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A strong, satisfying action-platformer with a number of tough edges.
There’s loads of nuance throughout the action-platformer style, and with later Mega Man video games specifically got here a heavier give attention to exploration and replaying ranges with newly acquired powers. Berserk Boy is a fast-paced indie sport 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 levels, however a pair hiccups maintain it again from attaining 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 positive factors the flexibility to rework into Berserk Boy by way of an odd orb, and as he collects extra of them, he acquires much more transformations. Inside your property base hub, you may communicate 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 out enemies which have invaded, however these segments are pretty tedious. The hub might add a little bit of taste, nevertheless it will get in the best way of the true star of Berserk Boy: the best way you could fly via levels, swapping powers on the contact of a button.
Each stage options a number of checkpoint doorways that can help you return to earlier components, if, as an example, you missed a collectible. Nevertheless quick you select to play via them, the degrees may be fairly prolonged, with numerous 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 slightly irritating.
Kei’s first transformation is one which grants lightning-based powers, together with a excessive velocity sprint that lets you zip throughout the display, putting enemies and enabling a lock-on projectile for further injury (not in contrast to how the aforementioned Gunvolt features in his personal video games). The opposite Berserk Orbs you acquire unlock a flame-based outfit with drilling capabilities, an air-themed swimsuit that lets you float, an ice ninja kind that may dangle onto transferring platforms, and an earth-based kind that lets you scan doorways and platforms to unlock them. Later levels power you to modify on the fly (typically actually), and so changing into accustomed to every kind is vital, or it could be in case you even wanted something apart from the lightning kind to take out nearly each boss you encounter. If you happen to’re anticipating something near the problem of the toughest Mega Man video games, you’ll must 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 Fashionable mode.
When it comes to presentation, Berserk Boy boasts a vibrant colour palette and neat visible results, like a disappearing shadow path that seems as you run and bounce via every stage. Every world consists of three principal levels that middle 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 swap Berserk varieties 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 number of bitter notes into the upbeat and satisfying jazz that’s Berserk Boy. One other problem 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 general 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 velocity of Sonic and the transformations of Mega Man. It’s aesthetically pleasing from begin to end, and the gameplay shines via most of its runtime. A handful of points hold it from placing each toes solidly in must-play territory, however all instructed it’s a superb time and scratches that run, bounce, and shoot itch.
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