Originally released in 1982, Gravitar was a sure-fire hit in arcades thanks to its thruster-based movement and challenge. Fast forward to 2022 and we get the latest in Atari’s Recharged series – but does Gravitar Recharged have what it takes to get players as excited as they did in the 80’s?
The nostalgia hit will no doubt catch some players, though the original was released before even my time so I didn’t have that to lean on here. As a short, sharp blast of arcade gaming Gravitar Recharged isn’t too bad. It quickly began to wear out its welcome though, and I found myself drifting off even more than my ship under the gravitational pull of the planets.
The basic premise here is one of high-score chasing, naturally. Starting off, we find our ship orbiting a giant sun alongside several planets and space stations. Approaching one of these finds us transported into the gameplay area to complete one of several randomised objectives; kill all the targets, find the item, destroy a generator etc. Clearing a stage sees it explode out of existence, and clearing all stages sends us into a black hole and on to a new set of planets to conquer.
This loop is quick and easy to get into but where I began to find frustration was in the controls. Call it modern day comforts getting the better of me, or call it me just not being very good at the game (a little column A, a little column B perhaps) I just could not find a groove with the feel of the gameplay.
Pulling the right trigger boosts our ship in whatever direction it is facing – the longer we hold the boost, the faster we go. In order to slow down we then need to rotate 180° and boost in the opposite direction. Fine in concept, but the tight manoeuvres needed to traverse levels, as well as the awkwardness of aiming our guns at enemy ships, made this a challenge that I was just not up for mastering. I know, I know, that’s the point but the fact remains that the main gameplay hook here is what put me off playing it. Pulling the left trigger opens up a circular traction area that sucks in collectibles such as new weapons or fuel, but I found myself keep pulling it to slow down.
I could probably have learned to bear this control system if there had been anything else pulling me in to play, but I just could not find the motivation to keep coming back to the game. There are single missions that offer up the level types as singular challenges, and all of the above can be played in co-op, but even then unless you’re of a certain age or are a keen retro enthusiast this is probably a title that won’t quite hit the mark.
Conclusion
Retro gamers or those of a certain vintage will find something to enjoy here, but if you’re outside of that demographic this is a title that’ll likely not last a long time on the hard drive.
This game was reviewed based on Xbox S|X review code, using an Xbox S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.
