Chris Trottier on Nostr: Released in 2013, Danmaku Unlimited 2 (DU2) is a vertically scrolling bullet hell ...
Released in 2013, Danmaku Unlimited 2 (DU2) is a vertically scrolling bullet hell shoot ‘em up (a.k.a., shmup). “Danmaku” is the Japanese term for “bullet hell”, and this game stays true to its name. This is the second game in the Danmaku Unlimited series.
I’ve played this game for hours and beaten it too, and I still don’t know if it has a story. To be truthful, it really doesn’t matter. What’s most important here is that, like all bullet hell shoot ‘em ups, you’re taking on an assortment of ships with increasingly fancy ways to kill you.
I’m confident in saying this is one of the best bullet hell games of all time. The gameplay is top tier. Like other similar games, there’s a primary fire and secondary fire. However, there’s a mechanic called “bullet grazing” where you get as close to a bullet as possible in order to build your gauge to unleash “trance mode”. This creates an incredibly powerful attack that can take down almost anything, including big bosses, but your trance mode is only available for a very limited time.
The graphics for Danmaku Unlimited 2 are not only bright, shiny, and furious, they’re also hallucinatory. Even though this game is 12 years old, I feel like it looks timeless. The 2.5D polygonal action is fast and furious, and the ship models are exceptional.
However, I do have a gripe. Because this game was initially designed as a mobile game, it is meant to have a portrait mode orientation. However, on PC, you are forced to play this game on landscape mode. If you change your monitor’s display to portrait, the game will simply say that it does not support your screen’s resolution. Many people have asked the developer to offer portrait mode, but so far, he hasn’t been interested in making it available.
Frustrating? Yes, but I can live with this because Danmaku Unlimited 2 is that good.
You see, this game has another ace up its sleeve, and that’s the killer soundtrack by Japanese composer Blankfield who peppers this entire game with ferocious heavy metal guitar paired with delicious electronic drum and bass. Mind you, the sound effects during the boss battles tend to take a back seat, but that is forgivable seeing how Blankfield makes such catchy music.
Most modern PCs can play this game. You need a 2Ghz single core CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 110MB of space. Any GPU will work. While this game was made natively for Windows, it works great on Linux via Proton. I got it to run on Steam Deck without a hitch.
In addition to PC, Danmaku Unlimited 2 was released for iPhone, iPad, and Android. It has not been released on console platforms.
This game has no micro-transactions nor DLC.
Doragon Entertainment made Danmaku Unlimited 2. This is a small Vancouver-based indie studio run by Sunny Tam. He does all the programming and visuals. Working full time on the Danmaku Unlimited series, Sunny has released four games Danmaku Unlimited so far – including an arcade adaption of Danmaku Unlimited 3. Currently, Danmaku Unlimited: WYVER ULTRA is in development.
On Steam, Danmaku Unlimited 2 has a 92% positive rating based on 321 reviews. Most people say this is a well-crafted bullet hell shooter that is amongst the best that the genre has to offer. Amusingly, others stated they bought Danmaku Unlimited 2 purely for the music, with the game being a nice bonus. A few detractors feel the game is slightly uneven.
Generally, I’m a big booster of PC gaming, In general, the definitive release of most modern games is the PC version. But I don’t feel that this is the case for Danmaku Unlimited 2.
Instead, if you want to experience the best possible version of Danmaku Unlimited 2, get yourself an iPad and hook it up to an iCade arcade cabinet. Not only will this allow you to play Danmaku Unlimited 2 is portrait mode – as it was meant to be – it will give you something akin to an arcade joystick and buttons.
But if that’s not an option for you, just buy this game for an iOS or Android device. It is a better experience. On iOS, Danmaku Unlimited 2 costs C$6.99, but it is truly worth it. The game has a 4.7 user rating on the App Store.
The PC version of Danmaku Unlimited is for us rubes who want the budget option. The regular price is C$5.49, though it’s on sale at a -30% discount at C$3.84. This isn’t to say the PC version is terrible – that’s how I play the game. But I wish it was as good as the iOS and Android versions of the game.
Do I recommend Danmaku Unlimited 2? Absolutely. This game has a cult following for a damn good reason, and that’s because it’s one of the best bullet hell shooters ever made.
I’ve played this game for hours and beaten it too, and I still don’t know if it has a story. To be truthful, it really doesn’t matter. What’s most important here is that, like all bullet hell shoot ‘em ups, you’re taking on an assortment of ships with increasingly fancy ways to kill you.
I’m confident in saying this is one of the best bullet hell games of all time. The gameplay is top tier. Like other similar games, there’s a primary fire and secondary fire. However, there’s a mechanic called “bullet grazing” where you get as close to a bullet as possible in order to build your gauge to unleash “trance mode”. This creates an incredibly powerful attack that can take down almost anything, including big bosses, but your trance mode is only available for a very limited time.
The graphics for Danmaku Unlimited 2 are not only bright, shiny, and furious, they’re also hallucinatory. Even though this game is 12 years old, I feel like it looks timeless. The 2.5D polygonal action is fast and furious, and the ship models are exceptional.
However, I do have a gripe. Because this game was initially designed as a mobile game, it is meant to have a portrait mode orientation. However, on PC, you are forced to play this game on landscape mode. If you change your monitor’s display to portrait, the game will simply say that it does not support your screen’s resolution. Many people have asked the developer to offer portrait mode, but so far, he hasn’t been interested in making it available.
Frustrating? Yes, but I can live with this because Danmaku Unlimited 2 is that good.
You see, this game has another ace up its sleeve, and that’s the killer soundtrack by Japanese composer Blankfield who peppers this entire game with ferocious heavy metal guitar paired with delicious electronic drum and bass. Mind you, the sound effects during the boss battles tend to take a back seat, but that is forgivable seeing how Blankfield makes such catchy music.
Most modern PCs can play this game. You need a 2Ghz single core CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 110MB of space. Any GPU will work. While this game was made natively for Windows, it works great on Linux via Proton. I got it to run on Steam Deck without a hitch.
In addition to PC, Danmaku Unlimited 2 was released for iPhone, iPad, and Android. It has not been released on console platforms.
This game has no micro-transactions nor DLC.
Doragon Entertainment made Danmaku Unlimited 2. This is a small Vancouver-based indie studio run by Sunny Tam. He does all the programming and visuals. Working full time on the Danmaku Unlimited series, Sunny has released four games Danmaku Unlimited so far – including an arcade adaption of Danmaku Unlimited 3. Currently, Danmaku Unlimited: WYVER ULTRA is in development.
On Steam, Danmaku Unlimited 2 has a 92% positive rating based on 321 reviews. Most people say this is a well-crafted bullet hell shooter that is amongst the best that the genre has to offer. Amusingly, others stated they bought Danmaku Unlimited 2 purely for the music, with the game being a nice bonus. A few detractors feel the game is slightly uneven.
Generally, I’m a big booster of PC gaming, In general, the definitive release of most modern games is the PC version. But I don’t feel that this is the case for Danmaku Unlimited 2.
Instead, if you want to experience the best possible version of Danmaku Unlimited 2, get yourself an iPad and hook it up to an iCade arcade cabinet. Not only will this allow you to play Danmaku Unlimited 2 is portrait mode – as it was meant to be – it will give you something akin to an arcade joystick and buttons.
But if that’s not an option for you, just buy this game for an iOS or Android device. It is a better experience. On iOS, Danmaku Unlimited 2 costs C$6.99, but it is truly worth it. The game has a 4.7 user rating on the App Store.
The PC version of Danmaku Unlimited is for us rubes who want the budget option. The regular price is C$5.49, though it’s on sale at a -30% discount at C$3.84. This isn’t to say the PC version is terrible – that’s how I play the game. But I wish it was as good as the iOS and Android versions of the game.
Do I recommend Danmaku Unlimited 2? Absolutely. This game has a cult following for a damn good reason, and that’s because it’s one of the best bullet hell shooters ever made.