A strong, satisfying action-platformer with a couple of tough edges.
There’s loads of nuance inside the action-platformer style, and with later Mega Man video games particularly got here a heavier concentrate on 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 sequence–to attempt to carve out its personal house on this very crowded style. It manages to supply a good bit of leisure throughout its 15 or so phases, 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 charming as its gameplay. The premise is {that a} boy named Kei good points the power to remodel into Berserk Boy by way of an odd orb, and as he collects extra of them, he acquires much more transformations. Inside your own home base hub, you’ll be able to converse to NPCs, go to a lab to enhance your powers, and choose new missions. Between end-of-area boss fights, you will even be tasked with working across the base to filter 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 phases, swapping powers on the contact of a button.
Each stage options a number of checkpoint doorways that let you return to earlier elements, if, for example, you missed a collectible. Nonetheless quick you select to play by way of them, the degrees may be fairly prolonged, with plenty of secret passages to uncover and obstacles that require particular transformations to bypass. Along with platforming challenges, you will encounter fundamental enemies, mini-bosses, and some various kinds of collectibles; certainly one of 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 a bit irritating.
Kei’s first transformation is one which grants lightning-based powers, together with a excessive pace sprint that lets you zip throughout the display, hanging enemies and enabling a lock-on projectile for additional injury (not in contrast to how the aforementioned Gunvolt features in his personal video games). The opposite Berserk Orbs you gather unlock a flame-based outfit with drilling capabilities, an air-themed go well with that lets you float, an ice ninja kind that may hold onto transferring platforms, and an earth-based kind that lets you scan doorways and platforms to unlock them. Later phases power you to modify on the fly (typically actually), and so changing into aware of every kind is essential, or it will be in the event you even wanted something aside from the lightning kind to take out virtually each boss you encounter. In the event you’re anticipating something near the issue of the toughest Mega Man video games, you’ll must activate the Retro problem when beginning a brand new save file, which provides you a set variety of lives and harder enemies–in contrast with the limitless retries of Fashionable mode.
By way of presentation, Berserk Boy boasts a vibrant colour palette and neat visible results, like a disappearing shadow path that seems as you run and soar by way of every stage. Every world consists of three major phases that heart on a selected 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 by way of the L and R buttons along with the remainder of the sleek controls make for a stunning and clean 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 a couple of bitter notes into the upbeat and satisfying jazz that’s Berserk Boy. One other challenge is that the lab the place you should buy upgrades doesn’t fairly work as supposed, with the well being upgrades I bought not registering in any respect in direction of my well being meter. That the true conclusion of the sport is gated behind amassing dozens of tokens throughout the sport’s 5 worlds is a particular misstep, however the total bundle will stay an attractive one for motion platformer followers.
Berserk Boy gives a fast-paced diversion that may enchantment to those that just like the pace 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 advised it’s time and scratches that run, soar, and shoot itch.