Armed 7 DX

Genre: Compilation / Bullet Hell Shmup

Players: 1

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Review:

Note: This game is included in the Shmup Collection Compilation, along with Satazius Next and Wolflame

Armed 7 DX is a Compilation of two Bullet Hell Shmup games, Armed Seven, originally released on PC in 2015, and its remake, Armed 7 DX, apparently exclusive to this release on Nintendo Switch in 2020. These games have you fighting enemies as a heavily-armed flying mech.

Game	Genre	# of Players	Grade
Armed Seven	Bullet Hell Shmup	1	C+
tl;dr This Shmup has a classic old-school feel to it and some great action, although the way the game changes the angle you’re firing is a bit off-putting and can make for some awkward re-adjustment in the middle of a heated firefight.
Armed 7 DX	Bullet Hell Shmup	1	C
tl;dr This game has the exact same gameplay as Armed Seven, but with redone graphics. Honestly, I find the more colorful graphics in this release to be garish and unappealing. I see no reason to play this when you can just play the original instead.

Both games in this compilation feature 2D visuals that are reminiscent of pixel art Shmups of old, although DX’s style, as noted above, is more colorful and cartoonish, and not in a way I find appealing.

As for the gameplay, this would be a solid Shmup if it wasn’t for the awkward way your weapon re-orients its angle when you’re not firing, again something I mention above. While this may help set the game apart from others in the genre, I really would have preferred an option here to lock it in place, or at least allow manual adjustment using the shoulder buttons or something like that. As-is, it’s not a fatal flaw to these games, just a bit of frustration.

I suppose one other thing I should mention here is that this game is pretty unforgiving, even for a genre known for being unforgiving. Three lives, no continue, and your mech is pretty big compared to the size of the screen, meaning you’ll often feel you don’t have much room to maneuver.

If you’re looking for a challenging Shmup with a retro flavor, Armed 7 DX is a solid choice, if primarily for the original Armed Seven and not so much its remake. It’s a flawed game, but it’s still one that’s largely well-crafted and has some good action.

tl;dr – Armed 7 DX is a Compilation of Shmups that includes Armed Seven and its remake, the titular Armed 7 DX. Between the two, I actually prefer the original, but both are good Shmups, if a bit flawed due to some awkward control issues.

Grade: C+

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