Berserk Boy Review – Review

There’s plenty of nuance inside the action-platformer style, and with later Mega Man video games particularly got here a heavier deal with exploration and replaying ranges with newly acquired powers. Berserk Boy is a fast-paced indie recreation that channels the Mega Man X, Zero, and ZX video games–in addition to the Gunvolt collection–to try to carve out its personal area on this very crowded style. It manages to offer a good bit of leisure throughout its 15 or so levels, however a pair hiccups maintain it again from reaching must-play standing.

Berserk Boy is at its weakest when it spends time doling out story beats that are not practically as fascinating as its gameplay. The premise is {that a} boy named Kei beneficial properties the power to remodel into Berserk Boy through an odd orb, and as he collects extra of them, he acquires much more transformations. Inside your property base hub, you’ll be able to communicate to NPCs, go to a lab to enhance your powers, and choose new missions. Between end-of-area boss fights, you may even be tasked with working across the base to filter out enemies which have invaded, however these segments are pretty tedious. The hub might add a little bit of taste, however it will get in the way in which of the true star of Berserk Boy: the way in which that you could fly by way of levels, swapping powers on the contact of a button.

Each stage options a number of checkpoint doorways that help you return to earlier components, if, for example, you missed a collectible. Nevertheless quick you select to play by way of them, the degrees may be fairly prolonged, with a lot of secret passages to uncover and obstacles that require particular transformations to bypass. Along with platforming challenges, you may encounter fundamental enemies, mini-bosses, and some several types of collectibles; one in all these opens up a time trial mini-stage and the opposite finally ends up coming into play close to the sport’s conclusion. The latter collectible is definitely required to unlock end-game content material, which is greater than somewhat irritating.

Kei’s first transformation is one which grants lightning-based powers, together with a excessive velocity sprint that permits you to zip throughout the display screen, putting enemies and enabling a lock-on projectile for further harm (not not like how the aforementioned Gunvolt capabilities in his personal video games). The opposite Berserk Orbs you gather unlock a flame-based outfit with drilling capabilities, an air-themed swimsuit that permits you to float, an ice ninja kind that may grasp onto transferring platforms, and an earth-based kind that permits you to scan doorways and platforms to unlock them. Later levels power you to change on the fly (typically actually), and so turning into accustomed to every kind is essential, or it will be when you even wanted something apart from the lightning kind to take out nearly each boss you encounter. Should you’re anticipating something near the issue of the toughest Mega Man video games, you’ll have to activate the Retro issue when beginning a brand new save file, which supplies you a set variety of lives and harder enemies–in contrast with the limitless retries of Trendy mode.

When it comes to presentation, Berserk Boy boasts a vibrant shade palette and neat visible results, like a disappearing shadow path that seems as you run and bounce by way of every stage. Every world consists of three important levels that middle on a specific component/biome, and these are accompanied by the signature sounds of composer Tee Lopes, so relaxation assured your ears are in for a deal with. The benefit with which you’ll be able to change Berserk kinds through the L and R buttons along with the remainder of the sleek controls make for a beautiful and easy journey throughout Berserk Boy’s multi-hour marketing campaign.

Regardless of its strengths, the repetitive boss fights, lack of enemy selection, and tedious base protection segments throw just a few bitter notes into the upbeat and satisfying jazz that’s Berserk Boy. One other subject is that the lab the place you should buy upgrades doesn’t fairly work as meant, with the well being upgrades I bought not registering in any respect in the direction of my well being meter. That the true conclusion of the sport is gated behind gathering dozens of tokens throughout the sport’s 5 worlds is a particular misstep, however the general bundle will stay an attractive one for motion platformer followers.

Berserk Boy presents a fast-paced diversion that may enchantment to those that just like the velocity of Sonic and the transformations of Mega Man. It’s aesthetically pleasing from begin to end, and the gameplay shines by way of most of its runtime. A handful of points hold it from placing each toes solidly in must-play territory, however all informed it’s a superb time and scratches that run, bounce, and shoot itch.