Project Starship X (2020)

Despite its unconventional structure, Starship Project X is an undeniably creative endeavour. It's clear that the developer has enjoyed making it, and it manages, against all odds, to do something new and interesting with the often tired shoot-em-up premise. Once you learn its catalogue of obstacles and sync with its immediacy, it gets a lot more manageable and enjoyable, and trying to finish stages unscathed is a fun pursuit. Unfortunately, no matter how skilled you become, the experience is occasionally marred by unexpected attack overlaps and ensuing ship positioning struggles. While the balance isn't perfect, and its longevity in terms of holding your attention is questionable, it deserves applause for its originality and its short, fun, adrenaline-fuelled nature: the kind arcade gaming was designed for.

Something will always change every time we take off for another adventure in the colorful and crazy space of Project Starship X. The game makes great use of very simple mechanics in conjunction with random elements, resulting in a fun and addictive experience within the shoot 'em up genre. What I liked most was the fact that it is not a game that becomes too easy after we learn or memorize the patterns of the enemies.

Project Starship X is a wild and wacky space shooter that is enjoyable to play in small bursts. It sometimes feels more time was given to making the game funny than making it a more solid shooter. Some will get the joke but if you lean too heavily into this design some will certainly not. If you’re looking for a game to play in short bursts with some rough edges then Project Starship X is sure to provide an enjoyable and hopefully funny experience for you.

Project Starship X is a prime example of what happens when a developer puts a lot of effort and love into creating a stand-out sequel.

Project Starship X feels fantastic in every sense of the word. The difficulty is tough but fair, the levels are wildly diverse with recognizable patterns, and there’s replayability for miles. I greatly enjoyed playing in on my PS4, although I think I would have preferred the more personal, mobile Switch version — there’s something about having all these flashing lights and phenomenal chiptunes up close and personal. Regardless, Project Starship X delivers no matter where you play it, which I strongly encourage you do. Whether this is your first shmup or your 400th, Project Starship X does not disappoint, providing an addicting, engaging assault to the eyes and ears you won’t be able to quit.