Review: Pixel Ripped 1978 (Quest 2)
If you're reading this on my blog, then you're likely aware of my profound love for retro games. But I still love new games too. And new games that play off of my nostalgia for retro games, when done right, are some of my favorites. One stellar example that immediately comes to mind is the original Retro Game Challenge on the Nintendo DS. This gem transports players to the 80s, where they embark on a series of brand-new games meticulously designed to emulate the spirit of that era. These "new old games" not only evoke the essence of playing timeless classics but also offer tighter controls and a fairer gameplay experience than what we might recall from those early days. Retro Game Challenge goes beyond mere visual emulation, as it ingeniously captures the essence of gaming in the 80s, from the nostalgic scenes of characters sitting on the carpet in front of the TV to the need to scour the latest gaming magazine for invaluable tips and tricks. It successfully rekindles that cherished childhood gaming sensation.
Another notable title that masterfully achieves the same effect is Pixel Ripped 1995, the second installment in the Pixel Ripped series, specifically designed for virtual reality (VR). With this VR medium, the game studio Avore delivers a unique experience that vividly transports players back to the gaming landscape of the 90s. At one point you have to go to a Blockbuster-style video rental place, and you get to play the SNES and Genesis like systems that are in the kiosks. Another part has you playing a Castlevania style game late at night, and you may have to switch the TV off if your mother hears you playing because you're supposed to be asleep. While the retro games themselves offer tremendous enjoyment, it is the immersive world that envelops them that truly makes Pixel Ripped 1995 an exceptional experience.
For the third Pixel Ripped game we time travel around to the mid and late 70s and even the early 80s as well. The big difference this time is that they actually have the Atari license to use, so we get to see an actual 2600 instead of an Atari-like console, we get to see and experience actual 2600 games, and the main character even works at Atari. It all sounds really fun, and looks good in the trailer, but I can't help but feel that that concept didn't quite meet my expectations at the end of the day.
The game has you primarily playing as Bug, a designer for Atari, and the person who will go on to design the fictional Pixel Ripped games you play throughout the series. When you are "inside" the game, you play as Dot, the star of Pixel Ripped who kind of looks like a green and pink Samus with a visor instead of a helmet. When you're Bug at work in the Atari offices, you'll pop in an Atari game and navigate Dot around the Atari-esque game. Thanks to a hacked Atari controller with two buttons, you can both jump and shoot. At some point, you'll find a part of the game that can't be continued usually due to some sort of obstacle being in the way. When this happens, you'll look for a [sync point] and that's when you're able to go into the game in a first person perspective as Dot.
When you're in the game as Dot, you'll primarily be shooting in first person at monsters that pop up to attack you while solving simple environmental puzzles, such as hitting three targets within a time limit to open a gate. You'll eventually make your way to the part of the game that you couldn't get past when playing on the outside. You fix it, then find the portal and go back into the real world as Bug where the obstacle has been removed and you can continue on.
This goes until you get to a fun boss battle challenge that has the game breaking out of the confines of the TV screen in fun and surprising ways. For instance, in one we went back to the mid 70s and were playing Pong on a dedicated machine. The big baddie, the goblin Cyblin Lord, was at the top of the Pong screen and I had to knock the ball into him. Eventually the action left the TV screen and the paddle, ball and Cyblin Lord were all in the living room I was sitting in. Cyblin Lord had a shield protecting him from my ball, so while still playing Pong I would have to use my free hand to grab paper from a nearby notepad and throw wadded-up paper balls at Cyblin Lord to damage his shield so I could bounce the Pong ball at him. Moments like these always made the Pixel Ripped games feel surprising and really played with your expectations, both of what a nostalgia styled retro game can be and what VR can do to enhance a gameplay experience. Those boss battles would feel a lot less immersive without VR, and they wouldn't feel as natural as me reaching for paper while still controller a paddle ball. These are definitely the highlights of Pixel Ripped.
But for some reason this game in particular seemed to be stuck in a pattern that repeated all the way until the end of the game. You'll play the side scrolling portion as Bug playing on the Atari, then go into the game as Dot in first person where you'll be blasting enemies. You'll go back and forth between the two for a while, then you'll have a boss battle. The repetitive nature starts to wear out its welcome, particularly with the first person segments. There just doesn't feel like a lot to do when you're walking around inside the game. You'll gain a few new "abilities" that allow you to open up areas you couldn't before, but oddly enough, all 3 abilities kind of do the same thing. The first you get lets you debug buggy portions of the levels, which are shown as green grids you can't pass. The next ability is pink, and I don't even remember what they said it was, but you can now pass pink areas, and the third ability lets you get past blue obstacles. It feels like they tried to Metroidvania it up a bit, but it really just feels like you're getting a green key for the green door, since the abilities don't have any functionality apart from opening up a new area.
Apart from the repetitive first person segments, the part that really bothers me is the strange use of the Atari brand and its games here. The three main Atari games you'll be playing are Crystal Castle, something something, and Yar's Revenge. Only you're not playing those games, but games that feature those main characters in some way. For instance, in the Yar's game, you play a game called Grave Yar. When you go into the game as Dot, you'll meet Yar (or a Yar, anyway), but that's it. Same with the Crystal Castle game, you'll meet the character of that game in some other game, but the games you're finding them in don't play anything like their classic games, and I really wonder why they decided to do that? It'd be great to play Yar's Revenge on the 2600, then go into the game and maybe fly in a spaceship alongside Yar and fight the Quotile. It's weird they got the Atari license, and the characters appear in the game, but their games do not.
Despite these criticisms, Pixel Ripped 1995 still offers plenty of enjoyment. The side-scrolling segments as Bug on the Atari 2600 are entertaining and challenging, and the boss fights continue to impress with their innovative use of VR.Additionally, the moments where players need to "debug" elements of the game, bridging the gap between virtual and real worlds, remain highlights of the experience. And the final stage, which involves table top role playing games, was an excellent ending to the story, while also being immersive and visually appealing. A fantastic way to wrap up!
It might sound like I'm being a bit too negative, but that's only due to the fact that I loved Pixel Ripped 1995 so so much and had such high expectations for it. Pixel Ripped '95 is a game that surprised and delighted me all throughout, nailing the nostalgia factor while also giving me fresh challenges all the time. This one didn't live up to my expectations, but I still had a blast going through it, and I know I'll be waiting impatiently for the next title in the series. If you've never played a Pixel Ripped game before, do yourself a favor and play 1995. If you're played the other two and are anxious for more, there's still plenty in here to love.