As a longtime gamer with a soft spot for the classics, let me tell you about my latest adventure with Yars Rising. At first glance, this Metroidvania seemed like your average run-and-gun game, but boy was I wrong! The early emphasis on stealth was a bit of a turnoff, but once the hacking started, the magic kicked in and I was hooked.
Yars’ Revenge was an unusual game, falling under the category of sci-fi shooters. Players would “nibble” away at enemy fortifications, followed by summoning a missile that they needed to avoid before firing themselves. Despite its peculiar nature, it was Atari’s top-selling first-party title in its time, placing it among gaming legends like Centipede and Missile Command. Various attempts to revive it have surfaced and disappeared over the years, but given its unique concept, it poses a challenge to recreate effectively.
Peanut butter and chocolate, but weirder
WayForward is a developer with a rich history of charm and an old-school flavor reminiscent of the 1990s, most famously recognized for their exceptional work on various IP and creating homegrown hits like Shantae. They excel at producing games that evoke anime-like atmospheres, platformers, puzzle games, beat ’em ups, and notably, Metroidvania-style games.
Yars’ Revenge Unveiled: A Surprising Collaboration That Combines Atari Games and WayForward
Frankly, Yars Rising lived up to my expectations, but I’m a fan of games like River City Girls and Double Dragon Neon, so the similar vibe hooked me. However, the collaboration seemed off-target, and it barely resembled Yars except for some nods. I thought, “Well, it looks cute at least.” But once I started playing Yars Rising, I couldn’t stop until the end credits. If this game isn’t among my top ten by the end of the year, I’ll be surprised.
A silly, cyberpunk scooby gang
As character Emi, a sharp-tongued team leader in a vibrant cyberpunk universe with a sweet bubblegum twist, you embark on your newest mission: infiltrating QoTech, where coincidentally Emi works as an employee. The hacking operation doesn’t go smoothly, but it sets off an extraordinary interstellar dispute that Emi can’t help but be pulled into. The adventure that follows is filled with unexpected turns, captivating abilities, hilarious Atari nods, and a surprising level of ingenuity in integrating Yars’ Revenge into the narrative, making for an exhilarating ride.
Initially, there’s just something unique and captivating about the ambiance of modern WayForward creations. The distinctive style began with the release of Shantae on the Game Boy Color, but it has evolved into its current form over years, shaped by external influences. Reflecting back on games like Double Dragon Neon and Jake Kaufman’s musical impact, and how that design template continued to grow when Kaufman moved on and titles such as Shantae and the Seven Sirens, River City Girls, and fresh creative minds took charge.
I seldom discuss music, but it’s challenging not to when it comes to WayForward. The studio’s games seamlessly blend retro gaming melodies with contemporary pop music hits, and Yars Rising takes this fusion to a whole new dimension. Notably, musicians like Dale North and Megan McDuffee from River City Girls are back, but WayForward also involved artists such as Tobokegao, Moe Shop, and milkyPRISM (and many more) in the soundtrack creation process. This collaborative effort resulted in a remixed, high-energy album of an Original Soundtrack, so immersive that there’s an in-game earbud accessory to display each track name and artist on the screen when a new track plays. They certainly knew what they were doing, and it was nothing short of culinary mastery.
In the latest Yars Rising game, Atari and WayForward have made a significant effort on the audio aspect.
A variety of talented artists, musicians, writers, and creators are collaborating to create an outstanding soundtrack. This is truly a community project!
Check them out all in one place. Enjoy the music…
— Atari X (@AtariX) June 17, 2024
In this interpretation, the music complements the visual aesthetic of Yars Rising, which is reminiscent of WayForward’s previous works. The style is a blend of 90s anime and Saturday morning cartoons from that era, which on paper might seem unappealing or similar to those cheesy “How to Draw Manga” books often found in arts and crafts stores. However, the artists at WayForward manage to make it work, much like UDON, an art studio known for its collaborations with Capcom. The characters are vibrantly colored and humorous, while the storyline, inspired by Yars’ Revenge, also incorporates elements of superhero and mecha TV shows for added depth.
Hacking homage
Discussing initial experiences, it appears that Yars Rising doesn’t create a particularly striking first impression. Initially, it comes across as a typical Metroidvania game with Emi navigating a 2D map and encountering barriers that will eventually be overcome. The early focus on stealth seems misplaced, considering it’s not the game’s strongest suit and fortunately fades into insignificance over time. However, when the hacking aspect is introduced, Yars Rising begins to show its unique qualities.
In this game, hacking plays a crucial role in various activities such as opening doors, disarming traps, acquiring new abilities, and even during boss fights. The hacking mini-games can range from quick thirty-second sessions to longer ones lasting a few minutes, where you get to control Yars. It’s not just an ordinary Atari game, though; it’s like playing Yars that has been shredded, mixed with a WarioWare cartridge and a canister of GFUEL. Each mini-game starts off as Yars’ Revenge but quickly evolves into its own unique version with special features. During these games, you must figure out the objective and complete it within the time limit without taking any damage, or else Emi gets hurt and you have to try again.
Using this hacking trick, WayForward expertly strikes a narrow balance between creativity, difficulty, tribute, progression, and humor. You never can predict what awaits you when you start a hacking sequence, whether it will be thrilling, annoying, or amusing. As you delve deeper and uncover new abilities, there are sometimes optional yet progressive variations within the mini-games. There have been moments when a specific mini-game had me yelling in frustration, but because the challenge was so carefully crafted with such a slim room for error, it never felt disrespectful to the game.
In Yars Rising, creativity isn’t confined to the hacking mini-games alone. The powers you uncover are inventive too, pushing boundaries beyond what one might expect from a typical Metroidvania game. For instance, instead of a double jump, there’s a vertical boost that needs tactical use in specific situations. The only familiar skill is a wall jump, but everything else offers a fresh take on the usual features with equally imaginative uses.
Initially, I found myself carrying on excessively, but I can’t help but continue praising! The game Yars Rising appears to be an assortment of eccentric elements that seemingly wouldn’t gel. However, it manages to offer a thrilling experience for the majority of its playtime. It showcases WayForward at their most indulgent, yet this results in an engaging gaming journey that morphs into a delightful, intelligent tribute to Atari’s timeless library in a way that feels innovative and unique. The seamless integration of Yars’ Revenge, the game’s fundamental concept, across what initially seems like an unrelated genre is continuously rewarding, providing a steady stream of dopamine. Although the stealth aspect falls short, the action and exploration on the Metroidvania side shines, particularly when utilizing the array of intriguing and peculiar abilities. Yars Rising has proven to be an unexpected gem, and one of the most impactful games I’ve encountered in 2024.
On September 10, 2024, you’ll be able to play Yars Rising on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, as well as Atari VCS. For this review, we received a Nintendo Switch code from the publisher.
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2024-09-10 16:27