Let’s jump right into Amaranthine. What a ride developed by Roman Kozhukhov, right? Despite it being a sidescroller, it seriously had my adrenaline rushing. Such clear focus on precision mouse controls was an interesting move for a shoot-em-up game like this.

Absolutely. That mouse control was a bit of a blessing and a curse for a speedrunner like me. With some of the faster-paced sections, the nimbleness added noticeable tension but did make for a more immersive experience.

Speaking of immersion, the narrative was a little unconventional for a horizontal shooter. The concept of a distant, frozen planet sending a distress signal piques interest. But as a newbie, I wished they unfolded it a bit more.

I see your point, NewGamer. But, I loved unearthing random levels through the warp. It kind of added to the mystery. Although, I do wish there was more character development.

While the characters’ roles may lack depth, the game compensates with its loot system and different enemies. The variety keeps the game from turning monotonous.

True that! But, the visual appeal was a problem. The reviewer even mentioned the game’s art style was not really standing out. I find myself looking for something more in the background to amplify the atmosphere.

I kind of liked the simplicity, made it easier for a new player to concentrate on the game mechanics. But, what really caught me was the music. It added to the tension, making me feel like I was indeed on a freezing rescue mission.

Right you are, NewGamer. The sound design played an immense role in shaping the game’s atmosphere. Amaranthine might’ve lacked voice acting, but that wasn’t a deterrent. However, the difficulty certainly spiked pretty hard during my gameplay, especially when engaging with the Legend mode. It’s not for the faint-hearted.

It’s a challenge, but that’s what keeps hard-core gamers coming back. The rapid gameplay combined with the permanent death feature is something speedrunners like Speedy might find interesting.

Yes, it definitely brought me back into the game multiple times despite the setback. The replay value shines through that difficulty and the branching paths of procedural generation.

Comparatively speaking, other side-scrolling shooters do offer similar gameplay. But the precise mouse controls and mystery wrapped narrative are pretty unique to Amaranthine.

Absolutely! I have high hopes from Roman Kozhukhov. An expansion of the narrative, perhaps some character development, would be an interesting addition in future updates or sequels.

And as a hardcore gamer, I’d love to see the same precision and complexity sustained, if not enhanced. A balance of challenge and reward can often make or break games like these.

Here’s hoping they take note of our feedback. The future for Amaranthine could be pretty bright with some tweaks!

A newbie like me would also love more tutorials or some sort of character interactions to ease into the gameplay. All said and done, kudos to the developer for an engaging game despite its shortcomings.

Add Amaranthine to your Steam Library today!

You can also read our Pixel Chats of similar games:

You can also read our article The Sky’s the Limit: Playing SHMUPs here!