Developer: Inlet Pipe Productions
Publisher: Inlet Pipe Productions, EastAsiaSoft
Platform: PC, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Shuttlecock-H – Review
EastAsiaSoft is known for its fairly lewd titles and due to this, their games also attract a certain type of audience. We have tried out several games from the Pretty Girls series, which proved to be simple games with a sexy girl theme, but we have also taken a closer look at Seven Pirates H, which turned out to be quite an amusing RPG with a cast of busty ladies in the lead. Now, we are taking a closer look at Inlet Pipe Productions’ Shuttlecock-H, a bullet-hell game where anime girls strip down the further you get in the game. We dove in with very low expectations but eventually ended up quite surprised by the overall gameplay loop.
Story
Even though Shuttlecock-H allows you to choose between three different girls, who all have a few lines of random text, there is absolutely no story value present in the game. The short dialogues in the game are probably on the same level as the intrinsic plot of an adult movie where the pizza delivery guy stumbles upon a lonely housewife. If you dive in with very low expectations when it comes to an overarching story, you’re probably good to go.
Graphics
Shuttlecock-H has two different aspects that define its visuals. On the left side of the screen, you’ll have your play area, in which you fly around a shuttlecock in space trying to avoid bullets and other obstacles. This portion reminded us of older similar arcade titles and the simplistic visuals ensure things remain clear when trying to dodge incoming projectiles. While the graphics here are nothing to write home about, they suffice for the gameplay that is being offered. On the right side of the screen, you’ll see your chosen anime girl, who will strip down and cycle through a few different poses the further you progress. This portion of the game gets quite explicit, as the girls bare all, albeit with their privates being censored. This means that the game does still show exposed breasts, and the further you get, the girls will also position themselves giving you the impression you’re supposedly having intercourse. This felt like a bit too much and it didn’t really support the otherwise fun gameplay loop.
Sound
The sound design is okay, albeit nothing special. The soundtrack is rather forgettable, as well as the sound effects utilized. There is truly not that much more to say about the game’s soundscape.
Gameplay
Shuttlecock-H is an arcade bullet hell game in which cute anime girls strip down the further you progress. This is not a traditional bullet hell game, however, as you’re unable to shoot yourself and you will have to dodge incoming projectiles and other obstacles while also collecting hearts. These hearts will aid you in your quest to undress the girls. During all this, you only have a very slow-recharging boost at your disposal which can also draw in the hearts when activated.
Overall, there is actually not that much to tell when it comes to the overall gameplay. You fly around, you try to dodge projectiles and obstacles and collect hearts, and that’s basically it. The controls are fairly tight, but in some situations, it’s almost impossible to dodge incoming projectiles. Per level, you can take three hits, and when you get hit, all hearts on the screen will disappear. This means that if you get hit, you will not be able to collect all hearts in that level. When you have sufficient hearts, the girls will start posing in more explicit manners.
Truth be told, we didn’t mind the overall theme of the game, as adult games are simply a thing. We did mind that this aspect overshadowed the actual decent gameplay loop. The theme didn’t feel fleshed out and it felt like it was solely there to just sell the game to horny gamers who couldn’t care less about the gameplay. Sadly for them, they’ll actually have to put in a fair amount of work to have the girls bare all. The levels are quite hard to beat, and if you don’t collect enough hearts in the levels, you will not see any of the girls in their most explicit poses. When you beat the game, you’re also getting some extra levels to play through. These levels, however, do not have any explicit content.
Conclusion
Under the explicit theme and the weird nonsensical dialogues, you’ll find a fairly enjoyable gameplay loop of dodging incoming projectiles in a bullet hell setting. While we understand the popularity of adult games, we found that space battles didn’t mesh well with the weird day-to-day happenings in the dialogues. With a coherent story and a theme that wasn’t all over the place, this one could be turned into a fun adult title. As it stands now, you’re getting a fun arcade title with some naked anime ladies thrown on the side of your screen.
No Comments