Yars Rising
Sep 10, 2024 2 years ago
In WayForward's experienced hands, the Yars franchise becomes an expansive mystery solved through 2D platforming action. Take control of the young hacker Emi Kimura, who is hired by a mysterious patron to infiltrate the shadowy QoTech corporation. Run, jump, sneak, and hack your way through challenges as you slowly unravel a complex secret shrouded in intrigue. Emi grows in power throughout her adventure, allowing her to retrace her steps and reach previously inaccessible and secret areas. Her evolving hacking skills are critical to solving stimulating minigames that reference the innovative gameplay from the Atari 2600 title Yars' Revenge.
What it’s like
Yars Rising reimagines a classic Atari title as a polished 2D Metroidvania, blending cyberpunk aesthetics with retro arcade sensibilities. You control Emi Kimura, infiltrating the dystopian QoTech corporation through fluid platforming and stealth mechanics. The core loop emphasizes exploration and ability-gated progression, rewarding curiosity with access to previously unreachable areas. Gameplay is defined by tight controls and stimulating hacking minigames that pay homage to the original Yars' Revenge, creating a satisfying rhythm of action and puzzle-solving. While the narrative serves as a functional framework for the mystery, the true strength lies in the mechanical execution and nostalgic design philosophy. The experience feels like a love letter to older gaming eras, prioritizing skill-based challenges and environmental discovery over heavy storytelling or complex combat systems.
Strong in Exploration / WorldDifficulty / ChallengeGameplay / MechanicsPolish / PerformanceProgression / Replayability
Keep in mind The narrative and character development are relatively thin, serving primarily as background for the gameplay rather than driving emotional engagement. Additionally, some players may find the retro-inspired difficulty spikes and minimalist story pacing less appealing if they prefer modern, cinematic narratives.
AI-generated from catalog data, informed by reviews from gamesradar.com, nintendolife.com, metacritic.com, pcgamer.com, rollingstone.com, gaming.net.
Screenshots
Releases
| Platform | Region | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 10, 20242 years ago |
| PC (Microsoft Windows) | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 10, 20242 years ago |
| PlayStation 4 | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 10, 20242 years ago |
| PlayStation 5 | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 10, 20242 years ago |
| Xbox One | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 10, 20242 years ago |
| Xbox Series X|S | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 10, 20242 years ago |
