Risk System [Xbox]
Newt Industries’ Risk System is a side-scrolling shoot-em-up that sees you play as Alys, a pilot who was previously missing in action, who upon her return is discovered to be immune to a strange parasite that has infected her comrades. Piloting a ship known as RSK-9, which has been experimentally manufactured using special Pre-Gate technologies that can absorb the parasitic energy, Alys must take on the dangers in order to prevent the extinction of mankind.
Unlike many of the shmup games we’ve played recently, Risk System automatically fires the standard weaponry for you, as long as you are level with enemies, requiring you only to fire the Barrier Breaker when available, and barrel roll out of harms way. Flying close to enemy projectiles will supercharge your ammo by absorbing its energy, allowing you to deal more damage as well as replenish your shields and build up your Barrier Breaker. This makes taking risks hugely beneficial in the long run, a real risk system. Breaker Mode is available once you’ve absorbed enough energy, allowing you to utilise the Barrier Breaker Super Weapon, which leaves you invulnerable to damage from enemy fire for a short time (although contact damage still applies). You can vertically barrel roll in order to get out of locked-on targets from enemies, and gain a boost of speed and firing rate, so learning when to utilise this, as well as your Breaker, is key to your success.
Done in a very brightly coloured arcade style, with some gorgeous environments, including a rainy scene that looked great as you whizz past. Enemy designs are well varied, each with different attack patterns, and learning how to take them on (whilst getting as close as you can in order to boost your Breaker) is challenging, yet fun. There are small visual alterations that occur when supercharging, as well as things such as how gliding down close to the water will cause the water to splash around you, and this all adds to the overall visual style.
The soundtrack is amazing, and works really well with the game, with energetic tracks and an anime sounding end sequence. A music-video styled trailer was released for the game, that follows this anime-styled vibe, and it’s really enjoyable to watch too. There’s full voice acting for the dialogue in missions, and characters are represented on small screens akin to Metal Gear Solid. How well you complete each mission will determine the interactions you have with other characters in the post-mission scenes, which encourages you to try again for better results if you don’t get such a great rank on your first attempt.
There’s a Pilot Manual available with further information for you to read, as well as Pilot Statistics, which records your scores across the missions, as well as your highest overall score and multiplier. The Personnel Files will be unlocked as you progress, giving you more information about characters, with more and more being revealed the higher rankings you achieve at the end of each mission. Missions can be retried immediately after completing if you feel that you could get a higher rank, with the ending being determined by your overall rankings, with two possible endings available. Ending B is the one you’re most likely to achieve, especially on your first playthrough, however ending A will give you a more complete story.
There’s also the Trophaeum available once you’ve completed the story, which is an endless mode where you need to achieve a certain ranking to succeed. This is a lot more challenging than the main game, which really is saying something, as the main story felt impossibly difficult at times. Priced at £8.39 on the Xbox Store, Risk System is a game that provides a significant challenge that is best suited to those looking for that specific level of difficulty. It takes a lot of trial and error, and with the requirement of S-ranks for certain achievements, as well as high rankings to unlock more of the story, it can feel a tad off-putting when you hit that wall of frustration. Overall, we enjoyed our time with Risk System, although felt that it could have been a bit longer, as the high difficulty sort of artificially lengthens the game, without adding more content.
In the end, we decided to give Risk System the Collecting Asylum rating of 7.5/10.
Are you interested in Risk System? What do you think of it?
Let us know in the comments below!
- V x
Thank you to Newt Industries for the Risk System Xbox review code!
