Acceleration Of Suguri X Edition

Apparently, Acceleration Of Suguri X Edition (AoSXE) is a game about little android girls, ready to beat the semi-sentient mecha-pulp out of each other. Seemingly, because launching the game offers naught but a straight confusion as it has no interlude and the premise to each story mode is strange at best. Well no, it is completely nonsensical and quite mind-boggling. Ever heard a robot girl discuss the fact that pudding is the downfall of mankind? Although hilariously entertaining, this doesn’t immediately create an empathic bond for the characters involved.

It’s debatable whether the doujin style of AoSXE warrants use of such senseless fantasy, but what is certain is that fans of anime won’t be disappointed with the weird factor. From the cute girl dolls on your screen all the way down to the pumping techno music, the presentation lives and breathes the oriental aficionado’s tastes; perhaps even more than traditional franchises. Special effects drown your screen in flashy colors and excessive lasers; keeping your attention span to a premium height at all times with the use of nice shiny things. Unfortunately, most of these are very rough around the edges and the backgrounds are even more basic. But luckily, none of it will ever be noticeable, as your eye is constantly drawn to the insane amount of action on the screen.

Prepare for tons of crap on your screen in Acceleration Of Suguri X Edition

Fighting with android dolls isn’t your run-of-the-mill 2D combat. No; the fierce aerial battles are laden with missiles, lasers, slashes and ungodly explosions the size of small moons. In addition, all these attacks occur in rapid succession and a screen is quickly filled with projectiles and fast-moving characters. This hectic scenery can both be a positive as a negative trait, as action is always at a climatic level, but is very confusing. It doesn’t help that an inch-high android is easily lost in between all the luster and as each second counts, getting lost amidst explosions might ultimately lead to a timely demise.

The incredible fast pace of combat is divided in between a handful of simple, but huge assaults. Two weapon buttons can create a series of projectile and melee attacks, combinable with a special button for variation. A shield and dodging will keep characters from harm, but will also create even more movement; once again enhancing the swift action. This culminates with the use of flashy Hyper attacks, which get filled in a special bar by assailing the opponent. In addition, AoSXE also implements a Heat counter, which elevates damage as the percentage rises and keeps players on their toes.

Your cutesy inch-high androids fire weaponry several times larger than themselves.

Alternating between actions is easy, swift, but also recommended, as specific attacks counter others more efficiently than others and opponents will ultimately adapt to fighting styles. Still, most actions can get broken down by spamming missile barrages and then moving in for the kill. Specifically, the characters that spawn the most projectiles, such as Nanako or Hime, are usually the hardest to foil; which might lead to some occasional frustration.

Most girls offer a differentiating move set of basic attacks and each has its strengths, but also some flaws. Some combinations offer little satisfaction or do not create the damage one would expect form it, rendering such a move obsolete. Furthermore, Kyoko is mostly useless, both as a playable character and an opponent. It seems her sole purpose of the game is to take a savage beating, as her crystal attack style will only work in defensive form, which is not fun to play at all. Also, there are 3 different instances of Suguri; one instance with her contemplating a Melon, go figure. There is a heavy similarity between gameplay, but at least not nearly enough to feel monotone. In any case, the second splitting action will never allow for extravagance anyway.

Screw the screen caption; here's a girl contemplating her melons. Get it? Melons?

With a nonsensical tale and the stories lasting under an hour of completion, it’s hard to create a bond with AoSXE. Therefore, the format is best enjoyed in accessible bursts of instant action that can be completed in less than 10 minutes each time. It is only after the state of confusion finally subsides that the game will grow into something more than a random button spam attack. Still, AoSXE is an acquired taste, which is best suitable for the doujin community. People that find themselves with small attention spans, which make their game sessions short, can find solace in a game they can always pick up and complete in concise bursts. But outside of its comfort zone, its flaws, simplicity and brevity will become more of a hard sell as it spans out to a more hardcore fighting crowd.

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Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed.