Let’s cut to the chase and talk aesthetics, since I’m guessing that’s what drew you to Narita Boy in the first place (me too, obviously).
Its Steam page asks players to “discover the mysteries behind the Techno-sword, lock swords with the corrupt and tainted Stallions,” and, of course, to “save the world!” Armed with the techno sword and absolutely amped due to the sythnwave soundtrack, players can prevent HIM from taking over the Digital Kingdom and uncover the mysteries of this otherworldly place.
NARITA BOY ART PC
Only one of those makes a radical retrowave trifecta when video games is thrown into the mix, however - that synthwave and pixel art goodness is gloriously exalted in Narita Boy.Īfter a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised €160,946 (~$192,106) from 5,012 backers, Spanish dev team Studio Koba made Narita Boy come to fruition on PC and console earlier this year. What can I say? Some things are just better together.
Most of the Digital Kingdom happens to look the same, filled with similar colors in an area or very static, blocky level layouts, which makes exploring and finding your way around kind of difficult at times, especially when you need to remember where a door was.Yo, Narita Boy, why is your techno sword so big?
The exploration part of this gameplay, however, is less satisfying. It ultimately isn’t too complex, but it all works together well and the tons of bosses you face never feel too difficult to overcome but do challenge you. This then is added to with a shotgun for long-ranged fire and some active abilities, like being able to restore a bar of your health by holding down a triangle. But, combat is where the majority of your time will be spent, and while simplistic, it is satisfying and varied.Īt first, you will mostly be using standard sword combos, but a little further into the game you get access to a charged slash and even an ultimate-like laser beam that shoots across the entire screen, clearing everything in your way. This is all on your way to saving the kingdom and restoring the Creator’s memories.Įxploration includes a high but useful jump and a dodge, that feels a little bit too floaty to be precise. Complimentary, But Not Elevatory GameplayĪt its core, Narita Boy is a linear experience where you go around and explore the various environments of the Digital Kingdom collecting Techno-Keys to unlock new areas and doors.
NARITA BOY ART PS4
Enemy attacks have an impact and so do yours, all being felt through the rumble in the controller, which is surprisingly potent given this is a PS4 game, not making use of the DualSense’s heightened haptic feedback. Similarly, the sound effects when it comes to exploring or opening doors and fighting enemies are just as good, with my particular favourite being the clapping noise that plays when you summon a person to speak to. Whether it is the mind-branding theme song that might give the game some music nominations at this year’s awards shows or the incredible ambience created whilst playing and fighting, through suggestive synthesized waves skulking into your eardrums, it is all incredible and really helps the experience stand out, adding to the style it possesses. The game also makes great use of color to truly make you feel like you are in an 80s paradise, with red, yellow, and blue infused throughout the game.īut, the thing you absolutely should not ignore with Narita Boy is its soundtrack, cause holy f*ck is it amazing. Some are big hulking beasts, while other foes are slithery and sneaky, disappearing in a puff of smoke that is beautifully animated. The game features some truly wonderful enemy design to go along with its characters. I’ve already touched on the style of the game, but to highlight some extra points. When it comes to the most attention-grabbing aspects of Narita Boy, its soundtrack and ability to commit to its style is what comes to mind.
Narita Boy really commits to its vision and imbues it within every aspect of the world. This feeling is then accentuated by the fact that the game makes it look like you are playing on an old CRT monitor. Their boxy-design makes everything feel so alien and it quite literally feels like you have slipped into a myth or one of Lovecraft’s stories, where everything is an unknown to you and you are captivated by that fact.
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