These Recharged reviews are fairly simple to write, largely as the simplicity of these neon-charged renewals of ancient arcade titles is their best quality. Asteroids is a classic title, and we’re happy to say it’s been revived in a way …
These Recharged reviews are fairly simple to write, largely as the simplicity of these neon-charged renewals of ancient arcade titles is their best quality.
Asteroids is a classic title, and we’re happy to say it’s been revived in a way that makes sense in this latest reimagining.
You control a simplistic triangle shaped craft around a single screen that’s being slowly filled with asteroids. To move you use the right shoulder trigger to accelerate, and the analogue stick to direct where you’re facing.
Making sure you’re in control of your momentum has always been the biggest and most satisfying challenge in Asteroids, and that’s been faithfully replicated here – controlling it via the shoulder buttons makes it far more intuitive than the arcade game ever was in fact.
There are a few more elements in place of course, following the formula set up by the previous Recharged titles.
Namely weapons being dropped by certain enemies (in this case specific spacecraft), which help you clear away more of the junk on-screen – whether that be by allowing you to rapid-fire your weapon, have a wider spread, or even shoot black holes that suck up anything that gets too close.
There are a couple of welcome unique wrinkles added in here, with the most important that pick-ups gravitate towards you – massively helpful in avoiding unfair deaths considering asteroids can come out from the edges off the screen with no warning.
When it comes to modes this is very much par for the course when it comes to the Recharged games though.
There’s a two player mode that’s a lot of fun, although it did seem a little stingy in handing out the power up to revive your fallen partner (and we then bizarrely got it when we didn’t need it at all).
Then there are also a number of challenges to play through, in both solo and co-op. Each has their own online leaderboard, and there’s a range of achievements to try and complete in the main mode.
What matters most though is how Asteroids: Recharged feels to play – and developer AdamVision Studios have got it spot on in this regard.
Every failure feels justified and never cheap, and the action feels satisfying enough for you to keep playing and actually wanting to get a new high score.
Although these Recharged titles aren’t taking massive risks, this entry is an easy recommendation for anyone who wants to enjoy a rock solid remake of a classic.
