Atari, the nostalgia-inducing game company, is set to release Berzerk: Recharged on the PC and consoles later this year.
The game is the latest installment in the nostalgia-driven Atari Recharged series. Berzerk: Recharged brings back the beloved Evil Otto, one of the first and most menacing video game villains of all time, or so Atari says.
Berzerk: Recharged pays homage to the original Berzerk, a top-down multidirectional shooter that captivated gamers during the golden era of the 1980s. I can remember when this game first came out, and it took a bunch of my quarters.
Players must navigate through an electrified maze, battling hordes of armed robots. The standout character, Evil Otto, returns with updated graphics, enhanced twin-stick controls, and a new soundtrack composed by the talented Megan McDuffee.
The highlight of Berzerk: Recharged is the intense gameplay experience as players confront vocal robots within a deadly maze, Atari said. Known for being one of the earliest arcade games to feature speech synthesis, Berzerk: Recharged maintains the engaging dialogue.
Sinister and snarky, the robots relentlessly taunt players with phrases such as “kill the humanoid” and the mocking challenge, “Chicken, fight like a robot!” Players must endure these chilling remarks while fighting for their survival.
Key Features
Challenge accepted: Survive an endless maze of random rooms that progressively increase in difficulty as players advance. The robots’ color schemes change to reflect the escalating intensity.
Tough levels: Engage in 20 meticulously designed mazes, each presenting unique gameplay challenges and layouts to test players’ skills.
Pumped power-ups: Discover weapon modifiers such as spread-shot, big shot, and the classic railgun. Additionally, player modifiers such as speed boost, shield, and placeable mines provide tactical advantages against relentless enemies.
Co-Op and leaderboards: Join forces with a friend in classic co-op mode to double the firepower and overcome challenging situations. Track your progress on the public leaderboard and compete with players worldwide.
For players seeking a truly nostalgic experience, Atari offers Berzerk Enhanced Edition, a 2600 cartridge version of the classic game. Fully updated with diagonal firing and robot voice sampling, the cartridge will be released on November 17, alongside the new Atari 2600+, a faithful recreation of the first commercially successful home video game console.
Sneakybox, the digital development studio, collaborated with Atari in the creation of Berzerk: Recharged. With a team of over 50 developers, Sneakybox has worked on numerous projects and established partnerships with companies worldwide, including Atari, Untold Tales, Modus games, and Do-Games.
Berzerk: Recharged will be available on Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Atari VCS later this year.
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