Posted on: January 12, 2023
Sphynx
Games: 697 Reviews: 9
I wanted to enjoy it more than I did.
So, there’s no arguing against the fact that Asteroids deserves a lofty throne in the pantheon of games. It’s gameplay holds up after many decades. So, I was excited to see this new version. And… it was okay, but sadly a little underwhelming for me. Not bad, but a little sad. I actually really enjoyed the new Gravitar and Missile Command that came out at the same time. They both feel like great upgrades upon the original, and feel like the gameplay of their originals has been taken to the next level. I wanted and expected the same for Asteroids. But, Asteroids just didn’t feel like it succeeded the way those other two titles did. Yes, the visuals are fun. The music is great. But, I think there is a balance issue with all the upgraded weapons and options. It made it feel too easy, like all I needed to do was stay stationary, spin, and shoot, and I passed level after level unscathed. This is Asteroids. It should feel like the Apocalypse is always just 10 seconds away. I couldn’t decide if I felt like Alex Rogan from the Last Starfighter with infinite Death Blossoms or like Anakin Skywalker discovering that spinning is, in fact, a good trick. I felt overpowered, and that took away some of the fun. And oddly enough, I experienced intermittent stutters from a game that should definitely not have been producing performance issues. So, it’s pretty. And it sounds great. And it has a lot of nifty weapons. But I can’t help but feel that this version actually lost a bit of what made Asteroids great, instead of adding to it. That being said, I definitely recommend the other Atari remakes released at the same time.
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