
60
It's certainly a good-looking and challenging shoot 'em up but Pulstar isn't quite as fun as many other NeoGeo shooters.
70
Slower paced than many shmups, Pulstar is still fun to play through as you avoid enemy attacks, take shots at your attackers and look for an opportunity to unleash a charged attack. Despite some elements blending into the background on occasion and moments of slowdown, the visuals in the game are well done. The music is great and enhances the experience greatly. A detachable pod would be a good option to add some choice to how you tackle the challenge and too often you must rely on memorisation to get through the dangers, but nevertheless Pulstar remains an tough yet enjoyable retro offering.
8
-Game Review:
This is a classic shoot ’em up where you control a spaceship and must destroy waves of enemies until you reach the end of each stage, which always features a final boss.
Unlike many other games in the genre, this one includes a variety of power-ups that certain enemies drop when defeated. These range from increased movement speed and faster firing, to different bullet types.
The most important upgrade is a shield barrier that lets you block certain enemies and frontal shots.There are also smaller upgrades, such as extra rocket fire and cannons that shoot **** pressing B + Fire, you can throw your barrier away and trigger a powerful explosion that wipes out all enemies on screen, at the cost of losing your **** game starts off tough and becomes even more challenging in the later stages, but I still enjoyed it.There are 7 stages and 8 bosses in total.Both the gameplay and the presentation stand out, including the music, graphics, and sound effects.
I completed it using save states, and honestly I can’t imagine beating it in an actual arcade cabinet.I recommend it if you enjoy arcade games or shoot ’em ups — but if you don’t plan on using save states, be ready to suffer. -PC Port Review: (This section refers to the version available on GOG, I don't know why Metacritic won't let me select this option)
This version runs through a Neo Geo.
While it does the job, it could be better. Fortunately, the port includes the original arcade ROM and BIOS files, so you can use your emulator of choice, which I honestly recommend (I personally used RetroArch).
Pulstar
Released On:
Dec 21, 2017
Metascore
Available after 4 critic reviews
tbd
User score
Generally Favorable
8.0
My Score
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tbd
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Jan 6, 2018
70
Slower paced than many shmups, Pulstar is still fun to play through as you avoid enemy attacks, take shots at your attackers and look for an opportunity to unleash a charged attack. Despite some elements blending into the background on occasion and moments of slowdown, the visuals in the game are well done. The music is great and enhances the experience greatly. A detachable pod would be a good option to add some choice to how you tackle the challenge and too often you must rely on memorisation to get through the dangers, but nevertheless Pulstar remains an tough yet enjoyable retro offering.
Aug 12, 2019
60
It's certainly a good-looking and challenging shoot 'em up but Pulstar isn't quite as fun as many other NeoGeo shooters.
User score
Generally Favorable
8.0
75% Positive
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Jan 13, 2026
8
-Game Review:
This is a classic shoot ’em up where you control a spaceship and must destroy waves of enemies until you reach the end of each stage, which always features a final boss.
Unlike many other games in the genre, this one includes a variety of power-ups that certain enemies drop when defeated. These range from increased movement speed and faster firing, to different bullet types.
The most important upgrade is a shield barrier that lets you block certain enemies and frontal shots.There are also smaller upgrades, such as extra rocket fire and cannons that shoot **** pressing B + Fire, you can throw your barrier away and trigger a powerful explosion that wipes out all enemies on screen, at the cost of losing your **** game starts off tough and becomes even more challenging in the later stages, but I still enjoyed it.There are 7 stages and 8 bosses in total.Both the gameplay and the presentation stand out, including the music, graphics, and sound effects.
I completed it using save states, and honestly I can’t imagine beating it in an actual arcade cabinet.I recommend it if you enjoy arcade games or shoot ’em ups — but if you don’t plan on using save states, be ready to suffer. -PC Port Review: (This section refers to the version available on GOG, I don't know why Metacritic won't let me select this option)
This version runs through a Neo Geo.
While it does the job, it could be better. Fortunately, the port includes the original arcade ROM and BIOS files, so you can use your emulator of choice, which I honestly recommend (I personally used RetroArch).
Summary2256 A.D. Alien forces swept into the solar system, and fighting spread throughout the system in two years. An elite group force, codenamed: PULSTAR, remains as Earth's final hope. Take items to snap on powerful options! Break your enemies with the various arsenals!
Rated E +10for Everyone +10





























