This is a complete guide to everything in the game. What your stats and perks do, what the enemies do, when they appear, and strategies for how to get every achievement (aka beating the game and getting the five transformations).
Intro
First off, keep in mind that this guide will literally mention everything you’ll face across this game, so spoilers ahead. I’ll be going into everything from the achievements to the bosses and even where the game will end, so be warned.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never written up a guide like this so I’m not really sure the best way to do it… so for now I’m just going to lay out all the info I can, and explain things to the best of my ability. Also, I’ll mention now that most of the achievements in this game are VERY simple to get. Literally you get an achievement for the first time you get each of the perks, for the first time you defeat any of the enemies and bosses, and for the first time you get each of the five transformations. There are only three more achievements past that, and they’re all for game progress.
Anyway, there’s a lot to learn for this game if you want to make it to the end, so let’s get started.
The Stats
This game has a bunch of stats, and doesn’t explain directly what any of them do. They are as follows, with the number in parenthesis being the starting value;
Life (3)- how many times you need to get hit to lose the game. Higher is definitely better, Minimum of 1, max of 20.
Speed (2)- how fast your character can move. Fairly important, especially later on. Minimum of 0.5.
Range (300)- how far your bullets travel. Not sure if this is supposed to be a distance in pixels or not.
Damage (1)- how much your damage is multiplied by.
Shot Delay (40)- how many frames pass between shots. The lower the number, the more you shoot. Minimum of 3.
Shot Speed (8)- how fast your shots travel. Also increases effective range.
Dash Delay (150)- how long your dash cooldown is in frames. Roughly 60 per second.
Wisdom (10)- not 100% sure, but I think this gives you an experience bonus so that you level faster. Minimum of 0.
As for which stats are most important that would be shot delay, damage, speed, and life. Shot delay exponentially increases the amount of damage you do the less of it you have, to the point where you’ll eventually be shooting over 13 times as many bullets per second as you started with. The number of upgrades needed to reach max would come out to roughly 4x damage if you’d spent every upgrade on straight damage boosts instead. That said, the two multiply off each other, so both are important, and unlike shot delay pure damage has no cap, so you can keep raising it until you stop playing. Speed is necessary eventually for kiting the basic enemies (as you will eventually be unable to kill them faster than they can reach you), and life actually gets increasingly better the more of it you have. This is due to life-increasing perks actually fully healing you when taken, so the higher your current max the more it can heal.
The Perks (pt. 1)
There are 36 perks in this game, and every time you level up you’ll receive a choice of a new one from three randomly chosen perks. There’s no knowing which three will show up, and they can even be copies of the same perks. Some perks stack with themselves, others are only useful once, and one or two have limited stacking ability. The biggest issue (and why you’re probably here) is that none of the perks have descriptions giving you the actual amounts they affect your stats by, and in fact often don’t reveal all the stats they affect. So, on with the list of perks, their effects, and my thoughts on each. Now with pictures! (taken from their respective achievements)
Perk
Description
Grants +1 Heart, and fully heals you.
Definitely the best life perk, but doesn’t show up as often as Gluttony.
Definitely the best life perk, but doesn’t show up as often as Gluttony.
Grants Speed +1
You won’t find a higher speed increase, but has no other benefits.
You won’t find a higher speed increase, but has no other benefits.
Grants Range +50
Again, there are no higher range boosts, but it lacks other benefits. No downsides either, however.
Again, there are no higher range boosts, but it lacks other benefits. No downsides either, however.
Grants Shot Delay -2
There are actually other perks that grant this same bonus plus others as well, such as crossroads, adultery, or sacrifice. Still, as shot delay is one of the most useful stats it’s rarely a bad pick.
There are actually other perks that grant this same bonus plus others as well, such as crossroads, adultery, or sacrifice. Still, as shot delay is one of the most useful stats it’s rarely a bad pick.
Grants Shot Speed +2
Not really worth taking unless the other perks either have undesirable drawbacks, or do nothing. No enemies really move fast enough that your normal shots won’t hit them.
Not really worth taking unless the other perks either have undesirable drawbacks, or do nothing. No enemies really move fast enough that your normal shots won’t hit them.
Grants Dash Delay -2
Basically useless. You don’t need to dash very often, and -2 is very little to a base delay of 150. Still, may as well take it if you’re trying to avoid certain drawbacks or the other perks do nothing.
Basically useless. You don’t need to dash very often, and -2 is very little to a base delay of 150. Still, may as well take it if you’re trying to avoid certain drawbacks or the other perks do nothing.
Grants Range +20, Shot Speed +1, and Wisdom -5
Not a terrible perk, but there are MUCH better choices. Still, if you have plenty of wisdom and need more range, it’s still somewhat useful.
Not a terrible perk, but there are MUCH better choices. Still, if you have plenty of wisdom and need more range, it’s still somewhat useful.
Grants Speed +0.2, Range -5, Damage +0.1, Shot Speed +1, and Wisdom -5
One of the more decent perks, gives a few different benefits for some rather small losses to range and wisdom. Easily balanced by the higher range and wisdom perks.
One of the more decent perks, gives a few different benefits for some rather small losses to range and wisdom. Easily balanced by the higher range and wisdom perks.
Grants Range +30, Shot Delay -1, and Wisdom -5
Another decent perk. A good amount of range and shot delay for another minimum loss to wisdom. Again, easily balanced.
Another decent perk. A good amount of range and shot delay for another minimum loss to wisdom. Again, easily balanced.
Grants Range +10, Damage +0.2, Shot Delay -1, Shot Speed +1, and Wisdom -5
This is one of the best stat perks. Four stat bonuses for another small penalty to wisdom.
This is one of the best stat perks. Four stat bonuses for another small penalty to wisdom.
Grants Speed +0.5, Range +5, Shot Delay -1, Shot speed 1, and Wisdom +5
This is probably the best stat perk, as it grants 5 different small bonuses at NO PENALTY. Unless there’s something else you need more at the time, you probably want to take this.
This is probably the best stat perk, as it grants 5 different small bonuses at NO PENALTY. Unless there’s something else you need more at the time, you probably want to take this.
Grants +1 Heart and Speed -0.6, as well as a full heal
Unfortunately worse than the Life Up perk as it grants no more health while adding a penalty. Still, often worth taking since it’s one of the only two ways to heal and raise your max health. Just try to keep your speed up in case you need this.
Unfortunately worse than the Life Up perk as it grants no more health while adding a penalty. Still, often worth taking since it’s one of the only two ways to heal and raise your max health. Just try to keep your speed up in case you need this.
Grants Speed -0.5, Range +10, Shot Speed -1, and Wisdom +15
So, this perk is something of a double-edged sword. Sure it’s one of the two best sources of wisdom, but it also gives a rather large speed penalty (the range and shot speed roughly cancel each other out). If you’re high on speed and low on wisdom, it’s probably worth it if there aren’t any other good perks.
So, this perk is something of a double-edged sword. Sure it’s one of the two best sources of wisdom, but it also gives a rather large speed penalty (the range and shot speed roughly cancel each other out). If you’re high on speed and low on wisdom, it’s probably worth it if there aren’t any other good perks.
Grants Speed -0.3, Damage +0.1, Shot Delay -2, Shot Speed +1, and Wisdom +10
This is again one of the best stat perks around. It increases lots of useful stats, for a smaller speed penalty than most other perks. If you still need shot delay and aren’t low on speed, take it!
This is again one of the best stat perks around. It increases lots of useful stats, for a smaller speed penalty than most other perks. If you still need shot delay and aren’t low on speed, take it!
Grants Damage +0.2, Shot Speed +1, and Wisdom -5
Not terrible. A decent damage boost for the usual small wisdom penalty.
Not terrible. A decent damage boost for the usual small wisdom penalty.
Grants Range -5, Damage +0.2, Shot Delay -2, Dash Delay -2, and Wisdom -5
This one is another mostly good perk. I personally love it as I’m always trying to boost damage early on, but It does have two different penalties. Still, -5 to range is nothing, and between Demon Horns and Laziness it’s pretty easy to get wisdom back up.
This one is another mostly good perk. I personally love it as I’m always trying to boost damage early on, but It does have two different penalties. Still, -5 to range is nothing, and between Demon Horns and Laziness it’s pretty easy to get wisdom back up.
Removes a Heart, and in exchange grants +0.3 damage, Shot Delay -2, and Wisdom +5
This one… it’s both very good and very bad. It’s the single strongest perk for increasing your damage stats and even adds a bit of wisdom back, but losing a heart is a big loss. Still, if you’ve got a decent amount of health and are good at dodging I’d say it’s probably worth it. Note, if you’ve already taken damage this won’t do further damage to you, it’ll remove one of your empty hearts.
This one… it’s both very good and very bad. It’s the single strongest perk for increasing your damage stats and even adds a bit of wisdom back, but losing a heart is a big loss. Still, if you’ve got a decent amount of health and are good at dodging I’d say it’s probably worth it. Note, if you’ve already taken damage this won’t do further damage to you, it’ll remove one of your empty hearts.
Grants Speed +0.5, Damage +0.2, Dash Delay -5, and wisdom -5
Pretty good, a solid boost to speed and damage with a small loss to wisdom (as so many of these do). Amusingly, gives a much larger boost than the actual Dash Delay Up perk.
Pretty good, a solid boost to speed and damage with a small loss to wisdom (as so many of these do). Amusingly, gives a much larger boost than the actual Dash Delay Up perk.
Grants Speed -0.3, Range +30, and Wisdom +10
A fairly decent perk to gain back some of the many wisdom and range penalties. These perks tend to be why getting speed perks like Speed Up, Lust, and Greed is worthwhile.
A fairly decent perk to gain back some of the many wisdom and range penalties. These perks tend to be why getting speed perks like Speed Up, Lust, and Greed is worthwhile.
Grants Range -5, Damage +0.1, and Wisdom -5
This is one of the worst of the beneficial stat perks, honestly. Try to take something else if you can.
This is one of the worst of the beneficial stat perks, honestly. Try to take something else if you can.
LOWERS MOST STATS. Speed -0.5, Damage -0.2, Shot Delay +1, Shot Speed -1, Wisdom -3, and only grants Range +20.
DO NOT TAKE THIS. EVER. AVOID AT ALL COSTS (except once for the achievement)
DO NOT TAKE THIS. EVER. AVOID AT ALL COSTS (except once for the achievement)
The Perks (pt. 2)
Perk
Description
Grants Shot Delay -2, and Wisdom +20 [Part of the Demon Transformation]
This is one of the very best perks in this game. All benefits, and no downsides, while boosting the best stat and granting the highest wisdom bonus of any perk. I’d try to take this often.
This is one of the very best perks in this game. All benefits, and no downsides, while boosting the best stat and granting the highest wisdom bonus of any perk. I’d try to take this often.
Grants Speed +0.3, Range +30, and Dash Delay -2 [Part of the Demon Transformation]
Also a good perk, just be careful you don’t accidentally transform if you’re going for one of the other types.
Also a good perk, just be careful you don’t accidentally transform if you’re going for one of the other types.
Grants Speed +0.3 and Shot Speed +1 [Part of the Demon Transformation]
The least effective of the Demon perks, the tail somehow adds speed to your character. If you’re trying to avoid transforming, this is the one to avoid.
The least effective of the Demon perks, the tail somehow adds speed to your character. If you’re trying to avoid transforming, this is the one to avoid.
Adds a tentacle in a random place on the heart that fires an additional green shot. These shots have longer base range than the normal shot, and probably does similar damage (I’m unsure). Take a few of these (they stack, though possibly to a limited extent), as they basically multiply your damage. [Part of the Ancient Transformation]
Adds a strange eyeball tentacle to a random spot on the heart that fires an additional yellow shot. Basically the same as the Cthulhu Tentacle, only with a tiny bit more range. Get some of these too. [Part of the Ancient Transformation]
Adds a claw limb to a random spot on the heart that fires a small piercing claw shot at very short range. Pretty useless near the start of the game when the range is barely an inch away, but late game when your range and shot speed are higher it’s probably stronger than the other two additional shot types. These also stack, so get a few of these later on. [Part of the Ancient Transformation]
Grants a moderate to massive blade around your character whenever you dash. This is super useful, as it’s strong enough to one-shot most of the easier enemies and this allows you to quickly destroy most of them with the dash. Getting a second copy makes the blade bigger, but after that additional copies do nothing. A useful trick is that the dash follows your cursor, and WON’T STOP until it reaches it, which allows you to dash in curving paths to take out swaths of enemies if you’re quick enough. A warning however, the blade will only last for about a second, so if you make the dash too long you’re likely to damage yourself. It lasts about the length of the game field. [Part of the Metal Transformation]
Adds a chainsaw to a random spot on your heart. This is a short range but fairly high damage weapon, a bit hard to use but very useful in the early game for quickly killing boss angels or larger swaths of cherubs. Pretty useless later on though. You can stack multiple of these, but they sometimes overlap which doesn’t seem to do additional damage. [Part of the Metal Transformation]
Causes your heart to fire piercing scythes at random times in random directions while you’re firing. Early game they’re not very useful since they don’t really target enemies, and late game they don’t do a lot of damage, but they increase in size as your damage increases and the firing rate increases as your shot delay goes down, so they’re not bad. Doesn’t stack, so take it once when you don’t have any other good options or if you’re going for the transformation. [Part of the Metal Transformation]
Adds a laser emitter to a random spot on your heart. This constantly fires a piercing screen-length laser so long as you’re firing. This is a bit hard to aim, but it deals damage to a large amount of enemies at once, so it’s super useful. Get a whole bunch of these ASAP. [Part of the Cyber Transformation]
Causes the Heart to drop mines every so often, regardless of whether you’re firing or not. These mines drift randomly, and deal damage to an area when they run into an enemy. Lowering your shot delay causes the mines to be dropped more frequently. These don’t stack, so take this once when there aren’t many other options, or if you want the transformation. [Part of the Cyber Transformation]
Adds a tesla coil to your heart in a random location. These coils are basically weaker chainsaws with extra range, firing off a bolt every so often. If you have trouble with enemies running into you this might be useful, but otherwise I’d wait until later to get a couple. [Part of the Cyber Transformation]
Causes the Heart to fire explosive syringes on occasion while you’re firing. These are semi-randomly targeted, firing generally in the direction of your crosshairs. Like many of these, you’ll fire more of these the more your Shot Delay is lowered. These are actually pretty decent later on, but at the start they’re pretty mediocre. They don’t stack either, so pick one of these up when there aren’t other better options. [Part of the Plague Transformation]
Causes your heart to periodically release flies that home in on enemies. These are basically like the mines, they just hit single enemies at a time. As I’ve said before, get this once when you have no better options, and then only take it if you’re avoiding something like Addicted or speed/life drops. [Part of the Plague Transformation]
Causes you heart to release a homing projectile any time you dash. These do decent damage, but only hit a single enemy. You can stack a few of these, I’ve seen four fire at once, but they’re not super helpful since you can’t fire them very quickly. Take a couple when you don’t have better options, or if you want the transformation. [Part of the Plague Transformation]
The Five Transformations
Now then, the transformations you’ve been hearing about. These are actually the most important thing to plan, as they occur the moment you get a group of three specific perks… and you can ONLY GET ONE. So the first group of perks you complete will decide your transformation ability for the rest of the run. They are as follows;
Transformation
Description
Requires Demon Horns, Wings, and Tail
Causes the heart to fire a special homing projectile that follows your cursor until it either deals a certain amount of damage or exists for a short period of time. These are piercing and deal a large amount of damage to anything they pass through, but are relatively short range. Like all the specials, how often this triggers is based on Shot Delay. I think they benefit from Shot Speed as well, but even then they’re still pretty slow and short range.
Causes the heart to fire a special homing projectile that follows your cursor until it either deals a certain amount of damage or exists for a short period of time. These are piercing and deal a large amount of damage to anything they pass through, but are relatively short range. Like all the specials, how often this triggers is based on Shot Delay. I think they benefit from Shot Speed as well, but even then they’re still pretty slow and short range.
Requires Cthulhu Tentacle, Yog-Sothoth Arm, and Mi-Go Claw
Causes the heart to spawn weird little green familiars, which proceed to shoot towards your cursor whenever you are. These shots are quite short range, less than the player’s starting range, but fire at a pretty good rate independent of your own. These familiars are actually pretty cool, as you can have up to 10 of them at a time, they follow you closely, and they block arrows shot at you… but they also die instantly to any attack, which means many of the boss angels can annihilate them in seconds. Their spawn rate is based on your Shot Delay.
Causes the heart to spawn weird little green familiars, which proceed to shoot towards your cursor whenever you are. These shots are quite short range, less than the player’s starting range, but fire at a pretty good rate independent of your own. These familiars are actually pretty cool, as you can have up to 10 of them at a time, they follow you closely, and they block arrows shot at you… but they also die instantly to any attack, which means many of the boss angels can annihilate them in seconds. Their spawn rate is based on your Shot Delay.
Requires Saw Blade, Chainsaw, and Reaper’s Scythe
Causes gigantic anvils to spawn from the top of the screen above the cursor, dropping straight down hitting everything in their way until they fall out the bottom. These projectiles are actually pretty powerful, if sometimes hard to aim. As with all transformation abilities, Shot Delay decides how often this randomly happens.
Causes gigantic anvils to spawn from the top of the screen above the cursor, dropping straight down hitting everything in their way until they fall out the bottom. These projectiles are actually pretty powerful, if sometimes hard to aim. As with all transformation abilities, Shot Delay decides how often this randomly happens.
Requires Laser, Tesla Coil, and Mines
Causes the heart to randomly fire about a dozen massive beams in all directions while you’re firing, piercing everything in their path. These beams don’t spawn in the exact same directions each time so you can’t predict where they’ll hit, but they hit quite a bit of the screen every time it goes off. During the middle stages of the game, this can actually annihilate every normal enemy without you doing anything if your Shot Delay is maxed and you’re in the middle of the screen.
Causes the heart to randomly fire about a dozen massive beams in all directions while you’re firing, piercing everything in their path. These beams don’t spawn in the exact same directions each time so you can’t predict where they’ll hit, but they hit quite a bit of the screen every time it goes off. During the middle stages of the game, this can actually annihilate every normal enemy without you doing anything if your Shot Delay is maxed and you’re in the middle of the screen.
Requires Used Syringe, Aedes Aegypti, and Dash Tadpole
Causes the heart to fire out a few homing projectiles at random times while you’re firing. These projectiles are fairly strong, and their frequency is based on the normal Shot Delay. Not much else to say here, through the projectiles seem to spawn from the sides of the heart rather than the firing direction.
Causes the heart to fire out a few homing projectiles at random times while you’re firing. These projectiles are fairly strong, and their frequency is based on the normal Shot Delay. Not much else to say here, through the projectiles seem to spawn from the sides of the heart rather than the firing direction.
The Cherubs
The Cherubs. These are your basic enemies that you’ll be slaughtering by the hundreds or thousands, and there’s very little different about them aside from the two that can fire arrows at you. They are as follows;
Cherub
Description
The very basic Cherub that starts spawning from the start of the game. They’ll slowly drift over to you, hoping to run into you to deal a bit of damage. Eventually they stop appearing when they’re completely pointless, I think around the time the next to strongest cherubs start showing up.
Spawns starting at level 10
They’re somewhat faster than the original cherubs, and can take a bit more damage as well.
They’re somewhat faster than the original cherubs, and can take a bit more damage as well.
Spawns starting at level 10
These are between the basic cherubs and baby blue cherubs in speed, but can take noticeably more damage than the baby blue cherubs can.
These are between the basic cherubs and baby blue cherubs in speed, but can take noticeably more damage than the baby blue cherubs can.
Spawns starting at level 25
These are relatively slow and fragile, but they make up for it by being one of only two cherubs capable of actually attacking you. They don’t fire arrows often, and they can be destroyed with your attacks, but in groups they can be quite dangerous.
These are relatively slow and fragile, but they make up for it by being one of only two cherubs capable of actually attacking you. They don’t fire arrows often, and they can be destroyed with your attacks, but in groups they can be quite dangerous.
Spawns starting at level 30
These are a bit dangerous, as they’re much quicker and more durable than any other cherub to this point.
These are a bit dangerous, as they’re much quicker and more durable than any other cherub to this point.
Spawns starting at level 40
Unlike the light red cherubs, these are both more durable and faster than the blue cherubs.
Unlike the light red cherubs, these are both more durable and faster than the blue cherubs.
Spawns starting at level 50
A faster, stronger Archer Cherub, moving about the same speed as the blue cherubs. Shoots two arrows at once, but doesn’t do any more damage than the normal Archer.
A faster, stronger Archer Cherub, moving about the same speed as the blue cherubs. Shoots two arrows at once, but doesn’t do any more damage than the normal Archer.
Spawns starting at level 60
I have no idea what’s with the name, but they’re just a stronger and faster basic cherub.
I have no idea what’s with the name, but they’re just a stronger and faster basic cherub.
Spawns starting at level 70
A slightly stronger and faster cherub than the weirdly named Smurt
A slightly stronger and faster cherub than the weirdly named Smurt
Spawns starting at level 80
Warning, these are where things start to get rough. They’re only slightly faster than the rage cherubs, but they are at least TWICE as durable. Be careful, and ready to kite them.
Warning, these are where things start to get rough. They’re only slightly faster than the rage cherubs, but they are at least TWICE as durable. Be careful, and ready to kite them.
Spawns starting at level 100
If you thought the Gamma Ray Cherub was bad, these guys are again TWICE as strong or even more than the last, though no faster as far as I can see. If you’ve reached these guys, congrats!
If you thought the Gamma Ray Cherub was bad, these guys are again TWICE as strong or even more than the last, though no faster as far as I can see. If you’ve reached these guys, congrats!
Spawns starting at level 200
The final cherub, only seen by the dedicated willing to play this far in. Just like silver, these are around twice as strong as the previous level. Still, you should have no trouble with these as you’ll have had plenty of time to boost all your stats before they show up.
The final cherub, only seen by the dedicated willing to play this far in. Just like silver, these are around twice as strong as the previous level. Still, you should have no trouble with these as you’ll have had plenty of time to boost all your stats before they show up.
The Boss Angels (And the last three achievements)
And now the final list, the higher ranking “Boss” angels that show up on occasion to make things difficult for you. Were it not for them I’m willing to bet I could have won within my first couple tries, despite having no idea what most of the perks did. I’ve listed them in roughly the order I first met them in, but be warned you could face ANY of these bosses at any time.
Angel
Description
The easiest of the bosses to deal with in my opinion, if one of the hardest to actually kill. The Super Cherub is literally a larger and more durable basic cherub. He moves no faster than a blue cherub, can’t fire arrows, but he takes way more hits than any other enemy in the game. So long as you’re faster than he is (like at least a 1.5) he can’t really hurt you. If he IS faster than you, though, you’re probably dead.
The regular Angel boss flies around the arena semi-randomly, stopping occasionally to sing. As she does, she spawns streams of homing music notes that will chase you down until destroyed. She’s mostly only an issue if you don’t have enough DPS to deal with the notes (or the other cherubs), though the notes aren’t very fast and it is more than possible to kite around them and attack her while she’s moving.
This might be my least favorite boss, at least tied with Dominion. The moment after he shows up he starts firing constant beams in the four cardinal directions, moving about randomly on occasion. The issue with him is that he’ll only stop firing for maybe a second or two on occasion (often when he stops), and this causes many problems. For one, if he gets too close to the center and drops his beams, you have to be quick to get up towards him and be ready to cross. If you don’t and he starts moving towards the side of the screen you’re on he’ll generally move all the way to the edge with no way for you to dodge. Even when he doesn’t do this, he’ll box you into small areas of the map where the other cherubs can pin you down. Kill him as soon as you can!
This one isn’t too bad though. The Seraph will move randomly around the screen, occasionally stopping to throw fireballs in your general direction. She only fires one per second or so, and only one at a time, so they’re relatively easy to dodge. Just keep an eye on her and fire when you can, and you’ll take her down.
Now this one will cause you a bit more trouble. Power will basically chase you around the arena, stopping at a short distance away slash at you with his sword (basically firing short-range blades of energy). As long as you stay far enough away when he stops, he’s not too bad though. It helps that your standard range of 300 is longer than his attack range, if only slightly. Have any more than that (or some of the extra shots) and you can hit him from afar without issue.
One of the most dangerous angels. Virtue is basically a stronger Seraph, in that she fires multiple shots at once and at a higher rate. These can make it hard to dodge her shots, not to mention the swarms of cherubs you have to deal with at the same time. Be sure to take her down quick, or stay far away.
Another one of the more annoying ones. Throne will circle the screen clockwise, occasionally releasing rings like the one around him. These will proceed to bounce around the arena leaving a (fortunately harmless) trail, and basically being additional obstacles. Further, they stay forever until destroyed, so be sure to deal with them when you can. One isn’t too bad, four can be a death sentence. He takes a fair bit of punishment, and his decent speed and frequent close range to the sides of the screen can make him hard to deal with.
Not a whole lot to say about Archangel. He’s literally a slightly more dangerous Power, moving and attacking a bit faster and working harder to stay within range of you. Use the same tactics as with Power and you’ll be fine.
And finally, the (arguably) worst of the shooting angels. Unlike Virtue who only shoots 2-3 bullets at once if in random directions, Dominion will fire in eight directions simultaneously and at a higher rate of fire. Once she’s firing, it’s extremely difficult to get out of the narrow section of screen she’ll have left you in. It’s important to defeat her as quickly as possible, but it’ll be hard to both get close to her and still deal with the swarms of cherubs that’ll be coming after you all the while.
Anyway, I’m sure you’re wondering about the last three Achievements. They are;
Now, these are actually received through normal gameplay progress. Spoilers now for when you receive them and the end of the game, you get them roughly at levels 41, 126, and 301 respectively. Unfortunately, there is NO actual ending to the game. No cutscene, no little text blurb, nothing. In fact, if you didn’t notice that you received the Hell’s Gate Open, you wouldn’t be able to tell at all. It’s super disappointing. And with that, you’ve beaten the game and probably gotten all the achievements. At least aside from the transformations, and maybe Addicted if you listened to me and never took it.
Strategies and opinions
Okay, so now you know everything about the mechanics of the game, but you’re still having trouble. Heck, maybe you’re trying to 100% clear the game! Here are some tips that might help.
- Pick your transformation before you start, and work towards it as soon as is safe. Personally, I’m fond of the demon transformation, but the best two are probably Steel and Cyber. Steel is the most powerful, able to deal targeted destruction to an entire column wherever your cursor is. Since the angels enter the arena in a column from both sides of the screen, you can often destroy 90% of the incoming angels on one side before they can even start to bunch up. On the other hand, it can be distracting to have to have to keep it targeted. Alternately, Cyber will destroy things all across the screen without you having to worry about it, but it’s not as good once they’re all grouped up and following you. That said, I beat it the first time with the Ancient transformation, so they’re all viable. Find the one that suits you best, and stick to it. At least for now.
- Don’t neglect any of the stats, aside from Dash Delay and maybe Wisdom. You’ll need them all high by the end to help deal with the powerful swarms, and to survive more difficult bosses and moments. Try to start with shot delay, damage, and speed, as they’re the ones that’ll keep you alive the most. If you have the extra speed or luck out by finding a life up, try to get your life up to 4 or 5. Save sacrifice for later when you’re better settled, and never let it take you below three unless you’re having trouble with the swarms and already down a point of life anyway. As for wisdom, all it does is accelerate you through the game. Since tougher enemies spawn based on your level rather than how long you’ve been playing, leveling faster only brings the challenges sooner and while you’re less prepared.
- Get the Saw Blade, chainsaw, or extra firepower as soon as possible. Aside from saving your sanity with how slow things start, all of these are extremely helpful for dealing with the first couple boss angels. Saw blade lets you wipe out entire swarms of enemies until around levels 30-50 where it starts to become less useful, and also makes you immune to contact damage while dashing. The chainsaw does a lot of damage, and can trivialize the angel and maybe throne. Extra projectiles will multiply your damage the fastest, as well as likely increase your range.
- Don’t let the boss angels multiply! One boss is easy enough to deal with usually, two at once is MUCH harder.
- When enemies get fast, Kiting is your friend. Basically, once the enemies are fast enough that they’re actually chasing you and tough enough that they don’t die after a shot or two, it’s best to start circling them. Let them clump up, lead them to the middle, and then you can circle them firing into the group until they die.
- If you’re going for completion, be ready for the long haul. After the Silver Cherubs show up, this game quickly becomes a matter of perseverance. Congratulations, you are literally 1/3rd of the way through the game now! And it won’t change further until you make it to 2/3rds and unlock the gold cherubs, the last effort the game will make. Not to mention they don’t really change anything, as if you can survive a few minutes of the silver cherubs without much issue, you’ve essentially won. Anyway, now it’s just a matter of enduring around twice more the time you’ve spent up until here. Don’t give up, this game is very winnable!
