Dodonpachi Resurrection Review (Steam)

by Jim Smale · May 24, 2022

For our Dodonpachi Resurrection Review, we go back to The legendary bullet-hell shoot-’em-up series that has come to Steam! DoDonPachi is resurrected after a Blissful Death with enough modes to satisfy the beginner and the expert player alike. Tonight we dine in bullet hell!

Dodonpachi Resurrection Review Pros:

Beautiful Anime style graphics.
1.94GB Download size.
Steam achievements.
Full controller support.
Shmup gameplay.
Steam cloud services.
Screen settings – fullscreen, aspect ratio, rotate screen including TATE mode and link rotation. (game window moves with controller direction)
Score settings – display y/n, high score display, X and y sliders for window position of scores.
Show input display.
Extra window with multiple locations and how many screens you have.
Soundtrack options – Ver 1.5, others ver 1.5, arrange a, others arrange a, arrange b, others arrange b, black label, others black label, BL arrange, and others BL arrange.
Japanese and English language choice.
Full online leaderboards for each game type and friends only.
Three game modes – play, score attack, and training.
Watch the replays gallery.
8 game versions (all available right away) Ver 1.5, others ver 1.5, arrange a, others arrange a, arrange b, others arrange b, black label, others black label, BL arrange, and others BL arrange.
Fast loading times.
Can rebind controls for each player and for both the controller and the keyboard.
47 wallpapers to decorate around the screen.
You can set if the soundtrack changes and how often.
Brightness slider.
Game screen settings – smoothing, X and y position sliders, zoom a and y sliders.
Game config – 1 – 5 lives, 1 – 4 difficultly, set how many points are needed to gain extra lives.
Settings affect achievements and you are pre-warned.
Three ships – set if bomb/power/strong style.
Destructible elements in the level that uncover bonus scores.
Combo counter.
Some of the tightest, responsive controls.
Big boss battles with smaller scale mid-level boss fights.
Explosions all over the place.
You have multiple shot types.
Bullet hell to the extreme.
So much fun to play.
The music is some of, if not the best in the series.
Proper arcade presentation and atmosphere.
Gets very addictive.
Restart level option.
Cool looking locations.
A special ability that allows you to clear enemy projectiles.
Awesome boss animations and transformations.
Collect smart Bombs in the game and use them to do an area of effect attack/defense.
Pure chaotic fun.
Accessible to new and veteran players.
End of level breakdown with an overall rank.
Local co-op play with a jump in and out Co-op.

Dodonpachi Resurrection Review Cons:

Every now and then the aspect ratio will go wrong and not load correctly.
Settings can affect achievements.
No real description for each of the game types and styles, this is a new player issue.
The slowdown in places.
Daunting at first as it is a very busy screen with little room for error.
A lot of menus to navigate especially when trying to quit the game.

Dodonpachi Resurrection:

Official website.

Developer: Cave

Publisher: Cave

Store Links –

Steam

10/10
Graphics - 10/10
10/10
Sound - 10/10
9/10
Accessibility - 9/10
9/10
Length - 9/10
10/10
Fun Factor - 10/10

9.6/10

Summary

Dodonpachi has always been the first name mentioned when you talk about shmups, Dodonpachi is and still is the benchmark that all other games are measured against and after playing this, I can see why. I am in no way a good player, I am a put infinite lives on and have fun kinda guy and it has not disappointed me at all. The music is incredible, the vast array of game types and styles is staggering and its just so much God dam fun to play, Veterans have spoken much about this port and the general consensus is that this is a solid port in terms of gameplay but also performance, take my word for it as this performance and options stuff really matters to the hardcore and here it is intact. I will never be an awesome player but I will forever be a fan and at any opportunity, I will play it and play it again and again.