Super Stardust Ultra is really difficult

Some people criticize that modern gaming has become too easy. Those people may not have had a chance to play Super Stardust Ultra. The game is brutally hard from the get-go and requires you to have quick reflexes and strong concentration. Super Stardust Ultra is similar to a lot of ways to Resogun. However, Resogun is far easier to play than Super Stardust Ultra. At least with Resogun, I managed to get past the first stage easily. This game's "easy" mode is anything but easy. Super Stardust Ultra is essentially a revamped version of Super Stardust HD which was originally released for the PS3 back in 2007. I have never played the original game, so I cannot comment on any changes that have been made. All I know is that the game is super difficult. Super Stardust Ultra's default mode is the Arcade mode where you try and rack up as many points as possible. There are only five planets in this game, although getting to the next stage will take you hours to do. Essentially each stage should take you roughly 12 minutes to complete. However, if you die more than three times you have to start the stage all over again. I was stuck on the first planet/stage for many hours. It took me millions of tries to even survive long enough to even see what the first boss looked like. Your three lives don't last very long as this game bombards you with obstacles from the moment you start. There is no resting period for you to catch your breath. The reason the game is so hard is simply because the planets/stages are small to begin with. The "planets" are more the size of a small moon and there's no room for you to move around. This is because the game bombards you with numerous asteroids and enemies coming to get you. If you collide with an asteroid or enemy, you lose a life. Super Stardust Ultra tries to balance things in your favour by allowing you to use bombs and three different types of weapons. You cannot rely on using bombs all of the time because you only have a finite number of them in your arsenal. Sometimes you have to save all your bombs when you meet the end-boss because that is when you might need them the most. If the Arcade mode is making you pull out your hair, thankfully there are several other modes for you to try out. There's a mode where you are only armed with bombs and no guns. There is also a mode where you score lots of points trying to see who long you can survive. The multiplayer modes are pretty neat as well as you can face off against a mate a deathmatch style battle, or you can join together in co-op. Graphically Super Stardust Ultra isn't as pretty as Resogun, although it still looks nice. I would have preferred if the game featured more varied planet designs as most of them look all the same. The audio is great in this game as the sound effects are superb and the music perfectly capture's this game's atmosphere. You can even change the style of music to "retro" or "orchestral" if you want to as well. Overall, Super Stardust Ultra is a great game for those that love retro-style shoot-em-ups. It's brutally difficult and will keep you occupied for many hours. The hard difficulty is sure to frustrate many, although perseverance rewards you in the end. If you are looking for a challenging game, this game will be perfect for you. Verdict: 7.5/10