Fortunately, it turned out that the speculation was spot on. Crimzon Clover takes the form of a typically frenetic bullet hell shmup—or shoot-’em-up, to use the more traditional term—and it does it very well indeed. Like many of the best shmups, it blends a hyperactive, overwhelming pace with tremendous scoring depth, and is challenging, rewarding, and wildly exciting in equal measure. If you’re imagining sweeping, terrifyingly dense bullet patterns realized in neon colors that intersect as a player ship weaves through unfeasibly small gaps while gunning down a barrage of enemies, you have exactly the right type of game in mind.
And it is available to play once more. At the close of last year, doujin studio Yotsubane’s creation arrived on Steam under the title Crimzon Clover: World EXplosion—given a thorough polish and a range of new and tweaked modes. Its return made it hard to resist pondering the mystique around the original release, and just how well this hobbyist curio turned cult hit holds up today.
ORIGIN STORY
It’s worth noting here that Crimzon Clover’s distinct origin story was a huge part of its appeal, all those years ago. But surely that element of a game’s appeal fades with time? Or perhaps not…
This story is from the April 2022 edition of PC Gamer US Edition.
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This story is from the April 2022 edition of PC Gamer US Edition.
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