Ghost Blade HD Reviews

Ghost Blade HD is ranked in the 28th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
6 / 10.0
Mar 10, 2017

With an easy mode, truncated (basically non-existent outside of "defeat the AI called Shira") story, and a multiplayer option, Ghost Blade HD is a great gateway drug for anyone on the fence about getting back into shmups. It has all the mechanical makings of a great shooter, it just lacks that special spark in a few major areas.

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TheSixthAxis
Top Critic
5 / 10
Mar 3, 2017

Whilst fifteen minutes may seem an incredibly short time for a game to last these days, most arcade shoot ’em ups are short and barely last half an hour. There’s nothing really new or exciting in Ghost Blade HD, but it’s a solid entry to a genre that is almost non-existent on current consoles.

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8 / 10
Feb 28, 2017

Ghost Blade HD is a brilliant entry into the shoot-'em-up genre for both newcomers and veterans alike. It strikes the tricky balance of offering a reasonable challenge to anybody who picks it up, but makes sure that the difficulty never gets out of hand. The deep gameplay and strategy allows for a variety of playstyles, and while the two-player co-op is a let down, the score attack mode will leave you coming back for more after you've bested the main game.

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38 / 100
Mar 19, 2017

Ghost Blade HD is a hollow, unfulfilling, and somewhat tasteless attempt to elicit feelings of spending all your mom’s leftover quarters.

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6 / 10.0
Mar 13, 2017

Ghost Blade HD has the 90s retrograde down pat, delivering a nostalgic retro shooter that’ll bring you back to that favorite arcade of yours. Enough keeps this from being a must buy, but the price point makes it appealing for anyone looking for a good ol’ time.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
6.5 / 10.0
Mar 9, 2017

Ghost Blade HD is a niche game for a specific crowd. Most people know long before booting it up if it is their thing. There is really nothing special about this game, but what it does, it does well. Fans of the genre have yet another hidden gem to check out.

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Mar 6, 2017

Ghost Blade HD is exactly what it appears to be: a bullet hell shmup emulating the pinnacle of the genre in the mid-nineties.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 28, 2017

While Ghost Blade HD isn't for everyone, it's hard to not appreciate it for what it is despite the fact that it's as brutally short as it is challenging: An intricately designed experience of speed and shrapnel coming at you from every single angle. There's a certain layer of subtlety present, but don't expect Ghost Blade HD to redefine the genre. Rather, it's a celebration of everything that made schmups fantastic so many years ago, wrapped up in a tight and bright package.

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7 / 10
Mar 5, 2017

Ghost Blade HD is a game that may be out of its original time but still provides a fun-packed and fluid 2D shooting experience, just like so many others did in decades past. Despite its lacklustre sound environment and rather short lifespan, it's a well-crafted introduction to the genre for many players who never had any contact with 2D shooters and can bring back some good memories for more experienced players.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7 / 10
Mar 16, 2017

Ghost Blade HD is a good bullet hell shooter. The training mode is a solid addition for newcomers to the genre, but in the end if you don't like this kind of game you won't find much to persuade you otherwise here. For score chasers and fans of hardcore arcade shmups, though, there's a lot to like about Ghost Blade HD.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 3, 2017

Ghost Blade HD perfectly captures charm and spirit of arcade shoot ‘em ups, offering all the pros as well as cons of the golden age of the genre from 90s.

Review in Polish | Read full review

6 / 10.0
Mar 19, 2017

While shoot 'em ups are conspicuously underrepresented on modern hardware, Ghost Blade HD's presence amounts to little more than a fleeting cameo. Just because it's the only port in the storm doesn't mean that anyone will stick around after the raging winds subside.

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4 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2017

Fun to begin with, but burns out far too quickly due to a lack of innovation.

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2.5 / 5.0
Mar 15, 2017

For its price and what its trying to do, Ghost Blade HD isn’t the worst time.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 1, 2019

Ultimately, Ghost Blade HD is a wild good-time and excellent shmup experience. While short, the game’s sharp gameplay mechanics and stellar presentation make this an incredibly engaging spaceship shooter that all Nintendo Switch owners should have in their library.

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Digitally Downloaded
Clark A.
Top Critic
Jul 26, 2017

Ghost Blade HD lovingly embraces the history of bullet hell shooters, providing classic substance with modern polish. Though these modern aesthetics proved vexing at times, it's an experience worth seeing through.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
7 / 10
Feb 28, 2017

Ghost Blade HD isn't going to astound its players with exhausting layers of depth, or challenge them in ways never thought possible. Still, it features a strong grasp of the basic necessities that make for a fun and exciting game. The constant loop of dodging bullets, destroying enemies, and collecting their precious stars is solidly executed. The level of difficulty is balanced well, and learning the intricacies of the scoring system will make each playthrough all the more enjoyable. All in all, this STG is a fine way to spend a weekend or three.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 1, 2017

Overall it may look like a typical shmup, but Ghost Blade HD is an exceptional shooter that holds its own against genre heavyweights.

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8 / 10
Mar 15, 2017

Ghost Blade HD is one hell of a lot of fun that does a great job of reminding you of the uncomplicated nature of the genre’s past without the fuzzy visuals.

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7.9 / 10.0
Feb 28, 2017

Ghost Blade HD features incredible classic shoot 'em up gameplay that's as rewarding as the best in the genre.

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