We tried HyperParasite in its PC version, here is the game review that takes us back to the 80s
HyperParasite was awarded by Forbes as the best indie game of the year 2020, an incredible achievement for the Italian development team Troglobyte Games. Proud of this tricolor success, we decided to try the title and bring you our impressions about it in this review. But let’s start with the most important details, especially for those who are willing to test this little masterpiece themselves. The game was released in April on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch and you can get it through Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store and eShop.
The title developed by Troglobyte Games takes us back to the wonderful 80s, a golden age for Italy and the United States, the states to which the two cultures by which the game is most influenced belong.
This tricolor masterpiece is very difficult to identify with a single category, given the ideas taken from different genres. Certainly, however, the quality is not in question, given that the Italian development team has prevailed , according to Forbes, on ambitious projects such as SUPERHOT: Mind Control Delete, No Straight Roads and Neversong.
Let’s get things straight right away
Not even the time to start the game and the time travel in which we have immersed ourselves is immediately evident . The PC screen transforms into an old-fashioned CRT TV, with rounded corners and glass protruding outward. Inside, a general at the head of the army is engaged in a particularly energetic harangue, with the aim of warning the population. An enemy has come to Earth, according to the general, his goal is to appropriate the nuclear resources of human beings. The army is already ready to fight it, and all those who want to join the hunt are welcome, the message is clear: shoot on sight!
Guess what the enemy in question is? That’s right, it’s us fans who just started the game . Specifically, we take on the role of an alien parasite. Said thus, we seem a scary being, but in reality we soon realize the fragility of this unwanted guest. The parasite, in fact, is extremely vulnerable, so much so that a blow from the numerous enemies is enough to kill us. Even the weapons at his disposal are not particularly powerful. Fortunately, to our rescue there is the possibility, as parasites, of appropriating the bodies of others using them as a shield and as a weapon, a subtle but effective strategy.
Before going into the gameplay detail , let’s try to get a top down view of what we can do once we enter HyperParasite. The initial menu offers the possibility to choose whether to play as a single player or in cooperative mode with a friend. Having taken this decision, another crossroads arises before us: “Born in the ’80s” or “Wrong millenium”? In the first case we will be inserted in the random level generated for the game, in the guise of one of the 60 human characters present in the game and unlocked until that moment (we will see how), while in the second case we will choose the body to take possession of.
A stormy sea with no landing – HyperParasite Review
The time has come to talk about one of the key mechanics of the game: HyperParasite presents no way to save the current game . This, at first, can confuse the player, who does not understand how to maintain their progress. In reality this is not a defect, but a choice that we believe makes sense for the speed of the games and the structure of the title. Each time a new game is started, a map is generated randomly, and the player is forced to explore it for the first time. However, the options are limited and you soon realize how easy it is to find the compass.
Although the map is generated every time, the elements that compose it are very similar to each other, and after a few games it is really easy to find your way around. Some fixed elements are always present, such as the level boss, the “Double Trouble” and Wito’s shop, but they can be found in different locations. Wito is a rather shady semi-human trader who sells upgrades for our characters and presides over the room where another key game mechanic takes place . In fact, initially, on a roster of 60 characters, just 3 are unlocked, while on the others our parasite powers will have no effect.
During the games, especially by defeating the enemies, it will be possible to find the brains of the characters still blocked on the ground. All we have to do is take it to the room adjacent to Wito’s shop and pay the necessary amount to unlock it. From that moment on, it will be possible to take control of the body of the enemy in question every time we meet him.
This process is the only real progress that is saved between one game and another, once the brain is brought into the appropriate capsule it will remain there forever, and we could time after time bring part of the sum necessary to obtain the unlock. This mechanic effectively compensates for the lack of bailouts, remedying the frustrating feeling of having to start from scratch every time.
Humans are better than aliens – HyperParasite Review
In this game the sentence is surprisingly true. The parasite we interpret, in its basic version, has only 3 possibilities: shoot (not too powerful bullets), dodge and take possession of the bodies already unlocked. As if this were not enough, the alien is also very fragile and a single blow from any enemy is enough to bring up the newspaper headline reporting the death of the invader, thus marking the end of the game. Fortunately, during the games it is possible to find DNA remains belonging to dead aliens that allow us to choose between various types of upgrades for our character, which are lost with each death.
Conversely, humans from whom we can steal bodies are equipped with a health bar that allows them to survive a limited number of attacks. In addition, in addition to their basic attack type, they also have a special move which, however, is characterized by a particularly long reload time. Characters can essentially be divided into two categories: those with ranged weapons and those with melee. Their traits are inspired by the historical era in question, we can find for example African-American basketball players, Italian-American boxers and policemen with the classic look present in the films of that time.
The game features very different skill levels, with no intermediate steps that can help less experienced players get used to and gradually improve. Enemies encountered normally are predictable and easy to defeat, while the rooms where bosses meet are infernal in difficulty. This difference in height is the only real flaw of a truly successful title, because it risks transforming the experience of inexperienced players into an endless loop of victories against weak enemies and defeats against the most formidable enemies.
80’s in all respects – HyperParasite Review
The game’s developers weren’t satisfied with catapulting us into another historical era, but they went out of their way to allow us to fully immerse ourselves in it. From the immediate and highly appreciated detail of the cathode ray tube television, to the initial menu that would fit perfectly in a coin-operated machine in the most classic arcades.
Nothing is left to chance, the deliberately retro graphics are very enjoyable and even the music, although slightly monotonous, seems tailor-made for this title. It is these little things that have allowed an interesting idea to be able to excel and compete for such a coveted prize.
As for the gameplay, there is nothing particular to report, it is simple but effective. The keys, as well as the options to choose from for our actions, are limited, but this should not be seen as a flaw.
In our opinion it is a targeted choice to allow players to fully immerse themselves in the action, having fun in an unbridled way. Interesting is the possibility of shooting practically any object in the setting, but be careful, if from some barrels you can get money, others could blow you up and can also be used as weapons in your favor.
Attention to the little things always pays off
This is precisely the secret of HyperParasite in our opinion: not having left anything to chance. Too often, in today’s gaming industry, we aim at increasingly complex titles both from a graphic and gameplay point of view, but at the risk of missing out on many important details. The title developed by Troglobyte Games is satisfied instead of its simplicity, a perfect simplicity, however, without flaws or errors, which guarantees a healthy fun for many hours. That’s why we feel like rewarding HyperParasite, an all-Italian success, with an extremely positive review.
