Bullet★ Solo Review - Brains vs. Bullet Hell

Introduction

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The first time I heard about Bullet★, I squinted suspiciously and thought, “Really? A shoot-em-up board game?” The idea conjured images of a high-speed anime fever dream colliding with cardboard, and I wasn’t sure that was a combo my brain–or my game shelf–were ready for. But curiosity won out, and I gave it a shot. And yeah, turns out Bullet★ is a whole vibe: part logic puzzle, part press-your-luck thrill ride, and all wrapped in a bold, neon anime aesthetic. This isn’t just a game where you shuffle cardboard bullets around like you’re restocking a very dangerous vending machine. It’s a game that captures the pure tension of a bullet hell video game–minus the eye strain and with way more tactical depth. If you’ve ever wanted to feel like you were dodging bullets with sheer willpower and a little clever thinking, well, lock and load and press on with this board game review.

Overview

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Bullet★ is a fast-paced, real-time puzzle game, where anime-inspired heroines resolve interstellar rivalries not with diplomacy…but with an overwhelming curtain of bullets. Players choose from a cast of unique characters, each with their own special abilities and action boards, and try to survive an escalating storm of incoming projectiles while strategically sending chaos right back at their opponents.

At the heart of Bullet★ is the “sight”, a personal 6x5 grid where bullets are placed based on their color and number. Each round, players draw bullets from a bag into their current pool, then place them into their grid according to set rules. As bullets stack up, the risk of getting hit increases, so players must carefully use actions and clear bullet patterns to manage the grid. When a pattern is cleared, the bullets involved are sent to an opponent’s incoming pool, setting them up for even more trouble in the next round.

Rounds play out simultaneously and can optionally be timed, adding real-time tension. After placing and managing bullets, players move into an end phase where they gather powerups, draw new patterns, and ramp up intensity for the next round. The game continues until all but one heroine has been eliminated, or in solo/co-op modes, until players overcome a boss challenge or their luck runs out.

Multiple game modes are included: Free-for-All, Teams, Score Attack (solo), and Boss Battles (solo or co-op). Each heroine also has a “boss” version with unique patterns and shields to challenge players in these alternate modes.

In short: dodge bullets, craft patterns, and unleash your inner magical tactician.

Gameplay

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Here’s the thing: I was deeply skeptical. A bullet hell board game? It felt like calling a spreadsheet a theme park. I worried it would be all spectacle, no substance–just drawing bullets and placing them robotically into columns like a glorified pachinko machine. Where was the strategy? The agency?

But then it clicked. And Bullet★ exploded (figuratively) in my brain.

It turns out, those first few bullet placements are a bit like the calm before a storm. You’re drawing bullets blindly, plopping them into your grid per the color and number—and then suddenly, your pattern recognition kicks in. You spot a clever setup. Maybe if you draw one more bullet, you can align the perfect clearing pattern and send three bullets flying at your opponent. But wait. What if that bullet hits your last open life slot instead? It’s pure push-your-luck magic, and it works.

And that, right there, is the magic of Bullet★. It captures the split-second tension of bullet hell games without requiring reflexes. Your actions and patterns are your timing tools. When to act? When to draw? When to clear? Every moment feels like threading a needle through a swarm of glowing projectiles.

There’s one more thing that I need to shout out about the bullet placement mechanic. Instead of simulating movement step-by-step and moving all the bullets on the sight like they would on a video game screen, bullets skip over occupied spaces in their column. It’s elegant and efficient. You still get the heart-pounding dread of a cascading mess—but without fiddly micromanagement. A+ on the abstraction.

And the heroines? Absolutely packed with personality and mechanical variety. One might manipulate the bullet grid like a telekinetic ballerina. Another might have a unique ability to rotate patterns almost like you’re cheating. Discovering how each one works and how to master them feels like unlocking a new character in a fighting game–and I love that.

Solo Play

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Solo play in Bullet★ is surprisingly robust. You get two modes: Score Attack and Boss Battle. Score Attack is straightforward. How long can you last with your chosen heroine against the rising tide of bullets? It’s a great way to learn and explore a heroine’s nuances. Boss Battles, on the other hand, are the main event.

Each boss is a puzzle unto themselves, with unique effects when you break their shields and their own pattern effects. Beating them feels like solving a tricky logic puzzle with bullets flying at your head. You can’t tweak difficulty, but different heroines fare better or worse depending on the matchup. No timer. No powerups. And honestly? I didn’t miss them. The tension was still very much alive.

Components and Design

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This game oozes style. The anime artwork is top-notch–clean, colorful, expressive. The game might be an original IP, but the developers clearly went all-in on world-building. Each heroine feels like the star of her own show, with quotes, lore, and even themed music tracks if you want to really immerse yourself. I’m not joking about the music. Level 99 Games has soundtrack timers for each heroine on their YouTube channel!

The components are solid across the board. The canvas bags for bullets are great quality and satisfying to draw from. The boards and tokens are bright and readable, which is no small feat in a game with this much going on visually.

And the theme? It shouldn’t work…but it totally does. It threads the needle between zany and sincere, and it enhances the gameplay rather than feeling pasted on.

Final Thoughts

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I walked into Bullet★ with a healthy dose of skepticism and left genuinely impressed. The game dances on a tightrope between chaos and control, luck and skill, and somehow manages to stay upright the whole time.

If you love puzzle games, enjoy pattern recognition, or get a thrill from press-your-luck tension, you’ll find a lot to love here. And if you’re into anime aesthetics, that’s just icing on the cake. And if anime isn’t your vibe, the art direction may not charm you like it did me.

If you’ve ever wanted to dodge bullets using only your brain and a bag of tokens, this one might just hit the mark.