Caverns of Mars: Recharged

Being a huge fan of the original Caverns of Mars, I remember putting that big disk in my Atari 800 I think it was, and playing this game in the mid 80's to no end. My Dad even liked it back then and he didn't like video games. Here I am in my 50's and my Dad is in his 80's. When I bought my Steam Deck, I remember thinking a Cavers of Mars remake would be so cool. And then it happened! Woah! Got it on sale. I played it for a few minutes, this is not fun. Left it alone, maybe I was just tired, I kept dying anyhow. Came back to it a few days later. Damn, this game is just terrible. Reminds me of nothing from the original, the ship is shaped like a triangle, and game play is more like a downward speed racer stupid thing. How was I supposed to know those star or square things are fuel? There is no way I'm showcasing this atrocity of a worthless game to my Dad. No nostalgia here folks, just a bad game. Sorry Atari, but the competition is tough out there, and being in this arena as long as you have, you can do better. Thumbs down.

6/10 a nice little minigame like one of those 1$ or less phone apps + local co-op giving it a thumbs down because the base 10$ price with what little content is here

Definitely inspired by down well, the remake of the classic arcade cabinet caverns of mars has turned into a roguelike just like downwell. The only problem: the game doesn't have a go back up mode like the arcade game. They changed it up a little bit.

"Caverns of Mars: Recharged" is a remake/remaster of the 1981 Atari console game of the same name... essentially a low effort shooter, this is differentiated from games like Galaga in that the orientation is upside-down, that is, you "fall" through a hole. Don't touch the sides and blast away at obstacles to clear your path. Hitting something or running out of fuel ends your run. Really shallow stuff in the modern era of PC gaming, so I'm not sure why Atari is dumping this low effort stuff onto Steam with such exorbitant prices, but here we are. It should go without saying that you can play better games than this for free on mobile or in a web browser, so there's absolutely zero reason anyone should consider paying cash money for an inferior experience here on Steam. From a technical perspective, the game doesn't meet basic minimum requirements that most PC gamers expect as standard. While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic low quality vector art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality. Without any other substantial graphics tweaks, it's not possible for gamers to improve the mediocre 2D visuals. The game features extremely lazy, minimalist "art", of the type you normally expect to see in low effort Flash/browser games and mobile apps. Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing. The controls can't be customised, which will be an annoyance for many, but it can also render the game unplayable for differently-abled gamers, left handed gamers or gamers using AZERTY or other international keyboard layouts. These technical defects push this game below acceptable standards for any modern PC game. "Caverns of Mars: Recharged" didn't appeal much to the people who own a copy of the game, either. It has achievements, and they show us a very clear picture that the game didn't really capture any interest from gamers. The most commonly and easily attained achievement is for destroying a number of bits of the terrain, trivial to get, but less than 39 percent of players bothered to get that far before uninstalling the game. Hardly a success story, gamers just weren't all that interested in the game. The poor quality of this game is also reflected by how many people spent time with it. At the time of this review, SteamDB shows the all-time peak player number was only 13 players, and I suspect they were just idling the game for trading cards. This is a remarkably low number, and now, the only player activity occurs once or twice a month, presumably someone loading it up to see what it is then quickly uninstalling it. Considering there's over 120 million gamers on Steam and well over 50,000 games for gamers to choose from, the overwhelming lack of interest in this low quality game is to be expected. "Caverns of Mars: Recharged" has the completely unrealistic cash grab price of $10 USD, for which you could easily get any number of older AAA games. Given the defects and quality issues with the game, coupled with the unrealistic price, this is impossible to recommend. For comparison, the $10 asking price for this game could get you games like "Cities: Skylines", "Lethal Company" or "Subnautica". Quality, professionally made games like those are frequently on sale cheaper than this. There's also thousands of free, superior quality games on Steam.

3/10 This game is very poorly designed in my opinion. Designed to make you annoyed on purpose. It isn't motivating to play and doesn't offer me anything.

This isn’t a bad game. As far as arcade-style games go, it has simple, solid mechanics. It feels fun when you find the zone and cruise through obstacles. The arcade mode's use of mandatory sidegrades to customize play while maintaining difficulty is also pretty novel. I played the original just before this for comparison, and you can't deny that there's more depth. However, that’s a low bar to clear considering that the original is 40 years old. There are no added narrative elements, the visuals and sound design are dull, and the level design is extremely repetitive, so the entire appeal is its moment-to-moment gameplay. Yet, despite its simplicity, there are still issues. While speeding up and slowing down through weapon use is not too hard to adjust to, the ship’s long, thin hitbox is frustrating to maneuver, and the range of explosions is fuzzy. By far, the worst issue is that the visual effects that result from taking damage are so distracting that they will often cascade into more damage regardless of post-hit invincibility, and turning them off makes the game feel numb and unappealing. I can't say that this is worth ten dollars, it’s a five-dollar distraction at best, and while not broken, it is a failure of imagination. Or RE-imagination, as it were.

Caverns of Mars: Recharged is a thoughtfully crafted modern revival of the classic 1981 arcade title, breathing new life into a beloved vertical shooter while maintaining the core elements that made the original so memorable. Developed by SneakyBox and published by Atari, the game invites players to pilot a spaceship deep beneath the Martian surface with the mission of reaching and destroying a hidden enemy reactor. The challenge lies not only in navigating the hazardous caverns but also in managing scarce resources and combating hostile forces along the way, creating a compelling blend of action and strategy. The gameplay stays true to its roots with fast-paced, vertically scrolling shooting mechanics, but Caverns of Mars: Recharged introduces nuanced layers that enrich the experience. Players must carefully manage their limited ammunition, as firing weapons accelerates their descent, forcing a delicate balance between offense and control. This mechanic adds a unique strategic element, as reckless shooting can speed up your fall into danger, while conservative firing requires precision and timing. The environment itself is fully destructible, allowing players to blast through obstacles and carve new paths, but every shot consumes fuel, adding further tension to each decision. Adding to the depth are multiple game modes that cater to different player preferences. The classic arcade mode challenges players to navigate through three distinct depths of the Martian caverns, culminating in a climactic showdown with the reactor. For those seeking more variety and difficulty, the challenge mode offers 30 specialized missions, each with unique objectives and escalating hazards that test player skill and adaptability. This variety ensures replayability and keeps the experience fresh over multiple sessions. Power-ups play a significant role in diversifying gameplay strategies. Players can collect different weapons that dramatically alter their approach, such as focused railgun shots for precision destruction or wide-spread shotgun blasts to clear groups of enemies. These upgrades not only increase firepower but also encourage tactical thinking, as choosing the right weapon for the situation can be the difference between success and failure. The ability to switch tactics on the fly adds excitement and encourages experimentation. One of the more innovative additions is the local cooperative mode, which introduces a compelling teamwork dynamic. In this mode, one player pilots the ship through the labyrinthine caverns, while the other controls a drone that provides additional firepower. This division of roles encourages communication and coordination, offering a fresh way to experience the game alongside a friend. It transforms what was traditionally a solo challenge into a shared adventure, enhancing the game's appeal for social play. Visually, the game strikes a fine balance between honoring its arcade origins and embracing modern aesthetics. The graphics are vibrant and detailed, with richly textured environments that capture the mysterious and dangerous atmosphere of the Martian underground. Complementing the visual design is an intense soundtrack composed by Megan McDuffee, whose music dynamically heightens the tension and immerses players deeper into the game’s world. Overall, Caverns of Mars: Recharged successfully updates a classic formula with smart gameplay enhancements and modern production values. It offers a satisfying challenge that appeals to fans of retro shooters and newcomers alike, with its blend of strategic resource management, intense action, and cooperative play. The game stands out not only as a faithful homage but also as a vibrant, engaging title in its own right, delivering a rich experience that keeps players coming back for more. Rating: 8/10

[h2]Think fast or crash![/h2] This isn't one of the strongest games in Atari's Recharged collection, and it's one of my least favorite entries in the series so far. That said, I still had fun playing through it. It can get surprisingly difficult, and I ended up slowing the game speed down for most of my playthrough. I guess my reaction time isn't what it used to be. I can't really compare it to the original because I honestly don't remember ever playing it. The music and sound effects are good, and the gameplay is simple, straightforward, and easy to pick up. I've played through most, if not all, of Atari's Recharged series. If you're curious what I thought of the rest, you can find them on my curator page or in the full Recharged list below. [h2]6/10[/h2] [h3][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45905648-Gork%2527s-Game-Grind/list/173782]My Recharged Series Reviews[/url][/h3] [h3][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45905648-Gork%2527s-Game-Grind/]Check out my curated list of games[/url][/h3]

[list][*][b][h1]Morlan's shorts:[/h1][/b][/list] Fun, addictive game with modern retro-graphics, meaning they look kind of retro-ish but they're updated to look fresh. The gameplay is solid, nice music and matching sound effects, the movement is smooth and the keys are responsive, which takes us to the negative review reason: There is [b]no[/b] way to reconfigure the keys! Even the ZX Spectrum in the 80s had this option in many many many of its games. How do you code a game in this day and age without this option? Seems as if the devs know how to code a game but never went through the gaming process.. As in.. they don't play games! Yep that IS the reason it gets a negative vote. If they fix it, I'll fix it.. I doubt it, though, as the game hasn't got but one manifest change i.e. it was never updated after the initial release. [b]Don't waste more time reading lengthy reviews.. time is of the essence![/b]

[h2]全成就后来写个评测[/h2] [b]玩这游戏的游戏环境:[/b]MacbookPro M2MAX [b]先说总结:[/b]不推荐,新鲜感不过10分钟,后面就是不断重复 [b]剧情:[/b]没有,准确来说没发现有什么剧情,大致就是开飞机做任务炸毁市政厅(通关) [b]画面:[/b]复古街机移植,画面对比以前的确有进步,但是也看不出有太大诚意 [b]音效:[/b]毫无印象,唯一有印象的就是自己飞机的爆炸声(Game Over) [b]游戏性:[/b] [hr][/hr] [b]优点:[/b] 1.多种武器选择,多种升级选择. [hr][/hr] [b]缺点:[/b] 1.开始玩的时候会觉得有点意思,地图是随机组合的,说是有Roguelike成分但是后面会发现,虽然地图是随机组合的,但是组合的种类就只有几种,甚至可以在一个任务模式中的大图里面重复几次. 2.流程太短,总共只有几个关卡,还要是素材复用,同一个关卡里面不断重复几个模组的组合,甚至挑战任务模式也是这样,真是强行凑时间 3.模型碰撞问题,碰撞箱比实际贴图要大,开始玩的时候,甚至后面也会发现经常莫名其妙撞墙扣血. 4.武器问题,武器平衡性差,多数武器都没有用,连清障(破坏墙壁)都是问题,激光又过于强大 5.升级要素,可选择性太少,大概是因为流程短的原因,到最后那关已经没得你选了,也就是说这些选项只有在前面几个小关卡是随机的,只要多玩几把前面选择完了后面出什么选项也会知道. [hr][/hr] [b]本地化:[/b]一眼机翻,本来文本量就不多了,还要机翻,不如不做这本地化. [b]全成就难度:[/b]没啥难度,但是过于无聊,重复性过高,基本打完所有模式就可以全成就,数量累计的成就也基本会在刷重复任务中途解锁