Is this game difficult?

[Ocelote.12]

I have a not very good reaction times (slowpoke.jpg) so I'd like to ask about the level of difficulty of this game.

[L Ø S]

The game is fairly difficult if you strive for high scores and ranks. You'll be able to get through most, if not all of the game without being any good at shmup or fast paced games. But it certainly will help!

The end boss will prove quite the challenge if you dont learn from your errors. But will feel extremely rewarding if you do!

[MoonsPod]

you can try it free, there is a demo on the steam page! :3

[Brendan | Shinji16]

First, there is a demo! Try it!

Second, compared to most shmups, the difficulty in AAC is pretty low / forgiving. Compared to other games, I'd still agree it's initially low. Typically if you get hit by a bullet or other such hazard in games like this, you die and have to start over or face some other progress-related set back. In AAC, you can get hit several times before "falling down", and while you lose a certain part of your score, the level keeps going. You mash buttons to get back up, and upon getting back up, push enemies back and you have a bit of invincibility to catch your breath and get back into the fight.

Also, this is saying nothing of how when you switch between your two weapons you're invincible for a time, the power ups and how they can help you in not-so-obvious ways, and other mechanics that make me feel like this game is, in the beginning, much more welcoming and forgiving that other shmups. That being said, a boss could give you trouble, and the last boss does have a jump up in difficulty, but like any game they are fights that I believe with practice can be more than accomplish-able.

[Memph]

It's one of the most fun and lovable twin-stickers in existence, yet I stand by my complaints about the S+ ranking mechanics. Even now, after 100+ hours, it is still some of the most aggravating, horribly ficklesome guff. M.Bison in Street Fighter II SCE hard-mode levels of cheap, with how bloody infuriatingly often you can be cheesed into failure. In fact, it's even worse, as you have to redo the whole damn thing again, from scratch. There's no comebacks, no close shaves, no tension and release of losing control and managing to regain it - just BAM out-of-the-blue, you're done, restart. Again.

If you just want a fun game and not bothered about finishing all of it, buy it. Buy it now. It is amazingly polished, aurally awsome and the characters are franchise-worthily adorable.

If you want all the achievements, find yourself a good dealer, stock up on voddy and get a prozac prescription. You'll need it for the unbearable stress, without resorting to cheats.

[AgentFlea]

I think it's on the easy side - unless you're going for rank, which I do

[TechnoFlames™]

It is (was) fairly challenging but fair, athough there are a few characters that are very poor choices when it comes to boss fights that will make them frustrating if you decide to play them. (Shiitake, Peanut, and Abergine come to mind.)

However, there is a LARGE difficulty spike on the final boss. The only reason why I haven't been able to beat it at all. After a wasted afternoon attempting it over and over again, I have given up hope in frustration.

[SMishra]

If you'd like some tips for Medulla I'd be happy to help, the key really is in efficient use of your secondary weapon.

I'd suggest Cactus as a good starting point since the flame thrower is easy to be efficient with in that fight, if you're using it as soon as it's fully refreshed or as soon as you revive if you're in a bad spiral you should be able to take down most of the phases.

[Brendan | Shinji16]

I just want to echo SMishra about Medulla in a slightly different way: use of your second weapon, or rather switching to it, was super key for me. I was struggling until I learned how to best use the invincibility window granted when weapon swapping. After that, it was a matter of about 1hr of practice.

[TheForestSpirit]

It is difficult but not ridiculous like certain other games I've played that I won't mention here.

I enjoy the intense action of this game and tbh other games of this nature could learn a thing or two from it.

[The Duke]

To beat the game? No. It took me about three hours. It may even be a little too on the easy side.

But going for the S+ Ranks? That seems absolutley brutal to me. So I guess it depends on what you consider to be 'beating' the game as to if its hard or not.

[Revalopod]

I did S+ on all levels on demo :)

[Songbird]

Reaction time isn't really the key to success in this kind of game so much as learning how to keep moving around so you don't have to focus on dodging many things and only have to worry about a few important ones. Like you want all the blue bullets to be aiming in an area you have already left so you don't have to think about them. If you kill stuff fast enough then you don't have to worry about small fry attacking you and can just charge around freely (as long as you don't run in a straight line directly at things that shoot).

Plus you have easy mode characters like KB+M Aubergine who can just hover the mouse over the general area of enemies without having to worry about silly things like accurate aiming, DPS falloff with distance from character/center of attack, or line of sight, leaving you free to run around however the heck you'd like. Playing a character like Coral (maximum range and non-continuous damage) or Holly (just an outright garbage primary, doesn't kill fast enough even if you shotgun it and can't focus important targets outside of melee range) is a lot harder.

[Revalopod]

Originally posted by Lupus Albus:

Reaction time isn't really the key to success in this kind of game so much as learning how to keep moving around so you don't have to focus on dodging many things and only have to worry about a few important ones. Like you want all the blue bullets to be aiming in an area you have already left so you don't have to think about them. If you kill stuff fast enough then you don't have to worry about small fry attacking you and can just charge around freely (as long as you don't run in a straight line directly at things that shoot).

Plus you have easy mode characters like KB+M Aubergine who can just hover the mouse over the general area of enemies without having to worry about silly things like accurate aiming, DPS falloff with distance from character/center of attack, or line of sight, leaving you free to run around however the heck you'd like. Playing a character like Coral (maximum range and non-continuous damage) or Holly (just an outright garbage primary, doesn't kill fast enough even if you shotgun it and can't focus important targets outside of melee range) is a lot harder.

isnt holly the homing bullets one? That character helped me get S+ on all levels, its EASY

[CalvinHobbes]

As a casual gamer who has just defeated the third boss I will say this game isn't so much difficult as it is poorly designed for a casual gamer. Which is fine, not all games have to cater to casual gamers.

Like many shooters there is not difficulty setting. I'm sure there are lots of strategies you can use, but for a casual gamer it seems that the best approached is to just shoot like mad and run around.

You don't have to worry about dying in the game but you have to continually recharge your battery. This rewards agressive play, standing back and picking your shots doesn't work. Exactly the type of gameplay I don't want as a casual gamer.

I was stuck on the third boss (Justice) for quite a while. I tried the various androids and various attack methods. I got absolutely nowhere. So I looked on youtube for a beginers video on defeating this boss. The solution was to simply stand in front of the boss and shoot as much as possible. It eventually worked for me and of course it was boring and not at all satisfying.

For more accomplished fans of shooters I imagine this game is great. But for this casual gamer it leaves a lot to be desired.

[CalvinHobbes]

Given up after reaching world 4, level 4. I tried all the different androids several times each. Just too tough for this casual gamer and not much fun. I really don't like the battery idea.