Akka Arrh Review (Johnny MAYBE)
Llamas! Everywhere!!!
7.9/Camel.
- PRETTY EXPENSIVE, LETS BE HONEST.
- THE MULTI LEVEL MECHANIC IS NOT VERY WELL DONE - IT WAS AWKWARD IN THE ORIGINAL - BUT THE ORIGINAL WAS LIMITED BY TECHNOLOGY. ANNOYING IS NOT CHALLENGING.
+ IT'S REALLY QUITE BEAUTIFUL.
+ VERY MORISH DESPITE THE BASIC GAME ELEMENTS (SHOOT STUFF, KEEP AN EYE PATTERNS TO SHOOT MORE STUFF).
+ NO NEED TO GET HIGH TO HAVE A PRETTY WACKY EXPERIENCE.
Look - this game should not work.
When I say work I mean be playable or popular at all.
I got into this with my extreme Proto Game purchase with the Atari 50 years release at the end of last year.
Akka Arrh as an arcade game I never saw - if the back story is on the level, I am not alone in this.
Jeff MINTER appears to have more of a connection to me with Commodore 64 games - but I was very young. I missed out on the likes of Gridrunner and Tempest which should never be ignored in the pantheon of computer games.
This game involves bombing enemies which come at you.
The secret sauce to this is that some explode and leave a pattern of destruction which sets off chains of more destruction.
Add in some enemies need to be shot rather than bombed and that there is an ammo limit and this becomes very tactical.
All this is portrayed through a very psychedelic lens with a suitable and interactive soundtrack which is affected by the chaos you generate fighting off the waves of attackers.
It is very simple by todays standards - but totally compelling and oddly therapeutic.
One aspect grinds - your gun turret is powered by a series of orbs that are in the 'basement' area of the layered playing area.
Switching to that is awkward and chaotic - not in a fun or challenging way. It carries on the theme from the original, but 50 odd years seems long enough to come up with a more effective mechanic for it.
Over priced and a bit flawed - but brilliant as a drop in and out shooter (and oddly calming and refreshing for a shoot em up game).