Graceful Explosion Machine

In a time where some of the best and worst titles sell for 50 or 60 dollars, this is some of the most fun I’ve had in a while and all for a minimal hit to your wallet.

This is a satisfying shoot-'em-up. It won't grip you for hours on end, but its combat will keep you dipping back in occasionally to blast your friends off the leaderboards. [Oct 2017, p.87]

Graceful Explosion Machine is a gorgeous and innovative take on a now ancient genre of arcade shooter. The weapon system brings an element of combo juggling to the combat and challenge runs are addictive and, crucially, not too punishing. Simply put, this is another top-notch PS4 shmup.

I never got the itch to better my scores after completing a level (some sort of unlockable structure would’ve helped), but I found myself enjoying the challenge that Vertex Pop had on offer more often than not. Occasionally it veers into being more frustrating than fun, but the joy of finally beating a level you failed several times before is worth those bouts of annoyance.

Graceful Explosion Machine boasts exciting and frantic shooting action, colorful visuals, and a well implemented combo scoring system. However, it's dragged down somewhat by a lack of creative level design and too many things happening onscreen at once. That being said, it's still a generally refined and overall enjoyable shooter.

Graceful Explosion Machine is a cerebral shoot 'em up that offers some good action but isn't as exciting, varied or dynamic as its best contemporaries.

Overall, Graceful Explosion Machine is an amusing rainbow of geometric bombast, suffering slightly from repetitive gameplay. However, it hits the spot for those who want to turn off their brains, enjoy some colorful chaos and rack up a huge combo, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.

Graceful Explosion Machine is a twitch-based shooter that is one part mentally stimulating and another part emotionally exhilarating. It’s not for everyone, though. You have to play through levels over and over again, trying to achieve combos and the best grades, to get the most out of this title. If you don’t dabble in score attack games, then you won’t enjoy the repetitive looping levels filled with the same enemies. A lack of bosses and endless mode leave something to be desired as well. But if you appreciate the fine art of racking up high scores, then this shoot ‘em up is a true gem.