It’s a good thing I’m a glutton for punishment. Some of my favorite games are ridiculously difficult SHMUP and platformer games, probably because I like the challenge. It’s one thing to beat a simple game, but to beat a difficult one? That’s an entirely different story. Fenix Rage, from Reverb Triple XP and Green Lava Studios, has plenty of challenge to spare. Each level has the same basic requirements — find the diabolical Oktarus and a cookie! Yes, a cookie. Don’t ask, ’cause I don’t know why. What matters is the difficulty and fun present in the game.
Though it sounds simple in description, in execution each level is something else altogether. Levels are cluttered with tons of traps and threats that will kill you instantly, forcing you to start over. To truly beat a level, you need to reach the cookie and THEN the exit, guarded by the Oktarus. If you die once, you lose the cookie. For the completionists out there, that means you need to start over. To aid you navigating the madness, you have unlimited jumping ability and wall climbing, as well as a dash move. These help keep the game from being impossible, but don’t detract much from the brutal difficulty.
I rather enjoyed my brief time with Fenix Rage at PAX Prime, and look forward to the Steam release. For you next gen enthusiasts, it is also coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
