Originally released on PS4 earlier this year, Sisters Royale is an anime, chibi-style vertical schump with an interesting risk/reward system – the closer the enemy, the bigger the score when defeated. Thanks to online leaderboards, a handful of playable characters each with their own abilities and tactics, and numerous difficulty settings, there is plenty of replay value and ways to increase score if that is your thing.
This Xbox One version seems to play identically in comparison to the original PS4 release so all my positives and negatives remain; see the link above. However, I was able to check out the optional paid DLC character with this Xbox One release. This new character’s summon and shot abilities are different in comparison to the other playable sisters with the biggest difference being the controllable angle of the machine gun. For example, moving slightly to the right makes the bullet stream also fade slightly right. A sudden pull to the left will steer your attack hard in the same direction. It is a little tricky as it also seems like this character should have utilized twin-stick controls but that is what makes the challenge. At the same time, this character costs a little under $3 so the higher price point will only be seen by dedicated, hardcore fans anyway.
It only takes about 15-20 minutes to play through the scenario of each sister and makes Sisters Royale a solid title when played in quick bursts. Strangely, the coolest feature of this vertical shooter is giving the player the ability to tweak almost every aspect of the gameplay. However, this feature is tucked away in the menu system and could easily be entirely missed if players never take the time to explore the options menu. Adjusting gameplay speed and bullet size are just some of the options available. It is a really cool feature and wished more shooters would do this but not having this front and center is odd to say the least. Regardless, this is an entertaining shooter that fans will appreciate and newbies will welcome thanks to the continue-where-you-died lenient continue system even if the story and dialog can be eye rolling at times.
Also Try: Ridge Force Redux (Xbox One)
Don’t Forget About: SEGA AGES Fantasy Zone (Switch)
Wait For It: a CAVE compilation
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz