Graze Counter GM

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Revision as of 21:05, 13 March 2024 by Boose (talk | contribs) (Added much more detail to Characters/Ships - Standard Ships section)
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Developer: Bikkuri Software
Music: motchi^3
Release date: 18 Jul 2023 (PC/STEAM, PS4), 19 Jul 2023 (XBOX Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)

Graze Counter GM is a shmup made by Bikkuri Software released in July 18th 2023 for PC/STEAM, PS4 and in July 19th 2023 for XBOX Series X/S and Nintendo Switch by the publishers Henteko Doujin and Sanuk Inc.

As the game`s title suggests, it`s a remake of Graze Counter made in GameMaker, featuring various changes compared to the original game.

For replay videos, visit the Video Index.

Gameplay Overview

Graze Counter GM contains some of the mechanics from the original game. However, gold stars and red stars are replaced with small stars and big stars, and there`s a new technique called the "Triple Item Grab", in which if the player manages to get inside the power-ups triangle, it will start to rapidly spin. Remaining inside it long enough will reward the player with every possible power-ups within that triangle (1UPs included) and will also award a secret bonus.

Stages 2 and 4 offer A and B routes.

Controls

There are 2 control types:

-Split:

  • Button 1: Fire main shot
  • Button 2: Fire Graze Counter laser
  • Button 3: Activate Break mode
  • Button 4 Slow movement

-Include:

  • Button 1: Fire main shot & slow move
  • Button 2: Fire Graze Counter laser
  • Button 3 Activate Break mode

Scoring

The game has a multiplier, which can be increased by grazing bullets or enemies. It can reach up to 1000x.

Each graze gives 100 pts.

Extends are every 200000000 pts.

When clearing a stage, the end stage score bonus values go like this:

  • Stars: Amount gets mutliplied by 2500.
  • Remaining lives: Remaining lives get multiplied by 10000000.

After that, the total bonus will be formed and will add up to the player´s score.

Modes and difficulty

-Modes

  • Standard: The normal game mode. Rank can reach up to level 100.
  • Unlimited: A game mode where suicide bullets appear when killing enemies. Rank is always locked at level 255 and never decreases.

-Difficulties (Applies for both Standard and Unlimited modes):

  • Novice
  • Original
  • Hard
  • Extreme

Skills (for Standard ships)

-Auto Shield: Generates a new shield every 15 seconds shield is down.

-Break Booster: Break gauge charges 2x faster and allows Half Break.

-Safety System: Gives i-frames when using the G.C. laser at 70%.

Characters / Ships

The game has Type-1 and Type-2 ships available at the start. But as the player clears the game more times, other ships will be unlocked.

There`s 4 ship sections with 4 ships each.

-Standard ships-

  • Type-1 April Divider:
Piloted by Uzuki Ginyose, a boy who enjoys cross dressing during combat.
Slower movement speed. Has a 3-Way spread shot firing 3 frontal bullets and 2 diagonal on each side. This ship can use any of the 3 base Skill Cards. Its spread shot and slower speed makes it a good ship for beginners.
  • Type-2 Freedom Dancer:
Piloted by Satsuki Furuyama, a boy turned into a girl during a failed military experiment. 
Faster movement speed. Has a full frontal shot with all 7 bullets going straight ahead. This ship can use any of the 3 base Skill Cards. More advanced than April Divider due to speed and focused shot.
  • Type-3 Revolgear:
Piloted by Hayate Kotori, a maid who is also a computer genius.
Slower movement speed. Has a 5-Way spread shot firing 3 frontal bullets and 4 diagonal on each side. This ship can use any of the 3 base Skill Cards. Consider this a straight upgrade to April Divider.
  • Type-4 Kirisame Blade:
Piloted by Kiriko Kirisame, a shrine maiden who thinks EDEN is unnecessary. 
Fast movement speed. Has a full frontal shot with 5 bullets straight ahead and 2 large beams on either side. This ship can use any of the 3 base Skill Cards. Consider this a straight upgrade to Freedom Dancer.


-Extra ships-

  • Type-5 (Shadow Divider)
Piloted by Uzuki Alt. (Felicia for Another variant).
Same as Type-1. However, it has a skill called "Exchange", in which when grazing, the Break gauge will fill up. Grazing while on Break mode will extend it`s duration. Another 
mechanic that the skill has is that when the G.C. gets used, stars from Break mode must be collected to refill the G.C. gauge.
  • Type-6 (Alternative-D)
Piloted by Furuyama Itsuki (きいねわーるど本店 for Another variant).
Same as Type-2. Also borrows the "Exchange" skill.
  • Type-7 (Revolsaber)
Piloted by a Striae Alis (Noa for Another variant).
It has a skill called "Trinity Force", in which all 3 basic skills are equipped together.
  • Type-8 (Kirisame Blade 2)
Piloted by a schoolgirl version of Kirisame Kiriko (Seika for Another variant).
This ship cannot fire, and only uses a sword that swings when the Shot button is pressed. When on Break mode, the sword can fire 3 big wave shots.
It also has a skill called "Extend Guard" that allows the G.C. laser to be used at 50% G.C. gauge while also giving i-frames.


-Special 1 ships-

  • Type-9 (Hazuki Hachimiya)
Piloted by Hazuki Hachimiya.
This character has two options that can fire normaly and has a lock-on circle. When enemies enter the circle and she starts firing, her options will also fire and aim at them. 
When entering Break mode, the lock-on circle will get bigger.
She also has an Another variant. Her another variant consists of her borrowing the shot type of Type-7 from the original Graze Counter, as well the Break shot type.
  • Type-A (Machinery Tomoko)
Piloted by Machinery Tomoko (unkown who is the character on the Another variant).
This ship does not fire, and only uses a powerful drill that can attack at close range. When on Break mode, she can fire forward shots and her drill will be temporarily 
disabled.
  • Type-B (Purpretties Nexalts)
Piloted by Rayne Sakurano.
This ship has a skill called "Eternal Sphere", in which fires a weak penetrating laser that can cancel enemy bullets and enemy  lasers. When holding the Slow button, the aiming 
of the laser will be locked.
  • Type-C (SAS-02-G2 ARYS)
Piloted by Lily Butler.
This ship has a skill called "Another Mission", in which when Break mode is activated, a Garuda ship will assist as a back-up equipped with auto-aiming shots. 
A side effect of this skill is that the ship has i-frames for the entire Break duration, making it temporarily invincible.


-Special 2 ships-

  • Type-D (Cocoa)
Piloted by Cocoa.
This character has a skill called "Hyper Drive", in which Break mode can be used while also firing the G.C. laser. 
When collecting stars in Break mode, it`s duration will get extended.
  • Type-E (Eugene)
Piloted by Eugene.
This character has a skill called "Manual Shield", in which when grazing, the shield circle will fill up. When grazed enough, the shield will be activated.
  • Type-F (Scarlet Edge)
Piloted by Akane Isshiki.
This character has a skill called "Quick Draw", in which the G.C. gauge refills faster when grazing.
  • Type-0 (Blue Lighting)
Piloted by Shizuku Mikazuki.
This character has a skill called "Eternal Memories", in which the duration of the G.C. laser and Break mode are extended.

Extra game modes

  • Practice mode: Allows the player to practice stages and bosses.
  • All Stage mode: Allows the player to play all stages, including both A and B routes of stages 2 and 4.
  • Boss Rush mode: A mode in which all bosses are fought in order.
  • Extra Stage: An additional stage that has only one item carrier. At the end, the extra boss Genocide Angel will appear. Genocide Angel is a harder version of Bullet Angel, in which most of it`s attacks are combined.
  • Laser Maiden 2: A Space Invaders inspired mini-game in which the player controls Kotori while shooting cats that fall from the sky.

When cats are destroyed, they`ll turn into angels, which are also shootable. Destroyed cats will release a horizontal laser that can also affect other cats that touch it. When killing red cats, they will release 3 bullets. Shooting down rainbow cats will release a series of verticals lasers all over the screen. However, rainbow cats cannot turn into angels.

Items

Small star: These small stars appear when attacking enemies with the Graze Counter laser.
Big star: These big stars appear when attacking enemies in Break mode.
Shield: Grants the player a shield
Boost: Instantly boosts the multiplier to 1000x
Gauge: Instantly boosts the Break gauge to max.

Trivia

  • The Triple Item Grab technique comes from ChoRenSha 68K.
  • The early version of the Stage 1 BGM "Ignite your heart" was originally named "Ignite your heart 2".
  • The early version of the Stage 2A BGM "Float in combat" was originally named "Coral brightness".
  • The early version of the Stage 4B BGM "Slipstream" was originally named "Lighting storm".
  • Type-9 was originally known as "August Queen" in the Test Build version, which was a yellow colored ship with Hazuki Hachimiya as the pilot, but then it got changed to Hazuki being the Type-9 character on the final version.
  • Hazuki Hachimiya and Machinery Tomoko are based on Japanese VTubers, which are はちみやちゃんねる- 蜂宮葉月 - and machinery_TOMOKO. It also includes きいねわーるど本店 as well.
  • Purpretties Nexalts is a ship based on Nexalts from Grand Cross ReNovation.
  • SAS-02-G2 ARYS originates from Blue Sabers, which is a doujin shmup franchise by Blue & White.
  • Cocoa and Eugene originate from TOKOYO The Tower of Perpetuity, which is a platformer by //commentout.
  • Shizuku Mikazuki originates from Revolgear Zero, which is an upcoming shmup by Bikkuri Software made in GameMaker.
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