• Interesting star system.
• Easy & straightforward tutorial.
• Upbeat electronic tunes.

Cons

• Vague storyline.
• Voice affects sounds disoriented.
• Out-of-place trippy visuals.

FINAL SCORE: 50/100

Review copy provided by the publisher.