Hopeless Sea

First of all: This game had quite a few bugs, including forced shutdowns, but at the time of writing this review, most of them have been fixed. In addition, the developers are actively working on updates, and the game is being refined over time, so there is no need to worry too much. Post-apocalyptic world caused by global warming. It has created a tremendous threat in the form of giant marine creatures. The story is about heroines who stand up to protect humanity. The fact that the player controls only anime girls is a major plus. Personally, I was highly motivated to play through to the end. While the visuals appear simple at first glance, the game is surprisingly engaging as a shoot'em up, incorporating modern elements such as various aircraft with distinct base abilities, main/sub weapons, relics obtained through random choices, and purchasable supplies earned from enemy defeat points. At the time of writing, enemies are extremely tough. However, the combination of aircraft and main/sub weapons plus additional synergies makes it surprisingly manageable, and the process of considering these elements is incredibly enjoyable. Additionally, the relics obtained upon clearing each…

I decided to give this one a try. Getting straight to the point the game is decent in the grand scheme but currently needs a lot of work before I can fully support it. It’s a roguelike STG which in my opinion is somewhat hard to nail down considering the nature of randomness and what the developer decides to make procedurally generated. I’ve 1CCed the game on the hardest difficulty and found it to be very generous but also somewhat spacious at times. The game involves you choosing a ship type and being able to unlock different kinds of ship types during multiple runs. After a stage you are able to upgrade your shot type, health and acquire more bombs. The game gives a snowball effect making you pretty powerful by the end of the game. The game has a cool artstyle and the chiptune music is a nice touch. It’s a very casual shmup experience. Because it’s a roguelike, the game can at the same time feel like there's a lack of variety especially considering the stages aren’t really stages but new “waves of enemies”. On hard, there were heavy amounts of downtime where the enemies don’t immediately spawn and you’re left just scrolling. I assume that is a bug though. The game’s bullet sp…

Not for me.

Alright. After clearing hard mode, I have to make some critiques. Before I dive in, the game is fun. It has a cool aesthetic which I really enjoy. The nautical theme is fun. I overall like the game, but the game has some big problems. All of them involving the game's difficulty. First, the AI of the enemies needs to be tweaked. All enemies come from the top of the screen and travel downwards. You can easily camp the top of the screen after just a few upgrades and stop many enemies from spawning. This is even an issue in hard mode. Even just having enemies that spawn from different points of the screen and travel up or across would help a lot. Elite enemies should probably have more of a presence, maybe firing sooner than they do so that you can't delete them before they fire. Basically, if you are anything above a noob at shmups, you will be able to manipulate the AI too easily even on the hardest difficulty. The game is way too easy. Second, the characters need to have fixed weapons and undergo some balance changes. No more choosing your own weapons. The characters are laughably unbalanced as they are. The pirate lady I unlocked first is INSANELY overpowered with her bullet can…

What I love most about Hopeless Sea is how personal it feels. It’s not just about dodging bullets and surviving waves. It’s about carving your own path. The game gives you these personality upgrades that let you shape how you want to progress. Like, if you want to hoard diamonds and rake in points? Go for it! Or if you prefer turning your ship into a weapon-upgrade beast? That’s totally valid. It respects your style and lets you lean into it. The visual design is super smart too. The bluish gray for the world, bright orange for enemies and bullets. It’s not flashy, but it’s striking, and more importantly, it’s clear. You always know what to focus on. That clarity gives the whole game a smooth, focused feel that really pulls you in. Even though I haven’t unlocked the other ships yet, I already feel like I have freedom in how I play, thanks to the ability to choose your weapon loadout. It makes each run feel like it belongs to you, not just a repeat of the last one. Tight controls, great atmosphere, and just enough freedom to make every decision feel like it matters. Hopeless Sea really nails that sweet spot. Highly recommend it, whether you're a longtime shmup fan or just looking…

A fun arcade shoot 'em up roguelike that is pretty challenging as well!