Alarms are blaring and people are screaming. As you awaken from your deep slumber, you realize something’s awry. You go and check as to what is going on. And to your dismay? You conclude that you have been robbed. Your once strong stronghold has been penetrated and the precious batteries that kept your robots from being evil, have been dislodged from their safehold. It is up to you, to take back what has been stolen and bring back peace to the land and to your robots. This is Mekabolt. A game that has clearly taken some ideas from Megaman (or Rockman, depending on which one you bought/played). A 2D platformer that puts you in short burst levels where you need to navigate through, to get to the much-needed battery. So, ready for some Mekavolt information? Then this just the right station!
- Fresh graphics: The game looks clean and fresh. No washed-out colors. No blurry textures. No no, not today. Today we enjoy the full experience of an 8-Bit marvel of a game. And Mekabolt just brings down the hammer when it comes down to it! Truly a nice game to experience! From the vibrant colors that make up the desert to the lush greens of the jungle. Every biome looks the part, and it’s an enjoyable experience!
- Nice soundtrack: Yes I love the soundtrack! Let it be known! Especially the one from the first biome. Though the same track is used different biome, it doesn’t get stale or repetitive. Heck, it’s even so comfortable? That I didn’t even notice it on occasion! It’s that enjoyable! So if anything? Your sound designers were right on the mark when they were developing this game’s soundtrack!
- A lot of levels: If you’re looking for content? Then Mekabolt delivers. With 4 biomes, each sporting 24 levels, you won’t be saying that this game will be over in an hour. That’s for sure! Each of these biomes has its own set of hurdles for you to overcome. The jungle, for instance, has leaves that need to be burned down by getting the shooter to fire one of its flame balls at them. While the desert ones have blocks of sand that vanish on contact. So be fast! If you don’t want to meet an untimely death!
- Fun enemy types: Boy did I find these guys entertaining to play around with! Each enemy on that level has its purpose. One will keep you in the air while the other will be the perfect “block” for you to stand on. They all look child-friendly and not once will you kill one, making it a perfect game for your tiny little rugrats if they ever showed interest in platformers!
- Awkward achievements: So the game offers you an achievement with each different enemy that you encounter. Which is, of course, nice because that gives you a sense of purpose into getting more encounters and completing the entire thing… If they didn’t stop halfway through the game. So each biome has its own set of enemies. Some are repeat offenders, while others are brand new ones. But near the end of the 2nd biome, all achievements have been passed around. Making for a pretty awkward cut-away when you find a new enemy, but no achievement window pops up. Not so thought through, after all, this “one achievement per enemy type” system!
- Nothing difficult about this platformer: I stem from games like Megaman, Plok (Yes, it’s a game! And a fun one at that!) and Rayman. I really enjoy platformers. But I also enjoy the fact that these games can be notoriously difficult. Not this one. The levels are all so short? That the moment you start getting a good flow on the level’s construction? You’ll realize that you just finished an entire 24 level biome and are about to start your next biome. What’s wrong with bringing in a bit of challenge guys? C’mon! There’s nothing wrong with a fun challenging game.
- Weird movement: Though the difficulty doesn’t really scale all too well in this game, into which I mean that there is almost no difficulty at all? The movement and maneuvering that Mekabolt offers, makes up for this in droves! More often than not will you feel that your jumping mechanics leaves you wanting, and will send you careening off into the abyss without any hesitation? It feels floaty and just annoying from time to time. Though I wouldn’t complain all too much about this. Since the jumping puzzles are quickly passed over.
CONCLUSION
Score: 69%
Yes, yet another one of these cooky Ratalaika published games that I like! Mekabolt does its best to deliver us a good 2D platformer experience. And let it be known! It succeeds in its attempt! With an amazing soundtrack and fluid motions, Mekabolt will surely appeal to anyone who enjoyed Megaman and wants to play a dumbed-down version of it. While the movement will sometimes make you feel like pulling out your hair (please don’t do it! You don’t want to be looking all bald-like like DaeJim)? It still remains a stable and enjoyable platformer in the end.
Developer: Somepx Publisher: Ratalaika Games
Played on: Xbox One X Also available on: PS4 – Switch and PC
Alexis spent 3 and a half hours gathering batteries… Yet still doesn’t have a new set for his tv remote. Sigh…
Achievement difficulty for 1000 Gamerscore: 1 and a half hours.
Perfect for: 2D platformer fans.
Xbox Game Store link: Click here