Bullet Heaven 3

Bullet Heaven 3 (full title Epic Battle Fantasy 5.5: Bullet Heaven 3) is a spin-off of the Epic Battle Fantasy series and the sequel to Bullet Heaven 2. Although it is a top-down shooter instead of a JRPG, much like the previous Bullet Heaven games, Bullet Heaven 3's gameplay is somewhat different from that of its predecessors; instead of being a scrolling bullet hell like Touhou Project, it has a more linear/limited playing field, akin to Death vs Monstars. A prototype has been released on the web (Newgrounds and the main site with Ruffle as the emulator) while the complete version will be released on Steam at an unknown date.

Features[]

Characters - Currently, only NoLegs is playable in the prototype. It is likely that all of the other four main characters will return in the complete version.
Upgrades - Character stats can be upgraded with in-game currency for the first time since Bullet Heaven. The following upgrades are available:
- Shot Damage
- Max Health
- Health Drops
- Item Magnet
- Rate of Fire
- Movement Speed
- Power Up Drops
- Money Multiplier
Controller Support - Only for the full version.
Levels - The prototype game features twenty levels, each with many waves of enemies. There are currently no bosses present within these levels.

Gameplay[]

Bullet Heaven 3 prototype level 1 — Prototype Level 1

The gameplay has been radically changed from its predecessor in terms of its level design, but retains most of its usual features (being focused on a top-down perspective while dodging enemies with a small hit-box). There are currently two difficulties, Normal, and Hard.

The levels here are different from previous Bullet Heaven games as wave numbers are no longer consistent. As you progress through the game, the amount of waves within the levels increase (e.g. 12 in the early levels, 15 for later levels, and a grueling 33 for the final level), and more difficult enemies are encountered. The score ranks are similar to Bullet Heaven 2; if the player clears all waves within the level without losing health they will receive an S rank, otherwise a lower rank (ranging from A to F) will be given depending on the amount of health lost. There are no bombs to be used, unlike the other games, though other power-ups have returned. There is no timer within the level, so elaborate planning can be used without worrying about time constraints.

Upgrades have returned from Bullet Heaven, once again requiring Gold that's obtained from dead enemies. There are currently no cheats or handicaps available yet on the prototype.

Controls[]

The Bullet Heaven 3 prototype features four different control schemes players can choose from, each one integrating the mouse and/or keyboard in one way or another.

Mouse-Only Controls[]

Mouse: Movement
Left Click: Strafe bullets (note: for this control scheme, bullets are fired automatically instead of manually; clicking and holding the left button simply fires bullets faster than normal)

Keyboard-Only Controls[]

WASD + Shift Key: Movement
Arrow Keys: Shoot bullets

Hybrid Controls 1[]

Mouse: Movement
WASD/Arrow Keys: Shoot bullets
Noted to be Matt's favorite control scheme.

Hybrid Controls 2[]

WASD/Arrow Keys + Shift: Movement
Left Click: Shoot bullets

Items[]

Coin: Gives a small amount of gold. Comes in bronze, silver, and gold varieties.
Gem: Gives a larger amount of gold. Comes in sapphire, emerald, and ruby varieties.
Heart: Restores 1 HP.
Sword: Temporarily buffs the player's attack, allowing them to shoot more bullets at a faster rate
Shield: Temporarily grants the player a force field that deflects all bullets back towards enemies (but the player can still get damaged by coming into contact with the enemies themselves)

Levels[]

A roundup of the foes seen in the Bullet Heaven 3 prototype.
A roundup of the foes seen in the Bullet Heaven 3 prototype.

Prototype Levels[]

Evergreen Gardens
Gloomy Undergrowth
Bramble Blast
Cherry Blossoms
Fungus Chungus
Darkest Druids
Bossy Bushes
Flutter of Wings
Buttery Bullets
Shredding Thorns
Lightning Strikes
Sparks and Flames
Ancient Eyeballs
Autumn Breeze
Bubble Trouble
Arctic Shrubs
The Eastern Winds
Fire and Ice
Shroomsplosion
Ultimate Showdown

Reception[]

According to Matt, the overall reception was somewhat mediocre as common criticism included missing features and the controls being less intuitive than the previous two Bullet Heaven games.

Trivia[]

The name of the prototype's fifth level, Fungus Chungus, is a reference to the Looney Tunes meme Big Chungus.
Due to time constraints (as this was made on a shoestring budget and time for Newgrounds' Flash Forward Game Jam), the prototype reuses some content from previous games - primarily backgrounds from Epic Battle Fantasy 5 and music from Bullet Heaven 2.

External Links[]

Play the Game[]

Games
Main series
Epic Battle Fantasy - Epic Battle Fantasy 2 Epic Battle Fantasy 3 - Epic Battle Fantasy 4 - Epic Battle Fantasy 5
Spin-offs
Bullet Heaven - Adventure Story - Bullet Heaven 2 - Bullet Heaven 3
Other
Mecha Dress Up Game - Brawl Royale - The Kitten Game Cat Cafe - Epic Battle Fantasy Collection - Matt's Hidden Cats