Man, Yars' Revenge is a weird game to remake. It is absolutely important enough to warrant it, but if I were asked to do so, I don't know how I'd do it. I suppose a rail shooter makes sense, SHMUPs are safe space-y sort of games. Turning the main character into an anime lady is... more of a curiosity. Personally I would've put more emphasis on literally chewing away some sort of barrier, like you do in the Atari game, but making Yar still some sort of four-armed bug alien is at least a compromise towards the original game's identity, as is retaining the Qotile's sprite.

I suppose I should be glad to see an attempt to make something of a classic Atari game besides an endless conga line of rereleases? This is a super creative spin on the original game. I don't find it particularly compelling as a rail shooter - it's short, levels are pretty basic, the main character firing four guns doesn't much change how you play the game. It's a budget title, as evidenced by the lack of voice acting or animation in the cutscenes, but its alien worlds and flight patterns manage a decent spectacle. I unfortunately didn't find the overall experience memorable, but I'm glad the game exists.

Reviewed on Oct 19, 2023


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