Over the years there have been many titles that have decided, in one way or another, to approach some elements and characteristics typical of arcade video games, both from an aesthetic point of view and from a purely gameplay point of view. Precisely with regard to the latter, it is also right to consider OkunoKA Madness, the new title of the development studio Caracal Games, which winks at other particularly difficult titles of the same genre. After being published exclusively on Nintendo Switch in 2018 with the name of Okunoka, the title is ready to reach PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in this new version, which enriches the game with new levels, new features and much more fun. So here is our review of OkunoKA Madness, the adrenaline-pumping platform game that will be able to test even the most passionate players and keep them attached to the screen, available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One since last September 8th.
Speed and coordination
La plot of the title is quite simple and immediate, and sees KA, a cute little blue hero, forced to face a large number of enemies sent by the wicked Hos, his archenemy. To be able to do this, he will need to overcome some levels, using his skills to reach the goal and leave behind the many obstacles. As you might expect, this is much easier said than done, and players will find themselves forced through enemies, lasers and rockets, who will be ready to finish our perfect run at any moment. Arm yourself only with the ability to jump and shoot, in OkunoKA Madness it will be necessary to give the best of ourselves, making the most of the powers of KA to reach the end of the levels in the shortest possible time.
In addition to being able to get to the end in order to literally eat a little black soul, in fact it will be necessary take as little time as possible to get a higher score. To be able to do this, the players will have to decide, attempt after attempt, what will be the fastest path, using the skills of the little blue hero to overcome themselves. The title presents an ongoing challenge, In which the speed and coordination are the main ingredients for success. Although it will be very easy to die, thanks to the almost instant reboot times players will have very little time to mourn defeat, and will be able to get back into action right away.
Barriers and adrenaline
As the levels progress it will be possible to unlock new powers, and in addition to the ability to jump and shoot, it will be possible to make some elements of the level appear and disappear, characterized by elemental barriers made of ice, fire and electricity and characterized by different colors. The platforms will have three different colors, and players will have the option to exploit them to your liking, making some solid and others completely intangible thanks to a simple command. This power will inevitably affect the levels of the game, and it will be the players who will try to understand how to use them for overcome the difficulties and neutralize some of the obstacles. These, in fact, will not only allow you to reach certain areas of the levels, but can also be used to stop any lasers or rockets. Using the colored barriers takes some practice, especially when combined with the other elements necessary to achieve the goal, but being able to understand how to use them will bring a huge advantage to the players.
The little KA's control is extremely fluid and it will take some time to figure out the best way to be able to overcome without too much difficulty the many obstacles that dot the levels. The difficulty increases more and more as players find themselves traveling through the four worlds available within the game, each of which is characterized by different elements regarding the settings. Once you have finished the levels available within the worlds, it will be necessary to defeat a boss to be able to advance to the next zone. The boss fights are without a doubt the most interesting and complicated parts of all OkunoKA Madness, and will require you to memorize a precise attack pattern to avoid all getting damage from the machines, as well as taking advantage of the colored barriers to neutralize incoming bullets.
Crying colorful tears
In addition to the difficulty and the ability to test your skills, what is most striking about the title is the extremely well-finished graphic sector, characterized by colorful and detailed scenarios. It's easy for players to focus solely on pure platforming as they work their way through the title's many perils and difficulties, but it's worth taking a quiet moment to admire the incredible accomplishment. Even the design of the main bosses is studied in detail, and winks at some elements steampunk, Such as metal parts, gears, welds and lenses with colored glass. Everything becomes truly irresistible, and manages to perfectly accompany the frenetic gameplay of the title, also thanks to the soundtrack perfectly in line with the other elements of the adventure.
At the same time, the numerous details and the incredible care of the game scenarios that look almost painted, tends to further destabilize the players, almost "hiding" the actual dangers of the levels. This, especially in the more complex stages of the title, could ruining the experience of the players, who will face yet another difficulty in the game. Especially in the initial levels, it is really easy to die by mistake by passing over a bed of thorns almost camouflaged with the rest of the vegetation or by falling into the void, in a practically invisible opening hidden by the other elements on the screen. This is a real shame and heavily affects the gaming experience, but fortunately the flaw is present only in some levels of the title.
One death after another
In conclusion, we are faced with an extremely interesting title for players who are passionate about the genre, and who are always looking for new ways to demonstrate and put your skills into practice. Thanks to the several additional modes, which differentiate this chapter from its Okunoka predecessor, players will have the ability to push yourself to the max and try to surpass your results, one attempt after another. OkunoKA Madness is certainly not a title for everyone, and it is likely that it will be able to push away the less experienced players, but for this reason Caracal Games increases the dose, adding to the title the Madness mode, which lends its title to the game. This modality is none other than one collection of extremely complicated levels, able to test even players specialized in speedrunning and extremely fast-paced and complex gameplay. In short, there is a lot to get involved and give it your all, one death after another.
