(This is a review of both the main game and the new World EXplosion release).

Crimzon Clover is the kind of game where it can be immediately felt that it’s created by someone who has extensive knowledge and experience of the shmup genre. Not only does it play amazingly well, but it’s also a great love letter to the genre as a whole.

The mechanics pick and choose from various other shmup titles to create a familiar yet fresh experience, with a priority in making the player feel powerful by constantly encouraging the use of the various tools at the player’s disposal. On top of the bread-and-butter regular shot you’ll be holding onto, for the most part, you also have a lock-on weapon that deals extensive damage and can prioritize various parts in bosses to not only weaken them but also to milk out further score.

Instead of limited bombs, you’re given a Break meter where you can fill by destroying enemies and collecting stars. Fill it up enough and you can bomb to clear the screen, fill it up all the way and you enter Break Mode. Break Mode is this game’s hyper mechanic where your shot and lock-in damage get stronger, alongside faster lock-in. You can even go further by filling a second bar where you can go into Double Break Mode. This makes bombs, not just a safety net, but also the main mechanic you use often to gain optimal score.

These mechanics together create a dynamic feeling rhythm to the combat on top of weaving through the hail of bullets. There’s a lot of emphasis on aggressive play and you can cancel out enemy bullets consistently through mastery of these mechanics.

The feedback in general feels really good, the constant explosions that output stars to collect alongside enemy bullets that fill most of the screen is a consistent adrenaline rush throughout the game. The feeling of power your ship is capable of compliments the experience of facing an overwhelming enemy force.

The game also features an extensive number of extra modes to play around with. All these different modes provide a different take on the same core gameplay, making the experience feel fresh as you play through each.

On top of the brutal yet fair Original Arcade Mode, the Novice Mode provides a great experience for newcomers of the genre, providing a good balance between a softer pace and a genuine challenge that has to be overcome. You also have a Training Mode that allows you to jump onto any stage with any ship, and even adjust conditions such as lives, Break Gauge, and stars collected. It could be a bit more extensive, such as being allowed to skip through specific sections of a stage or at least a mid-boss. But it’s still a great tool to learn the game.

There’s the Boost Mode that also changes the way the Break Mode mechanic works, where it’s instead automatically triggered by collecting enough stars, and the player is put onto a constant state of Break Mode, only being stopped through bombing or dying.

Unlimited Mode can be described as the Original Mode on steroids, with faster bullets, more complex patterns, and overall harsher difficulty. People familiar with Mushihimesama’s Ultra Mode will be right at home with Unlimited Mode in particular. Finally, a Time Attack mode akin to older caravan-style shmups where you play through a single-stage within a 3-minute timer, with the goal to earn as many points as possible towards the end.

New to the World EXplosion release is the Arrange mode, which features a Gradius-style power progression system. Collecting stars will increase the gauge, which gives you various upgraded abilities such as faster speed, extra lock-ons, weapon options, auto-bomb shield, and the familiar Break Mode. It’s a really fun mode that adds a new layer of complexity to the core gameplay without straying too far from it.

You also have a brand-new soundtrack option, which features a noticeable different set of music. I still prefer the original tracks, and there are some songs I felt that were rather underwhelming with this new set, but there are still some good highlights here, such as the sortie tune and second stage theme, and it also gives another way to keep each playthrough feel fresh.

There’s also the addition of extra customization in the form of selectable new color palettes for each ship. I would have loved to see more color options, but the options provided are still a nice touch that adds a bit more personalization to the game.

The extra polish is also appreciated, including better resolution outputs for HD displays which scale better for modern screens. There’s no dramatic visual rework here going on, so it’s still the same original visuals everyone knows and loves but finally presented with more clarity.

Overall Crimzon Clover is an amazingly fun shmup, it’s designed and balanced in such a way that you only get from someone who has the experience and love for the genre as a whole. This World EXplosion re-release is also a testament to the passion both the fans and the creator have for the game and is overall a great experience for both seasoned veterans and new players.

Arrange Mode is FUN

Shooting Game Never Die!!!

I shoot things, they explode, shiny stars and big numbers appear. Dopamine good.

Pure shmup and not a waifu in sight. Dig it.

Bought the original CD-ROM back in 2011 and each version of the game has only ♥♥♥♥♥♥ better. Highly recommended.

It's great. Just know that it comes with 60hz exclusivity at the time of writing. The arrange mode has this totally wacky upgrade system, which is why it currently doesn't support co-op, but boy is it fun. The game is like, visual breakcore. If that makes any sense. I feel like I'm watching "Enter the Void" for the first time. I'm only a casual shmup player, but I know a good game when I see it. While I won't say it's as good as, say, Espgaluda or Giga Wing, the pure variety here is well worth the price, as well as... how do I write this without sounding like an idiot.... The pleasure in supporting an OG steam SHMUP developer. This guy was one of the first I've noticed supporting the platform.

The best game on Steam just got bester. If you have even a passing interest in the genre, this is an essential purchase. Whether you have World Ignition already or not. I think this is the sixth time I've bought this, and I regret nothing.

Shooting Game Never Die.

A masterpiece in game design.
Runs great on Steam Deck.

Best shmup on Steam by a significant margin and strong contender for best in the genre period. If you can only get one, make it this one.

My all time favorite bullet hell

Crimson Clover is a well-loved shmup among the shooter community but I've been avoiding it for so long because it looks very hardcore and extremely difficult to keep track of what's going on on-screen at any given moment. Boy, was I ever wrong and I have missed out on a fantastic shmup because of my preference for non-bullet hell shmups.

if you loved vertical shooters from developers like Cave, Psykio or Doragon, you'll adore Crimson Clover. If, like me, you hold back from committing to bullet hell style games, get this anyway because it will teach you that bullet hell is a ton of fun and not nearly as complex or difficult as it appears when you are watching others play.

If you are a veteran of the danmaku scene what you'll find in Crimson Clover won't surprise you much at first. Your ship has a standard and a focus shot, just like any Cave shooter of note, killing enemies drops medals to collect for score and multiple ships are available from the get-go, each with it's own strengths and weaknesses. Differences from the common Cave-inspired fare are that the bomb system is slightly different from the norm, with bombs being available after partially filling an energy bar through destruction of your enemies, and that your focus shot allows you to use a Raystorm-style lock on shot (or lasers or missiles depending on your ship) for extra destructive potential. Using bombs makes the next bomb more difficult to activate and power ups are available after defeating bosses that reduce your bomber requirement again, meaning that you are encouraged to bomb, kill, and bomb some more! Nice.

Crimson Clover's real ace move, and the thing that makes it so compelling, is the BREAK MODE. Fill up your bomb bar to the top and press bomb instead of setting off the bomb early means you will cancel all bullets on screen, double the power of your shots and start draining the bar to zero. While the energy drains, you are a super-powered fighting god and enemies die quickly under your onslaught. If that wasn't enough for you, if you fill the bar again during your break mode, you can bomb again to enter a second break mode, getting even more powerful, cancelling even more bullets and making even more medals. It's a rush, and a central gimmick to the scoring system that is satisfying in the same way Espgaluda 2's focus mode is.

For those new or unskilled in bullet hell, Crimson Clover makes it easy to get hooked in and survive. The bomb and break systems being one and the same reduce complexity of play and mean you always have a "oh crap!" button to press when things get hairy. The lock on shot being on your focus button means that you are always attacking something, even when you can't weave through the patterns of bullets. Speaking of bullets, they always take priority on-screen and you will rarely get hit because you couldn't see incoming attacks. For beginners, the real genius that makes Crimson Clover worth your time is threefold:-
One: This game goes out of it's way to make you feel like a BADASS. You are a force of destruction and the game helps you to ease into the skills that keep you killing.
Two: This dev has included so many game modes and difficulty levels that there will be a level for you to be able to play, no matter your needs. For example: My wife has a visual impairment and can't play many types of video games well but she can play this like a boss despite that handicap. Bravo.
Three: Two player simultaneous co-op for when you need a friend to back you up. You can even pick your colour of ship so you always know who you are when the bullets are flying.

Crimson Clover is that rare type of game that looks scary, welcomes you in anyway and slowly teaches you through play that you are, and always have been, good at shmups. Buy this. Play it. Love it. Then take those skills to Danmaku Unlimited, Bullet Hell Monday, Mushihimesama or DoDonPachi and realise that Crimson Clover was teaching you to shmup as it entertained you. If you were already good at this sort of game the Crimson Clover will hold up a wicked finger and dare you to enter it's harder modes and chase down those high scores in an engaging and extremely addicting way.

Crimson Clover encouraged me to buy not just it, but more bullet hell games. I love this game. I love the thought the devs put into this game and I hope you will try it and love it too. You won't regret the time you put into this one.