Oniken: The Unstoppable Edition - Review

Channel:

BG4GHUB

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Published on January 25, 2020 4:49:57 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTuxeLWLcTg

Game:

Oniken (2012)

Category:

Review

Duration: 3:56

124 views

6

Oniken is a homage to the classic 80s punishing Platformers that I remember as a kid. It doesn't hold back on the difficulty or hold your hand in any form. And this is absolutely where the game stands out. Developer and publisher Joymasher has developed a frustrating but pleasurable retro experience that no one should miss. So let’s check it out.


Global war has nearly destroyed the human race. And Oniken a cybernetic armada has crushed the few humans left to survive. It's a complete post-apocalyptic future, but not all is lost because a small resistance is formed led by General Zhukov. Who recruits Zaku a legendary ninja, to take on the robotic forces. The story is told in an 80s 8-bit manner with small cutscenes between each chapter also with those classic scrolling subtitles and this really gave the game that retro shine which was a welcomed addition. On top of that, the story itself felt like it was ripped right from the 80s and I loved every moment of it.

In the 80s as a kid, I spent endless hours repeating the same level over and over learning the best path through every platformer to make it to the next level. Oniken faithfully holds to this tradition and although it at times it can be brutal, it's also such a satisfying feeling when you complete that mission you work so hard on. So to begin, you're equipped with a sword and limited bombs that you can collect, which feels a little light when it comes to gear, but gets the task done. When it comes to controls I found that at times they were either too responsive or slightly delayed which felt strange and made the play through difficult. But I also felt like that was more of a problem with the game engine and the sprites, not something that developers had much control over. But by no means was it game-breaking because I learned to compensate my own movements for the errors. Along with the bombs, you can obtain Berzerker power-up swords which cause devastating blows to enemies for a very short period of time. These are fantastic for boss fights, but I do wish they lasted a bit longer at times. Also if you search for them you can find some hidden extra lives in each mission which help out tremendously. And by far my favorite thing in platformers is taking down bosses and Oniken does this well. It takes a unique strategy to kill each boss and figuring it out wasn’t extremely difficult but none the less challenging.

The graphics are in the 80s 8-bit fashion and although from today's standard they’re nothing special, the graphics still hold up well. The Sprites look good and the Bosses looked even better. I wasn't too impressed with the background though and thought it was a little plain, but to be fair there's only so much you can do with retro graphics. On the other hand, the level design was spectacular and fun to run through. I especially enjoyed being chased down by a polar bear while riding my hoverbike. It just looked absolutely fantastic. The sound was also done in the classic 80’s fashion but nothing caught my ear or really stood out.

I had a fantastic time with the brutal challenge of Oniken and loved the nostalgia it brought back. Joymasher has really made something special here and I look forward to seeing what’s next from them. Oniken The Unstoppable Edition gets a 7.9 out of 10 and is out now for PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

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