Yars Rising

Before games had complex sprites, gamers had to use their imagination to envision the worlds the developers wanted them to see. A couple of pixels could be a gun, or a door, or perhaps a complex character – that was the reality of gamers who grew up playing Atari. Yars Rising attempts to recapture the magic of the early days of gaming with a fresh coat of paint.

Developed by WayForward, Yars Rising is the spiritual successor to the classic Yars' Revenge. Yes, the very same Yars' Revenge that came out for the Atari 2600. Talk about a blast from the past.

Mixing together old-school charm with striking 2.5D visuals, Yars Rising proves that the charm of the early days of gaming is still alive and well. Naturally, the geniuses behind the Shantae and River City Girls franchises are the perfect fit for a game that feels both old and new in all the best ways.

Explore and Conquer

Yars Rising follows the basic gameplay loop of the Metroidvania genre. Your character, in this case, the young hacker Emi Kimura, must explore the neon-lit corridors of a futuristic cyberpunk dystopia, unraveling the mysteries of the QoTech Corporation. Though level variety is limited, the outstanding visual design is evocative of games like Metroid Dread.

The plot, though a bit on the thin side, makes multiple nods to the original Yars' Revenge. This is more of a modern revival of a long-dormant series, so don't feel like you'll be missing out if you haven't played the original. Considering how "vintage" the Atari 2600 classic is, I wouldn't blame you if you haven't even heard of it.

Hack and Smack

Though exploration and combat are essential parts of Yars Rising, hacking is your most powerful – and useful – tool. Emi is an accomplished hacker, capable of breaking through any security QoTech throws her way.

The game uses hacking minigames as a way to both hinder your progress and indulge you with retro nostalgia. Hacking sections use a similar structure to that of the original Yars game – a great nod for old-school gamers who might be familiar with the series. These minigames are never too intellectually demanding, but they provide a nice alternative to the game's more fast-paced sections.

Retro Visuals?

One thing I couldn't help but notice is how the game uses a 2.5D visual style. While I'm sure most modern gamers would love what the game has to offer in the visual department, I can't help but feel as if a more detailed wholly 2D style would have helped sell the game's retro inspirations a bit better.

When we have games like Blasphemous and even the Shantae series proving what sprites and a 2D art style can accomplish, it makes these 2.5D Metroidvanias feel slower than their retro counterparts. It even affects the gameplay to a certain degree, much like it did to Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.

Pros

• Gripping exploration
• The map is easy to navigate without ever feeling lost
• Great hacking minigames

Cons

• The 2.5D art style could be divisive
• The hacking minigames don't pose much of a challenge