Berserk Boy Review
Mega Man is a timeless classic (Since I am older than Mega Man, does that make me timeless?) The Blue Bomber has inspired many games over the years in gameplay (run and gun platforming) and level design (non-linear progression). The tried and true formula for a successful Mega Man game has been re-created countless times as seen in popular games like the Gunvolt series, 20XX and its sequel 30XX (basically roguelite Mega Man), and even Shovel Knight. Can a unique twist on this blueprint yield similar results?
Developed by BerserkBoy Games, Berserk Boy is their debut title that blends everything you love about Mega Man into a high-speed rush with a dash (pun INTENDED) of Metroidvania elements (fun fact: Metroid and Castlevania are only one year older than Mega Man but the first games to exhibit Metroidvania elements were Below the Root (1984) and Brain Breaker (1985), both of which predate all three titles by a year or two). You play as Kei, a boy who can absorb mysterious orbs and harness their elemental powers. Kei must use his newfound abilities to stop the evil Dr. Genos from enslaving humanity and destroying the entire world.
Unlike Mega Man, there is a somewhat linear progression through the story although any stage can be revisited (and will be/should be) after completion. Each stage contains three levels with the final one containing a boss fight. When you begin the game, after the tutorial has been completed, Kei has access to lightning powers. Powers in Berserk Boy are not limited to ammo that has to be replenished like Mega Man. Kei can remain in any form permanently although certain aspects of the form have limited use. For example, in lightning form, Kei can dash into enemies and trigger a shock that damages anything he hit. When the meter runs out, it will gradually refill but the ability to shock everything is temporarily unavailable. The refill happens relatively quickly and you will rarely find yourself just waiting around. The orbs also provide Kei with new ways to traverse through levels. The lightning orb allows for midair dashing that can be repeatedly used as enemies or objects are hit. The second orb you encounter is the flame one (a flame drill to be precise) and once in your possession, Kei can burrow underground briefly to avoid spikes and other hazards. As you progress through the story, you realize there are areas worth revisiting with some of your new powers.
Throughout the levels, Kei will collect currency present in the level and from enemies defeated. Any time you die, you lose what was collected but by hitting checkpoints (every level has 4) you deposit anything collected at that point. Collected currency can be spent back at the base to upgrade your health or orb-specific abilities.
There are also 5 Berserk tokens to collect in each stage as well as rescuing Resistance members. Unlike the tokens and currency, rescuing Resistance members is a one-and-done thing. Progression of that carries over between deaths. Additionally, rescuing 100% of the Resistance in any level unlocks a time trial stage that can be completed. In many of the early stages, 100% completion (all tokens and resistance members) is not possible. As you gain new abilities from the orbs, previous levels should be revisited to further explore sections that were not reachable on the first and even second visit.
Level design in Berserk Boy is a fascinating treat to watch unfold. Nothing against Mega Man but weapons were just that, weapons. As Kei gains access to new orbs, the levels themselves incorporate ways to implement their powers without forcing them upon the player. In many games, gaining a new power is almost guaranteed to be accompanied by some area that requires you to use said power exclusively. In Berserk Boy, there may be smaller sections that need you to use one power but with the ability to switch on the fly, you can go back to a power you feel more comfortable with to progress. I loved how you can just get into a rhythm and fly through a stage, switching powers as you go, hitting on all cylinders but at the same time, reaching areas that require a bit of trial and error (and dying) to figure out the best way to reach the next checkpoint.
Berserk Boy is how you pay homage to a classic. All the elements of a Mega Man title are here but there is also a uniqueness and a sense of style that fans of both Mega Man and classic platforming fans will love. While the campaign itself is not extremely long, the game sets itself up for tons of replay. Do not fight the urge to try and beat your own best times in each level. Just accept the fact that this is what you will be playing for the foreseeable future. Berserk Boy releases on Switch and PC on March 6.
