Let’s face it, some current games are just too easy nowadays: Regenerating health, simple tutorials, checkpoints, and autosaving. I’m sure there are plenty of gamers out there that want a challenge so I present…Yar’s Revenge.
This game is a revival of the old Atari 2600 title. And like most Atari games, there isn’t much in the way of plot. You are tasked with flying through varying stages, destroying wave after wave of monsters, before taking out an end of level boss. Who needs a complicated plot when you can blow stuff up?
The controls are very simple to understand; you have three ways to shoot: RB for the rapid fire rail gun (your best friend), RT for a powerful one shot laser (for those tight spots) and LT to fire homing missiles (for when you just want stuff to go boom). You make use of both left and right analogue sticks; Left to move your character, and right to aim your guns. So there’s no excuse to forget the controls. Simple, effective and very responsive.
The gameplay is very much like the classic arcade on-rails shooter; enemies will form in front of you, and you must shoot anything that moves, before it decides to shoot you, or kamikaze into your fleshy frame. And when I say arcade gameplay, I also mean arcade difficulty… TRUE arcade difficulty. You have little health, a limited number of lives, and if you lose your lives, it’s game over. No reloading form the last played level; you start from the very beginning.
These sort of games rate you on how many points you rack up, like classic arcade game such as Pac-Man, Galaga and R-Type. Yar’s Revenge may make you frustrated, but you still feel compelled to keep playing; to better yourself. And that is one of the biggest selling points.
This brings back the definition of “Arcade”; Fast, furious gameplay, insane difficulty, but offers a very addictive & healthy challenge. This should be a staple of any gamer’s collection.
Published by: Atari
Developed by: Killspace Entertainment
Price: 800MS Points