Ikari Warriors
Platforms: PSP, PSN (Reviewed)
Develop(s): SNK
Publisher(s): SNK
Players: 1-2
Genre(s): Arcade
Ikari Warriors released in the arcades in 1986, inspired by the popular Rambo films which were out at the time. The player(s) take control of commandos Ralf and Clark, who’s plane has been shot down and are stuck behind enemy lines left only with the choice to head towards the village of Ikari.
Non-stop gunfire and grenade loops ensue as the player moves up the screen hoping to find a tank to give them an edge. Throwing another player in helps as you both storm up the screen shooting down everyone in your path.
Gameplay
Consisting mainly of dodging enemy gunfire and shooting and throw grenades, one would expect a smooth and fluid control system to help maneuver your character through incoming enemy bullets, however moving your character feels like you’re driving a tank, but the funny thing is when you get inside one it maneuvers smoother than when your on foot and can take multiple hits before it blows up.
In certain stages the action can get to chaotic and seeing as you can die upon one hit, this can lead to sheer frustration for the player. All of the levels are quites long which can lead to racking up a hefty death count before you finally complete each one. Thankfully a supply of grenade somewhat eases the intense difficulty making each stage a less of a chore.
Graphics & Sound
Ikari Warriors visuals haven’t aged well this is a game in need of a graphical overhaul if it ever had a reboot, its an old game so its understandable but it still just seems to be lacking that extra “something” to make it stand in today’s saturated market of retro ports. As you progress through the levels, they recycle a lot of the same background continually but that’s a given for a game of this age.
However, the animations of the grenades and tanks are impressive and add a little more excitement to the overall experience of the game. While it was just a minor touch I personal enjoyed seeing the the smoke and fire coming from the tank just before it blew up. The soundtrack to Ikari Warriors is very repetitive and rather forgettable, some of the sound effects of the weaponry and explosions do their job well enough, but never exceed anything above average.
Verdict
Back in the day Ikari Warriors was a pretty good arcade game but it’s just one of those ones classic that has not aged as gracefully as some of the others from the same era. With the slow moving commandos and the amount of enemies that move towards you a death every 5-30 steps is inevitable, replaying the same section over and over can grow very tiresome, the looped soundtrack music gets old fast.
If you can find someone to play with it can still be fun for a little bit but the repetitive game-play wont have you staying around for long. Ikari Warriors gets
