Xbox 360 Critic Reviews

For fans of the genre and developer, Akai Katana is going to be one of the best times you'll have with a game this year. For everyone else, you may just find yourself ascending to bullet hell heaven if you dedicate some time to learning the game's obscure but absolutely thrilling mechanics.

Another inspired descent into bullet hell from the masters at Cave, and one that has both an unusual amount of tactical depth and yet remains surprisingly accessible.

A great choice for both longtime pros and those just getting their feet wet. Just don't let its daunting persona keep you away-while Akai Katana is certainly another case of sink-or-swim, it's quite a lot of fun once you're no longer thrashing about wildly from fear of drowning.

It all feels rather complicated at first, but you'll quickly settle into a satisfying groove.

This is more of a game for hardcore fans I will suggest, and those fans will love this. However casual gamers should not hold back and give this a try, there is a highly addictive nature to it that most will like.

The shooting is so tight and the stages so well designed that it reminds you that sometimes you don't need a revolution in game design to have a great time.

Fans of bullet hell games are going to enjoy the gameplay mechanics of Akai Katana. It's a great solid shoot-em-up that once you master its in-depth mechanics you'll become captivated by its addictive gameplay. It doesn't do anything to push the genre, but then that was never its intended aim. It also won't do anything for people who don't like these games, but for people who love putting their sharp dodging and shooting skills to the test then Akai Katana will be a welcoming pleasure for you as Cave once again shows why they are the rulers of the genre.

It's not CAVE's best effort, but does further showcase their ability to nail a niche genre with near pixel-perfect accuracy, ensuring that those who grew up with similar titles aren't left with only nostalgia and a trusty Megadrive in storage for when the time calls to dust it off and bang in an indestructible copy of Thunderforce IV.

A lot of bullet-hell fans have declared Akai Katana the best there is when it comes to the gameplay mechanics and especially love the slash-mode. I think I understand them, even though I'm not so sure I understand everything that's going on in this game. In slash, Akai may well be the most complex Shoot 'em Up there is.

Akai Katana Shin is another good shoot'em up. Great challenge, full of modes -cooperative included - and ideal for leaderboards lovers, has good gameplay but not better than other options in the genre.