Review: Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth Is a Short Mega Man-like

Holo Indie games based on Hololive Vtubers are at their best when it feels like anyone could go into a title, have fun with it, and not feel excluded based on what’s going on. Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth, on the other hand, pushes that a little. While it is pretty approachable in terms of gameplay, due to being a run-and-gun platformer and Mega Man-like, some gameplay decisions and a heavy focus on the Holoearth Hololive Alternative lore with no explanation keep it from being as approachable as other projects based on Cover’s performers. Okay, this is going to get complicated for a second. Bear with me. Shirakami Fubuki is a Hololive Vtuber whose lore involves her being a white fox. She’s often paired with fellow Hololive Gamers unit member Ookami Mio, who is a black wolf. So this is a game about Fubuki, in a way, with major appearances from Mio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpPfmKHuStM&ab_channel=PhoenixxGames%2F%E3%83%95%E3%82%A3%E3%83%BC%E3%83%8B%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0%E3%82%BA Except it isn’t just those two. It’s the Yamato Phantasia versions of those two individuals that are part of the Holoearth and Hololive Alternative projects. In that storyline, Fubuki and Mio are essentially gods who help protect Yamato from corruption. The two end up being tasked with erasing corruption and protecting people. While usually they are limited to that realm, the events in Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth involve other potential alternate realities being affected, with the Vtubers from the companies being notable, notorious, or godly figures in need of assistance or salvation from an unexpected corruption. Once you really get into it, the story doesn’t matter much. But there’s still an expectation that you know exactly who these people are, why it matters that Vtubers are in specific locations, and such. This is a Holo Indie game where you will miss out without prior knowledge about the performers involved and their official backstories. This ties into the Mega Man-like element of Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth. While the first stage sees Fubuki summoned into action to help Yamato, the first boss is actually a version of Houshou Marine. When Marine gets sucked through a portal after Fubuki saves her (by beating her up), we end up tasked with going to multiple stages set in various worlds with different Hololive Vtuber bosses in each one. Every one of them involves small and large enemies, usually with projectile attacks, as we have Fubuki run, jump, use special weapons, find collectibles for certain attacks, and get through 2D stages. While her default weapon is the Murasamemaru melee sword, she does get additional types of attacks that allow for some ranged options. Images via PEPOSOFT Those other weapons are the other way in which Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth feels very Mega Man-like. Like in Capcom’s series, defeating a boss means getting a weapon associated with them. It’s a neat concept, and I love when games do that! However, I feel it’s a missed opportunity here. There is no strategy to it. So while these can be helpful when getting through stages, it doesn’t mean we have a situation where after beating Marine, you should really go to the Frozen Theme Park because Yukihana Lamy is weak against Captain Marine’s Gun. You can tackle any stage in any order because there is no recommended progression that makes you feel smart for ensuring you faced certain folks at specific times. Another shame is that Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth is so short. The good part is, it doesn’t wear out its welcome. Every one of the six locations does feel unique. The spritework is good. But… there are only six stages really! And six major boss fights. (The last one is quite substantial, however!) I spent three hours with it, as I felt like I needed to go through quite a bit to ensure I saw it all, but I honestly probably would have been done in about two hours. I will say that I appreciate the update that launched back on April 18, 2025. I did feel the boss difficulty was a bit much in some spots and dropped down to easy during this review. Since then, PEPOSOFT did some rebalancing that made it more manageable. I also found the Boss Rush mode and gave it a try, which helps mitigate the fact that the game is so short a tad. The team mentioned an Extra mode and new game plus option are also in development, which again will help. I’m a fan of Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth, especially if I drop down to the easy difficulty level to really enjoy myself. It’s an entertaining Mega Man-like game wearing a Hololive Vtuber skin. I do think it is at its best if someone really enjoys both that type of game and Cover’s performers. If not, then the length, fact that the weapons from each boss don’t feature any strategic element, and injection of Holoearth and Hololive lore with no explanation could be too high a barrier to jump. Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth is available on PCs, and a

May 2, 2025 - 14:19

Review: Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth Is a Short Mega Man-like

Holo Indie games based on Hololive Vtubers are at their best when it feels like anyone could go into a title, have fun with it, and not feel excluded based on what’s going on. Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth, on the other hand, pushes that a little. While it is pretty approachable in terms of gameplay, due to being a run-and-gun platformer and Mega Man-like, some gameplay decisions and a heavy focus on the Holoearth Hololive Alternative lore with no explanation keep it from being as approachable as other projects based on Cover’s performers.

Okay, this is going to get complicated for a second. Bear with me.

Shirakami Fubuki is a Hololive Vtuber whose lore involves her being a white fox. She’s often paired with fellow Hololive Gamers unit member Ookami Mio, who is a black wolf. So this is a game about Fubuki, in a way, with major appearances from Mio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpPfmKHuStM&ab_channel=PhoenixxGames%2F%E3%83%95%E3%82%A3%E3%83%BC%E3%83%8B%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0%E3%82%BA

Except it isn’t just those two. It’s the Yamato Phantasia versions of those two individuals that are part of the Holoearth and Hololive Alternative projects. In that storyline, Fubuki and Mio are essentially gods who help protect Yamato from corruption. The two end up being tasked with erasing corruption and protecting people. While usually they are limited to that realm, the events in Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth involve other potential alternate realities being affected, with the Vtubers from the companies being notable, notorious, or godly figures in need of assistance or salvation from an unexpected corruption.

Once you really get into it, the story doesn’t matter much. But there’s still an expectation that you know exactly who these people are, why it matters that Vtubers are in specific locations, and such. This is a Holo Indie game where you will miss out without prior knowledge about the performers involved and their official backstories.

This ties into the Mega Man-like element of Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth. While the first stage sees Fubuki summoned into action to help Yamato, the first boss is actually a version of Houshou Marine. When Marine gets sucked through a portal after Fubuki saves her (by beating her up), we end up tasked with going to multiple stages set in various worlds with different Hololive Vtuber bosses in each one. Every one of them involves small and large enemies, usually with projectile attacks, as we have Fubuki run, jump, use special weapons, find collectibles for certain attacks, and get through 2D stages. While her default weapon is the Murasamemaru melee sword, she does get additional types of attacks that allow for some ranged options.

Review: Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth Is a Short and Sweet Mega Man-like — Images via PEPOSOFT

Those other weapons are the other way in which Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth feels very Mega Man-like. Like in Capcom’s series, defeating a boss means getting a weapon associated with them. It’s a neat concept, and I love when games do that! However, I feel it’s a missed opportunity here. There is no strategy to it. So while these can be helpful when getting through stages, it doesn’t mean we have a situation where after beating Marine, you should really go to the Frozen Theme Park because Yukihana Lamy is weak against Captain Marine’s Gun. You can tackle any stage in any order because there is no recommended progression that makes you feel smart for ensuring you faced certain folks at specific times.

Another shame is that Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth is so short. The good part is, it doesn’t wear out its welcome. Every one of the six locations does feel unique. The spritework is good. But… there are only six stages really! And six major boss fights. (The last one is quite substantial, however!) I spent three hours with it, as I felt like I needed to go through quite a bit to ensure I saw it all, but I honestly probably would have been done in about two hours.

I will say that I appreciate the update that launched back on April 18, 2025. I did feel the boss difficulty was a bit much in some spots and dropped down to easy during this review. Since then, PEPOSOFT did some rebalancing that made it more manageable. I also found the Boss Rush mode and gave it a try, which helps mitigate the fact that the game is so short a tad. The team mentioned an Extra mode and new game plus option are also in development, which again will help.

I’m a fan of Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth, especially if I drop down to the easy difficulty level to really enjoy myself. It’s an entertaining Mega Man-like game wearing a Hololive Vtuber skin. I do think it is at its best if someone really enjoys both that type of game and Cover’s performers. If not, then the length, fact that the weapons from each boss don’t feature any strategic element, and injection of Holoearth and Hololive lore with no explanation could be too high a barrier to jump.

Fubuki: Zero in on Holoearth is available on PCs, and a demo is out.

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