Fast-paced 2D platformers are a dime a dozen in the indie space, with many of them gunning to emulate iconic franchises like Mega Man or Sonic. Berserk Boy tries to differentiate itself from the pack by emulating both of these games simultaneously and, although it’s far from original, it’s a very good time.
It’s clear from the off that developer Berserk Boy Games has a lot of affinity for the Capcom’s iconic Blue Bomber. Protagonist Kei can jump, dash, and skip up walls like every playable character from the Mega Man X games as well as having a hub base where he can get power-ups and interact with fellow resistance fighters, ala Mega Man Zero from the GBA.
Unlike Mega Man or Mega Man X, however, Kei doesn’t blast his enemies away with rapid and charged shots. Rather than fight from afar, Berserk Boy lets you fight up close with dash attacks, tornado spins, claw attacks, and a myriad of other frenetic fighting styles.
Initially, Kei’s first form lets you trap enemies with dash attacks and blow them up with an explosion like the Azure Striker Gunvolt games. However, as Kei gets more element-based power-ups, he can start destroying foes in many different ways, with each elemental form changing how you attack and traverse.
The sheer variety each power-up gives you is where Berserk Boy is at its strongest, as each form doesn’t just feel like a weakness bullet like it does in Mega Man. Rather, each elemental form Kei can take feels like a completely different character, so whether you prefer using fire tornados or ninja-like kunai, this game has something for you.
Mastering all of these forms is key to Berserk Boy, as the game’s levels will require you to memorize what each of these elements can do. At times, these areas will force players to dash through electric fields and then drill underground right after, testing their reflexes. Luckily, you don’t have to switch to a transformation mid-travel ala Shantae, as each form can use any of the other forms’ traversal options. It may sound like a minor convenience, but it helps to keep Berserk Boy as fast-paced as you’d expect from a modern platformer.
Getting to use all of these travel options in one sequence is simply breathtaking and can make you feel like a platforming pro. This is also where some of that Sonic influence can be felt, as the quick traversal mixed with rails you can grind on makes you wanna go fast, and you can!
While this game is at its best when you’re blitzing past its stages, there are moments where you have to stop and explore a bit. It’s not exactly Metroidvania-esque, but some levels have blocked areas that require a specific element to go through. Since you don’t get these elements until you reach the boss, backtracking can feel a bit repetitive, even if the levels aren’t too large.
Backtracking might not be too fun, but it does mean that you can ogle at the pixel visuals Berserk Boy has to offer. Simply put, this is a gorgeous game that brings us back to the Game Boy Advance or SEGA Genesis. Every one of the game’s anime-inspired characters has great designs and lends itself to a truly beautiful aesthetic, even if Berserk Boy isn’t the only indie game to use this style.
At the end of the day, Berserk Boy is a very solid 2D platformer that fans of the genre should check out. While there’s nothing original about the game, the gorgeous visuals and fast-paced gameplay are a joy to go through.
