Seep, the makers of Swords & Bones, have released another retro-style action platformer follow-up called Roar or Revenge. Controlling a sword swinging barbarian that looks like Conan, it is your job to collect some sacred treasures and smite evil.
With one button to attack and another to jump, the experience remains simple and reminds me of the original Castlevania or classic Kid Icarus. From a side-scrolling perspective and sprite-based visuals, this is a new, retro game right down to the gameplay. Unlike the short stages found in Swords & Bones, each area here is much longer but composed of checkpoints. Sometimes the checkpoints are spread apart a bit to far when the challenge gets high in the later stages which can cause some frustration. Enemies don’t drop health pick-ups (no wall meats) or special abilities (no Mario-like star powers) either.
In time, the player will gain new abilities when certain items are collected. In fact, the barbarian cannot even jump until the end of the first stage. It might sound restricting, but the stage design only calls for exactly what it needs so the game grows with the player with proper pacing. The difficulty is tough but fair even though there are some cheaply placed traps (at least you don’t bounce back when taking damage) and some enemies take a lot of hits. Also, the ending you receive is dependent on your total death toll. To earn the best ending, you’ll need to play well, and the game keeps track of your progress.
Like Swords & Bones, there are some odd bugs and glitches that easily stand out. Sometimes enemies will walk through the air and the button combo to revert back to the main menu simply doesn’t work. It might not lack a fine polish but it is never game breaking. The soundtrack and visuals are also nicely done and fit the mood of a retro platformer well.
Perhaps the biggest attraction of Roar of Revenge are the Achievements. I was able to obtain all the Achievements in about 5 minutes through natural gameplay so Achievement (or Trophies if playing on Playstation) hunters take note. Even though you’ll knockout all the Achievements in no time, there is still enough meat left on the bone to continue playing since the action platforming gameplay is entertaining.
SCORE: 7.5/10
Also Try: Super Sunny Island
Don’t Forget About: Dyna Bomb 2
Wait For It: Tiny Barbarian 2
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz
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