Graceful Explosion Machine Reviews

Graceful Explosion Machine is ranked in the 71st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
IGN
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Apr 11, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine builds an intense, addictive shoot-em-up around a satisfying weapon-juggling system and smart enemies. The Switch’s HD Rumble adds a unique feeling to every explosion in this colorful shooter, and earning a good spot on the leaderboard is an intense challenge thanks to dense swarms of enemies. But even when a pesky foe slapped down my scoring run, I always had the urge to jump back into these crowded corridors and try again.

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Apr 6, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is the gaming equivalent of empty calories. It's pretty to look at, super smooth, and has some interesting weapons, but there's no real hook to keep you sustained beyond the act of moving around and blowing up aliens.

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7 / 10.0
Apr 6, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is a fun little space shooter with nice visuals and audio that is worth your time and money if you're a high score hound. Even if you're not, there are far worse games on the Switch currently, and not many that only ask a few minutes of your time to complete a level, which makes this the perfect game to play on the go. It's pretty good.

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TheSixthAxis
Top Critic
5 / 10
Aug 7, 2017

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Graceful Explosion Machine, and if you enjoy chasing high scores then it will provide you with a decent challenge. For the the rest of us, it's a dinky little shooter that you can complete in a couple of hours and will forget about in half that time.

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8 / 10.0
Apr 6, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is a little, smart and funny shoot'em up that perfectly suits the Switch hybrid nature.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Aug 7, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is a must play for arcade shooters with its precision gameplay, accessibility, and presentation.

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8 / 10.0
Apr 6, 2017

The first Canadian-made game for Switch – a simple, colourful space shooter – delivers a bit of bite-sized bliss

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90 / 100
Apr 10, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is the perfect arcade style shooter, and one of the best Switch games available right now. Its fluid, addictive gameplay and flashy yet minimal visuals pair well with a variety of challenging enemies, and it’s great for sessions lasting for a few minutes or a couple hours.

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Apr 14, 2017

Frustration aside, GEM is a solid arcade shooter with a brilliant art design, decent tunes and a nice rhythm to its gameplay.

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8 / 10
Aug 7, 2017

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.

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88 / 100
Aug 11, 2017

There are graphics that pop with color, and an entrancing techno soundtrack that just keeps pulling you into the frenzy.

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9 / 10
Apr 6, 2017

Overall, Graceful Explosion Machine is a masterful example of how to do an arcade shooter right. Eye-catching visuals and extremely fine-tuned gameplay combine to make this a memorable and compelling experience for anybody looking to get into a faster paced, action focused game. That being said, there is a minor element of repetitiveness which never goes away entirely; the selling point comes not from the amount of levels, but from how many times you'll be playing each one.We give Graceful Explosion Machine a very strong recommendation, all told; considering the amount of polish and replayability on offer, this is quite the bang for your buck.

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80 / 100
Jul 30, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is a small but great arcade shooter that proves to be fun and addictive.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Aug 7, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine certainly lives up to its name, but narrow-minded design and a complete lack of multiplayer deflate the experience.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 10, 2017

There are a lot of great ideas found within Graceful Explosion Machine, and I can't wait to see how they're build upon in future games. 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.

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Apr 11, 2017

All in all, Graceful Explosion Machine does what it advertises, offers a fun arcade shooter experience, with a significant amount of replay value after you finish your first go round with the game. The vibrant colors and the background music, along with the simplistic yet deep controls, make for a fun experience on and off the road. Graceful Explosion Machine is definitely a must have for your Nintendo Switch.

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4 / 5.0
Apr 6, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is fantastic arcade action where being able to plan while forced into close-quarter shooting is the only way to survive.

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9 / 10
Oct 5, 2017

Graceful Explosion Machine is a fast-paced and action-packed release that is highly addictive. You'll end up returning over and over again to each level as you first aim to get A grades in all of them before you move up to getting an S rank on them from near-perfect start-to-finish runs in each level, building up massive combos as you avoid being hit by enemies. There's plenty of content here and a nice variety of enemies to make this one an easy game to recommend on PS4.

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8.5 / 10.0
Apr 6, 2017

undefined.Graceful Explosion Machine is an intelligently designed 2D shooter for the Switch. The developers obviously put a lot of thought into the weapon and high score systems and made a title that you’ll want to replay over and over. The Nintendo Switch may still have a low number of retail releases, but Graceful Explosion Machine is another indie title that will keep you enthralled on both the go and at home.

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8.5 / 10.0
Apr 9, 2017

To me that's what fascinates and has surprised me about GEM, it has somehow has created a serene experience for more casual players while providing the means for maximum intensity for the people who'll chase scores. Aside from people who dislike shooters entirely I don't see where the game has any downside. Graceful Explosion Machine has both style and challenge to spare, and at its low cost of entry it is very easy to recommend to casual and intense gamers alike.

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