WITCH-BOT MEGLILO

Third game developed under the Astro Port banner but only seventh to reach Steam, [b]Meglilo[/b] has the most bizarre premise out of their games: a spin-off of [b]Vulkaiser[/b] where a magical girl, killed while defending the mecha's inventor, is rebuilt by him into a cyborg who fights the Gogoh Army at the same time as Vulkaiser, with a strong dose of dark, cynical humour - see the recurring gag of "Let's wait and see what happens". She even fights a copycat at some point like Vulkaiser did. When a boss fight happens she summons a "Marchen Dimension" that begs many questions about what type of magical kingdom she hails from. The following AP game, ostensibly set in the very same universe thirty or so years later, is [b]Gigantic Army[/b]... In a gimmick I haven't seen in many shmups to my memory, the heroine has no bombs or other special attacks but rather a warp system that, upon use, stops the action and allows to move instantly where indicated, getting safely out of obstacles and bullet barrages that would otherwise be impossible to avoid. It can't be used indefinitely and recharges faster while not shooting, which can get quite difficult at times as enemies may come even in la…

Ha Ha very funny to reset the game if you press 'Space'. Also volume is loud and no way to adjust it. But once you have gotten past this nonsense above there is a tough game here underneath. Typical again that practice is needed if you intend to survive tougher difficulties. You have the ability to stop time and teleport to another direction. Just don't overdo it or you run out of juice for that critical ability and get wrecked by the bullet storm. So yeah practice and patience needed. For me even at bite sizes of this game every now and then is quite enough if i pay the price by getting whacked around level 5 and 6 too easily. But it's still entertaining when you want some of that bullet hell goodness. I wish i would stop grazing them shots though. No Limit breaks, star collecting or grazing counters or anything here but what can you do, habits from other games just don't go away easily.

very funny Japan game, play it on easy and marvel at the cutscenes that the game will grace you with. Fun teleport gimmick as well that I found myself especially needing to use in the final level, happy this was made in english

You know, I'll be happy if all the games I buy for the rest of my life are identical Astro Port games with one unique gameplay mechanic. This one is part of their weirdly connected storyline, where all of their games take place, but it's supposed to be a bit more comedic and tongue in cheek than the others. Astro Port is usually inspired by nostalgia, both in terms of subject matter and gameplay; so their library has shmups like Raiden, or shmups inspired by 1970s Super Robots, or side-scrollers inspired by Assault Suits Valken and so on. This is based on... magical girls. Sort of. It's subversive to the trope. Just don't skip the intro sequence the game starts. Gameplay-wise, it's fine. It's up to Astro Port's usual standard, in terms of both quality and style. If you've played their other shmups, you know what to expect of this one. Its unique gameplay mechanic is the ability to warp to different areas of the screen and reposition yourself. Visuals are fine, colorful, intentionally cartoon-like. Sound's fine too. The only thing I wish they'd implement already is free play. The training mode doesn't count. Let that 1CC be the goal, not the requirement. Other than that, if you …

The story made me laugh a lot, I loved the presentation and the character designs. The sprites are amazing, the level design is super creative and fun, the teleport keeps things from being too overwhelming and isn't forced too often. Play this game it's good. NOTE: for some reason, clicking anywhere will skip things like cutscenes. Don't skip the cutscenes, wait and see what happens

WITCH-BOT MEGLILO, developed by ASTRO PORT and published by Henteko Doujin, is a high-energy 2D vertical shoot ’em up that blends classic arcade sensibilities with eccentric sci-fi flair and anime-inspired character design. At first glance, it embraces the familiar structure of traditional bullet hell shooters: waves of enemies flood the screen, projectiles form intricate patterns, and reflexes are tested to their limits. However, beneath that familiar foundation lies a distinctive mobility mechanic and a playful narrative tone that help it stand apart from more conventional entries in the genre. You take control of Meglilo, a magical-girl-turned-cybernetic-warrior who faces off against the eccentric Gogoh Army and their over-the-top commanders. The story unfolds through short, comedic cutscenes that add personality without interrupting the pace for too long. While the narrative is intentionally absurd and lighthearted, it provides context for the escalating battles and gives the game a unique identity. Rather than presenting a solemn sci-fi epic, WITCH-BOT MEGLILO leans into campy humor and exaggerated character interactions, reinforcing its energetic, arcade-style presentation. …