Yars Rising Review – A Stylish Stew of Old and New

As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours in arcades of yesteryear, I found myself pleasantly reminiscing while diving into the vibrant world of Yars Rising. The blend of classic arcade gameplay with modern platforming was a refreshing twist that had me hooked from the get-go.

The creators of the Shantae series have skillfully paid homage to the vintage Atari 2600 game, Yars Revenge, by designing a unique amalgamation titled Yars Rising. This fusion of platforming and retro Atari-style gameplay is seamlessly integrated into the storyline through the protagonist’s progressive enhancements. Progress can be saved at arcade machines, and augmentations are earned upon completion of classic Yars stages, creatively merging old and new elements. The gameplay includes Mega Man-like run-and-gun segments, stealth, and backtracking in balanced proportions. WayForward is well-versed in platformers, and they’ve delivered a commendable effort with Yars Rising. However, the game isn’t without its imperfections. Fortunately, it boasts an appealing visual aesthetic, making it worthwhile to delve deeper into its features first.

From the moment I laid eyes on the vibrant art style of Yars Rising, I was instantly captivated and drawn into its universe. The vivid colors aren’t merely eye-catching; they represent an evolutionary development from the stark binary hues and strong color palette of the original Yars Revenge on the Atari 2600. The game’s bold use of neon blues and pinks extends to the menus and user interface, brimming with stylish animations and intricate details.

In terms of their music, WayForward consistently delivers, whether it’s the nautical melodies of Shantae or the lively tunes of River City Girls. Yars’ Rising follows suit with a soundtrack infused with disco rhythms, boasting an unexpected number of vocal tracks. I find myself humming these catchy tracks non-stop since I began playing for review, and they’ve been stuck in my head ever since! The music fits perfectly with the futuristic ambiance of Qotech’s corridors, and there are even built-in earbuds that announce the track name and artist as each song plays.

“The map in Yars Rising tells you everything you need to know at a glance.”

As I delve into the immersive world of Yars Rising, I’m captivated by the vivid sights and sounds that envelop me as I journey through its traditional platforming landscapes. With each passing moment, Emi equips me with new ‘Yar abilities’, granting me access to previously inaccessible parts of the map. The map design in Yars Rising is top-notch, making it effortless for me to keep track of my surroundings. The floors of Qotech are distinctly marked, using crystal clear color coding – red areas signal that I lack the necessary abilities to enter, while white areas indicate safe passage. It’s a tribute to the map and level design that I never found myself lost in the labyrinthine halls of Qotech.

In Yars Rising, while I appreciate many aspects, there are certain issues with the level design that I’d like to address. Firstly, compared to other platformers, there aren’t as many shortcuts or looping elements, which I find surprising. If you’re looking for a shortcut, your only choice is usually elevators located at the end of specific corridors. To make matters worse, the levels in this game are quite disconnected, with no fast travel option available at all. Although not every platformer needs fast travel, the rooms in Yars Rising are often far apart, leading to lengthy loading screens. As a result, a fast travel option would have been very beneficial.

Unfortunately, the game’s flow is often interrupted by frequent loading screens, which can make moving between rooms less enjoyable and engaging. Even using elevators to skip levels provides only temporary relief, as they too require loading times. While the main story path takes you through new areas more often, backtracking isn’t as seamless or fun due to these recurring load screens. Overall, despite some issues with persistent loading times and a need for more shortcuts, Yars Rising offers a solid platforming structure that should please most genre enthusiasts.

A platformer game like Yars Rising is exceptional for its robust control system. The jumping mechanism is responsive and adjustable, enabling corrections when your trajectory seems to be heading towards lasers or other hindrances. However, the Zorlon Shot doesn’t have an auto-shoot feature; instead, it requires manual triggers to fire bullets. While I found this manageable, some players might find the absence of automatic shooting annoying. I found the stealth aspect quite enjoyable. You can either gradually tilt the control stick for a slow walk or use a trigger button for a quick transition. The enemy patrol units follow predictable paths, making your covert operations as hassle-free as possible. Additionally, if you miss a ledge above you, Emi will automatically climb up it if you’re close enough, which is another thoughtful feature.

Yars Rising Review – A Stylish Stew of Old and New

“Death pits are indicated by purple mist. Yars Rising does a good job with its visual distinction.”

I’m glad when games make it clear which areas are dangerous, like in Yars’ Rising where deadly pits are color-coded with a swirling purple haze. It’s frustrating when modern platformers don’t differentiate between safe and dangerous zones below. In Yars’ Rising, every missile and ledge stands out clearly, making it easy to tell them apart.

Emi does more than just run and jump though. Her augmented abilities open up new areas and bolster her offensive weaponry against the Qotile forces. Abilities are divided between Biohacks, which are small passive buffs, and new powers like wall jumping, which are Augments. You obtain both upgrade types by hacking a terminal and playing a creatively arranged stage from the classic Yar’s Revenge Atari game. The primary goal of these classic arcade minigames is to shoot the missile (usually located behind your Yar) at the opposing Qotile. This basic concept gets arranged in some really neat ways, always surprising and keeping me on my toes throughout the span of the main game. Oh, also, the UI for these minigames is staggeringly cool. The amount of info presented on the arcade UI while moving the little Yar around is insane, and the portrait of Emi reacting to her gameplay is wonderful. I simply loved playing these classic arcade games and found the gameplay variety between them and the normal platforming to be refreshing.

Yars Rising Review – A Stylish Stew of Old and New

“The hacking minigames comprise fun variations on the classic Yar’s Revenge Atari game.”

If you want to just play the classic Yars game without all the modern platforming, there’s a mode in the main menu made just for that. Emi’s Hacklist compiles every Yars minigame found in Yars Rising and saves your high scores, making for good old fashioned retro fun. That said, if you’re not keen to play these classic Yars minigames at all, you can turn on minigame invincibility in the menu settings and get through them pretty quickly without much fuss. The Biohacks you earn from playing these minigames can be equipped by placing Tetris-like blocks on a Yar-shaped grid. The buffs allow you to customize your playstyle in flexible ways, granting you health increase, faster hacking minigame speed, or even a three-way Zorlon Shot.

As a devoted fan, I want to clarify that most of my footage for this review was captured during the initial stages of the game, before unlocking the air dash and super missile Augments. Don’t be deceived by the basic run-and-gun moments at the beginning; by the latter half, you’ll be mastering wall jumps, air dashes, and busting through locked doors with ease! The game offers engaging boss battles that demand the full use of your augmented abilities, which somewhat resemble the Mega Man robot masters, albeit fewer in number, totaling only five throughout the game. However, these augmented abilities serve a dual purpose: they not only play a crucial combat role but are also deeply intertwined with the game’s narrative.

Yars Rising Review – A Stylish Stew of Old and New

“Emi is constantly quipping with voiced narration throughout the adventure”

In the game, it’s clear that Emi’s relationship with the ‘Yar’ species and her enhancements significantly impact the storyline. What took me by surprise was the abundance of dialogue during the gameplay, all of which is voiced. Emi frequently makes witty comments about her situation, and the plot moves briskly throughout the entire game. Fortunately, the voice acting is engaging and well-done, but some players might find Emi’s continual sarcasm grating over time. However, I enjoy the lively characters in this game, and the voice direction enhances the overall experience by making it more vibrant, complementing the vivid colors and catchy soundtrack.

Yars Rising excels at revamping the classic Atari 2600 game for contemporary players. It offers an entertaining blend of traditional Yars gameplay mechanics combined with modern platforming elements, narrated within a vibrant environment. While the platforming segments aren’t revolutionary, and the game is relatively short, taking approximately 6 hours to finish, I’ve been having fun gathering overlooked items with my enhanced character. However, frequent loading screens and limited fast travel between checkpoints make navigation laborious, hindering exploration of previously inaccessible areas. This awkward navigation is a significant drawback in Yars Rising, which is unfortunate given its proficiency in other areas. Despite this setback, Yars Rising stands out for its skill at merging the old with the new, and its visual appeal sparkles with charm.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

2024-09-19 15:41

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