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[h1]Quick Thoughts[/h1]
[i]AstroViking[/i] is a top-down, bullet-hell, arena-survival game that offers multiple styles of play. This is developed by Artii Games LLC, who produced their first title [i]TimeTekker[/i] which was already a blast, and this only expands on the good and fun gameplay with longer and more dynamic runs. The game is not perfect, but the developer is always interested in improving in what ways he can, and has already made quite a few changes, both in-game and quality-of-life, based on proffered suggestions. He is very active in the community forums and is dedicated to making this game as good as the players wish for. The set base price of $2.99 USD is very fair. Quick thing to note is that the game still lacks controller support at this time and can only be played with Keyboard and Mouse.
[h1]Gameplay[/h1]
[i]AstroViking[/i] is an arena-survival game at its fundamental state. Fortunately your female Viking protagonist has unlimited ammo supply to ride out the arena wave after wave. By damaging and killing the enemies that come at you, she gains points, with which she can purchase upgrades throughout each run. There are no permanent upgrades in this game, which is good, as it gives everyone a shot at the leaderboards, be it a seasoned veteran or a first-time player.
There are different types of enemies, off the top of my head, I can remember 5 different enemy types. Do not let this fool you, however, because these enemy types are really just the foundations for stronger, more powerful versions later.
There are boss levels every 5 waves, and each boss level introduces new versions of those enemies you already know with new colorful upgrades. You will know you are facing a stronger enemy when you are seeing colors that you have not seen before. They can take more damage, shoot more and faster bullets at you. These boss levels also feature more enemies in general, so there is no doubt the game truly lives up to its bullet-hell tag.
The global leaderboards* are in-game, and provides rankings to all of the players based on how many waves they are able to survive. In addition, just like in [i]TimeTekker[/i], the leaderboards here give you status ranking as well based on percentile of your score. These range from Champion, Diamond, etc. all of the way down to Styrofoam. (*You will be asked to choose a name for your AstroViking when you begin, and this is for the leaderboards, this name cannot be changed [i]post hoc[/i], and thus you have been warned.)
The upgrades are divided into three different sections after your first tutorial/very cheap upgrade. these sections are:
1. Bullet upgrades in size, damage power, fire speed, etc to the left.
2. Movement upgrades in dash damage, cooldown, movement speed, etc down the middle.
3. Vortex upgrades in vortex damage, cooldown, duration, etc to the right.
There are some high-ranking upgrades at the ends of these trees and you can venture down your own paths through progressive upgrades in order to fashion your run based on your own preferences for the Viking. Some of the more difficult to get upgrades cost a significant amount of points, and you often have to pick one or the other, or one among several.
Your AstroViking has 4 hearts of health, along with the two above-mentioned abilities innately. The hearts are depleted half-heart at a time, so your run will end if you absorb 8 hits in one wave. I say one wave and not run is because you get a single heart heal after each wave, and you can purchase heals, one heart at a time, with the price ramping up throughout your run.
In terms of gameplay/run time, I would allot at least 1/2 hour for your first try at the game, longer if possible, to familiarize yourself with the game and its upgrade system. After that, 1/2 hour is probably enough for an average run. So if you have played [i]TimeTekker[/i], you will know this is very different. This game is meant to be played one run at a time. You have to decide after each run whether to pursue one more. But that leaderboard really pushes you, eggs you on, and whispers in your ear, "One more! One more! One more!"
[h1]Controls[/h1]
Mouse and Keyboard only at the moment (at Launch), with possible plans further add controller support. The current controls work very well, and there is really no hiccups, so I cannot complain. I prefer M+B for bullet-hell games like this myself anyway.
[h1]Graphics and Music[/h1]
The graphics are excellent, very similar to [i]TimeTekker[/i], if you are curious, just take a look at the store page trailer, which is a pretty good representation. As for the music, it also has that same relaxed style as [i]TimeTekker[/i], but this applies only to the basic waves. The boss levels have music of a completely different tension altogether, to really let you know you have stepped in deep waters.
[h1]Audience[/h1]
This game can be for everyone. Though if you do not like bullet-hell games, please watch the trailer first before diving in. However, that being said, I must tell you that the initial levels are quite straight forward, and enemy bullets are neither too fast nor too numerous, even for a casual player.
It may be a bit difficult if you are looking to introduce a very young player to bullet-hell style games, but the beginning levels certainly would not be a problem, if someone could help them learn about the upgrades during the game as well. There really is nothing in this game that would preclude anyone who sees the game and really wants to play.
[h1]Pricing[/h1]
Base asking price has been set to $2.99 USD and this is very fair. Given the well-designed nature and its replay value, I would say it's definitely worth the price.
[h1]Positives[/h1]
+Excellent design
+Responsive controls and mechanics
+Colored variability of the enemies with increasing difficulty
+Diverse upgrade system allowing for replayability
+Fitting music
+Cheap for amount of gameplay and enjoyment
+Developer very friendly and responsive
[h1]Negatives[/h1]
-Currently no controller support. This may matter to some.
[h1]Conclusion[/h1]
[i]AstroViking[/i] is a top-down, bullet-hell, arena-survival game in the arcade fashion with dynamic upgrade system that gives the player plenty of enjoyment and replay value. It is easy to pick up and very difficult to master. You may find yourself dying again and again on the same level, and the only way to move past it is to get better yourself. It has a very fair asking price and if you think you might want to try this, I would strongly encourage you to take the dive.
[quote]I received the product for free. I did not receive any compensation to write this review. The opinions represented here are entirely my own and were not influenced in any way.[/quote]
