Gravitar: Recharged

Genre: 2D Space Shooter

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local), Online Leaderboards

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Review:

(Note: This game is included in the physical-only Atari Recharged Collection 4, along with Missile Command: Recharged. It is also included in the physical-only Atari Recharged Collection 3 + 4 Dual Pack Edition bundle, along with Gravitar: Recharged, Caverns of Mars: Recharged and Yars: Recharged. It is also included in Atari Recharged: Volume Two, along with all of the above named games plus Berzerk: Recharged.)

Gravitar: Recharged is a 2D Space Shooter released in 2022 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This game is inspired by the classic Atari arcade game, though it differs somewhat in its execution. Much as in the original game, players must go to various planets in a solar system and complete tasks while contending with enemies as well as with tricky gravity.

I’ll just come right out and say that I’ve never been a fan of the original Gravitar – the combination of tricky gravity and poor controls just add up to make for a frustrating experience in my opinion. However, while Gravitar: Recharged keeps both of these core gameplay elements, I feel it gives players more time to act, and in doing so makes things feel a bit more balanced here. You still have a challenge in trying to both aim yourself to perform tasks while also fighting against the pull of gravity, but that challenge doesn’t seem so unrealistic here. However, it’s still difficult enough that not everyone will likely enjoy this game.

I also think that the presentation in Gravitar: Recharged fares better than most of the other games in the Recharged series, because it’s not married to the grid-based retro-futuristic sorta’ design motif that many other games in the series use. Instead, you have simple black 2D terrain silhouetted against some nicely evocative and somewhat abstract 2D backgrounds, making for a look that’s quite inviting. This is backed by a subdued synthesized soundtrack that works really well for creating an isolated and alien feel to the game.

In the end, I still don’t think Gravitar: Recharged is a game I can recommend full-heartedly. The high challenge level of this game due to the awkwardness of trying to orient your ship both to perform tasks and fight against gravity just isn’t going to be something many players will enjoy. But for those looking for more of a challenge in a 2D Space Shooter, this game may be worth a look.

tl;dr – Gravitar: Recharged is a 2D Space Shooter inspired by the classic Atari arcade game, and while it does update the gameplay a bit to be a bit more reasonable in its challenge, it’s still difficult enough that not everyone will enjoy it. However, for those who crave a challenge within this genre, this may be worth trying out.

Grade: C+

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