Since there are so many QB shooters out there though, it's very hard to have a new one ready without making direct comparisons between them. In terms of Graphics, BAkuen SAkuru are a little on the choppy side. But this is forgiven somewhat by the fact that there are so many on-screen enemies moving at once. No other QB shooter (let alone QB game) even comes close to the sheer number of enemies on-screen at the same time, and even though the graphics aren't pixel-by-pixel movement, it's very playable and still quite addictive.

This special meter fills up in the game depending on the number of enemies you shoot down. Then, you can press the Alt key to unleash a special weapon depending on how full your meter is. With this system, you can tap into three extra weapons, including the powerful and screen-covering love love heart snake! This is easily the largest weapon ever made in a QB game, and it packs as much of a wallop to the eyes as to anything that stands in its path.

What probably would have helped in this category is a little more story development and polish during the game's demos. The English isn't quite perfect, and a little more could have been done to give the game's story some flow. Copy Rezo, the main programmer of Hyper Anime, does cite the story problem due to the fact that the story demos were made in a day.

By the way, if you get past the first level, you'll learn why BAkuen SAkuru instantly received an "M" rating, although the rest of the game doesn't really have much profanity, violence, or whatnot. It's proof that all you need is one crazy scene to move your game's demographics by a long shot. It's actually pretty good in terms of graphics and you have to see it to believe it.

Again, the sound and the graphics are probably where BAkuen SAkuru could shine a little more. The audio isn't quite to the point that it's absorbing yet but the gameplay is quite solid and all it's own compared to other QB shooters. Also, since the game has a pretty decent challenge level throughout, it's a little hard to put this game down once you've started it.

The key to winning in BAkuen SAkuru is persistence. Know where to stand your ground, then fire your weapons as much as you possibly can. Make you you learn about your cannon's special powers, including the ability to shoot a snake-like stream, and the rare shooting ability of firing to the rear. Also note that some baddies in the game are invulnerable to your attacks.

The bosses also prove to be a challenge in BAkuen SAkuru, and are probably the most elaborate bosses ever made in a QB shooter yet. The first level boss, the insane fortune teller Bano, has attacks that literally cover the entire screen. So you're going to have to do a lot of jerking around while making sure that you can maintain your own offense. Once you beat the first boss though, you should have enough skill to beat the other two.

Still, BAkuen SAkuru is incredibly tight. There are always a lot of on-screen enemies at a time, and the screen is literally covered with enemy swarms and your own firepower, especially when you learn to charge your weapons. If you like the kind of shooter where you have to find hiding places and shift from place to place constantly all while seeing how many enemies you can shoot down, then BAkuen SAkuru will do you right.

BAkuen SAkuru Reviewed by Vance Velez