It should be pretty tough for these at Atari HQ to determine upon their subsequent plan of action. Having launched their Recharged collection of video games with absolutely the icons of gaming – Centipede, Asteroids, Missile Command and the like – in the end they would wish to begin delving a bit deeper into the depths of old-school gaming, searching for video games that would turn out to be little sleeper hits within the fashionable period.
With Berzerk: Recharged they’ve presumably completed simply that. Taking a recreation from 1980 – a recreation that had seemingly gathered some sort of cult standing with out ever actually discovering a house within the mindsets of the hundreds of thousands – this is likely one of the higher additions to the Recharged collection. The truth is, we’ve come away shocked at simply how addictive this little recreation is.
Berzerk: Recharged takes the unique Berzerk system from 1980 and whips it up right into a 2020’s frenzy. Visually overhauled (because it should be), it matches in with the opposite Recharged titles quite properly, persevering with the same old graphical fashion that has labored for the Atari staff thus far. Futuristic however easy is how I’d describe it, with neon colors able to offering loads of depth and selection to the sport area, the principle protagonist and the opponents that come their means.
These visuals are extraordinarily properly complemented by a quite gorgeous soundtrack by the ever prolific Megan McDuffee. The tunes of McDuffee sit behind the same old twin-stick taking pictures results that you simply’d anticipate of such a recreation, combining properly with the overall ambiance of the on-screen motion. Frankly, visually and aurally, Berzerk: Recharged works rather well. Apart that’s of some shadowing points; clipping of characters on maze corners and an odd out-of-action backside fringe of the display screen which causes the occasional downside.
Gameplay is on level. It is a twin-stick shooter by which you’re left to navigate your means by way of an infinite maze. The Arcade mode from the principle menu will allow you to dip into this, all as you go in the hunt for high-score tabling, maybe making an attempt to finest the scores of your mates within the course of. Taking pictures and destroying all enemies discovered within the single display screen rooms is entrance and centre for this matter, constructing combos as you progress from one display screen to the subsequent, tackling the small number of foes that pop up.
These guys will fortunately combat again too, coming in a couple of totally different types. There’s the Drone who will chase you across the display screen, taking pictures again; a Pursuer intent on homing in in your place at velocity; that of a Turret, stationary, spinning on the spot, firing out a number of bullets; and the Crawler. Actually, the final of those are simply the only to despatch, as they keep on with partitions, not often proving to be a lot problem.
Clearing screens usually means that you can transfer on to the subsequent, however end up in a little bit of a squeeze and typically it’s best to forgo the factors scoring for security, shifting as much as one other room as quick as you possibly can. And apart from, stick round in a single room for too lengthy, maybe now not than ten seconds or so, and the Evil Otto will come bouncing in.
Otto is a little bit of a cult icon in some components, gathering up acclaim from the unique recreation means again when. He involves Berzerk: Recharged in flashy neon fashion, grinning away, intent on taking you down. You’d do finest to stay away from him too, as Otto is totally indestructible; when he comes on display screen, it’s finest to leg it.
The factor is, the extra rooms you progress by way of, the trickier the enemies. While they proceed to return your means within the typical types, colour-coding them sees your opponents handled to extra well being bars, fast motion and the like. Berzerk: Recharged is definitely no stroll within the park when you may have a display screen filled with the hardest of foes.
Serving to you in your trigger are a number of weapon power-ups. Initially full with a little bit of a weedy little pistol, you possibly can improve this for a restricted time; large pictures, bouncing pictures and triple pictures are all a lot appreciated. There are shields to make use of, well being grabs, mines and an Eradicator too – this final one being extraordinarily uncommon however helpful for clearing a display screen of bullet hell.
The truth is, the one improve and choose up that we’ve largely steered away from is that of a Rail Gun. It’s too sluggish and imprecise for the manic motion that may typically unfold in Berzerk: Recharged, with us by no means having obtained on with its taking pictures nature. In fact, it’s the one one that may fireplace by way of partitions although, so swings and roundabouts. At occasions in Berserk: Recharged, you’ll take no matter you may get.
With slightly sprint that quick refills for a number of use, guiding your man by way of the mazes of Berzerk: Recharged is very addictive. Whether or not that be for leaderboard placings, achievement and Gamerscore gathering or simply the sheer competitors that Berzerk permits; reasonings will differ for every gamer. For us although, we’ve most definitely discovered this one of the crucial interesting of all of the Recharged video games from Atari. It’s maybe as a result of it’s much less well-known, or possibly simply because the random nature permits for added play.
Other than that Arcade mode and a smattering of recreation modifiers for these actually intent on bringing the ache, comes the same old Mission construction that could be a key component of all Recharged video games. There are some thirty Missions on provide right here, ramping up in depth pretty shortly – and we’re needing the assistance of our press package for that quantity as a result of we’re nowhere close to finishing all of them. Even with a neighborhood multiplayer cooperative good friend in tow, Berzerk: Recharged is a correct beast when it comes to these hand-crafted phases; you’ll be left going by way of them for previous whereas.
Whether or not or not it’s as a result of Berzerk: Recharged feels more energizing than the remaining, or whether or not it’s due to the random nature it brings, we really feel that is within the higher echelons of all of the Recharged video games that Atari have pushed out in latest months. It’s removed from good, there are some odd visible annoyances and moments of clipping, however on the entire, it is a tremendous addictive playthrough that simply so occurs to return at a cracking value.
Simply stay away from Otto, yeah!?
