Actraiser Renaissance

About

Actraiser Renaissance is a refreshed version of the classic game that combines elements of simulation, action, and platforming. As the Lord of Light, players will aid humanity by providing guidance, battling nightmarish monsters, and rebuilding a prosperous world. This new edition features improved graphics, remastered music, and new content, providing a fresh take on a beloved classic.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 947 reviews

music198 positive mentions

grinding42 negative mentions

The game successfully captures the nostalgia of the original Actraiser while introducing new gameplay mechanics and characters.
The remastered soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro is exceptional, with both new arrangements and the option to play the original music.
The graphics, while different, provide a unique aesthetic that some players find charming and engaging.

The addition of tower defense mechanics feels tedious and disrupts the flow of gameplay, making the game feel more like a chore.
The game is overly text-heavy, with frequent interruptions from characters that can detract from the overall experience.
The action segments, while improved in some ways, suffer from clunky controls and low-resolution graphics that can be off-putting.

music
461 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
55%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its remastered soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro, which beautifully reimagines the original compositions while also introducing new tracks. Players appreciate the option to switch between the updated orchestral score and the classic SNES soundtrack, allowing for a nostalgic experience alongside modern enhancements. While some critiques mention that certain remixes feel generic or repetitive, the overall sentiment is that the music remains a standout feature, elevating the game's atmosphere and gameplay.
- “The gameplay is solid all round, the story is reasonably interesting and the soundtrack is genuinely amazing.”
- “The music is orchestral reimagining of the original chip tunes, which is a plus in my book.”
- “The remastered music is also great and a definite positive as Actraiser always had some of the best tunes on the SNES.”
- “The new music is not good and has a completely different feel.”
- “The remixes of the original music (the original songs were bangers btw) are sub par and make it sound like generic ambient fantasy music.”
- “I really can't recommend it because I feel robbed of music tracks I used to love.”
story
455 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
80%
5%
The story in "Actraiser Renaissance" has been significantly expanded, introducing new characters and deeper narrative elements that enhance the original plot. While many players appreciate the added depth and character development, some find the frequent interruptions from quests and cutscenes disrupt the gameplay flow, making it feel overly linear and sometimes tedious. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a mixed bag, with improvements in character engagement but also criticisms regarding excessive verbosity and repetitive quest structures.
- “Additionally, some characters are added which not only give some context to the plight of the humans inhabiting this world but also serve to grant the master (and your mission to defend the townspeople with him) more weight and meaning.”
- “They have revved it up with a more in-depth plot, so you end up having a more involved storyline where you can connect with the characters a little deeper than in the original game.”
- “The story is expanded via the introduction of new lovable characters, and even the bosses have some personality now.”
- “The story is just average and the art style is a mix of really cheap 3D renders and hand-drawn characters.”
- “The quest system tries to expand the old storyline, but the way it is done rips you out of gameplay constantly.”
- “The story is now incredibly linear, to the point that fans of the original will know all the story beats, but the individual sections of rebuilding the towns are now full of drawn-out exposition, with a weird focus being put on the tower defense characters and not your god-player character.”
graphics
453 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
75%
8%
The graphics of "Actraiser Renaissance" have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the updated visuals and nostalgic elements, while others criticize them for appearing dated or reminiscent of mobile games. Many noted that the action sequences suffer from low-resolution pre-rendered graphics, leading to a disjointed aesthetic that detracts from the overall experience. Despite the graphical shortcomings, some players still find enjoyment in the gameplay and music, suggesting that the visuals may be a matter of personal taste.
- “The graphics have had a big improvement, they have added new content, the music was remixed and updated, and they even added a new type of gameplay to the mix, a number of base/tower defense sequences to each region.”
- “This remake has beautiful graphics, smooth gameplay, and a kickin' soundtrack.”
- “The graphics are really well done, it stays true to the original enemies, dungeons, bosses, overworld map, and so on.”
- “The graphics are honestly really bad overall.”
- “The bad stuff out of the way first: the graphics suck, they look like a crappy mobile game, although this was released for Android and Apple as well as Steam.”
- “But the action stages.... this may be the ugliest graphics I've seen for a game in over a decade.”
gameplay
432 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The gameplay of Actraiser Renaissance has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the nostalgic blend of action-platforming and town-building mechanics, while others criticize the newly introduced tower defense elements as tedious and disruptive. Although the game retains the core mechanics of the original, the frequent interruptions for town defense and clunky controls detract from the overall experience, leading to a gameplay loop that some find unsatisfying. Despite these issues, the game features improved graphics, a refined combat system, and a captivating soundtrack, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the original, albeit with some caveats regarding its new mechanics.
- “The gameplay is solid all round, the story is reasonably interesting and the soundtrack is genuinely amazing.”
- “It's pretty much the same game but better in almost every way, with updated graphics, game mechanics, more story and even a third game mode built around the idea of defending your settlement from invading monsters.”
- “The added mechanics are fun and the combination of townbuilding and action stages is as charming as ever.”
- “Actraiser in name only, this is more of an exercise in how long you can endure awful tower defense mechanics.”
- “Wow that tower defense mode is an awful experience, way to ruin the flow of gameplay with an awful, constant, and required minigame.”
- “This was really poor gameplay design, and frustrated me to the point where I got to Aitos (town 4) and just kind of gave up.”
grinding
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, primarily due to repetitive dialogue, lengthy tower defense segments, and the need to replay acts for specific quests. While some enjoy the core gameplay, many feel that the grinding elements serve as unnecessary padding that detracts from the overall experience, making it feel cumbersome and less enjoyable.
- “Thus a tedious cycle of waiting and watching for mana potions is created when the player clears out all the monster nests and is trying to raise the population levels.”
- “It just feels like padding and grinding to stretch the time needed to beat the game with zero impact in the end game.”
- “The additional grind quests aren't all that either... grinding over an act so I can kill a couple of typhoon pigeons is not fun.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
31%
38%
Optimization feedback is mixed, with some players experiencing significant issues like horizontal tearing and jittering, particularly on lower-end hardware like the 5600G APU, despite attempts to adjust settings. Conversely, others report excellent performance, achieving high frame rates and smooth gameplay at higher resolutions without noticeable issues. Overall, while some users enjoy solid performance, the presence of graphics bugs and inconsistent experiences detracts from the game's potential.
- “I had no crashes during my playtime and performance was always solid.”
- “Great performance, has unlimited fps and many resolutions supported. I'm running 4K and hitting 500fps in action mode and over 1,000fps in god mode, capped it to 144.”
- “[b]Graphics bugs and how to fix them:[/b] You see by default the game is locked at 60fps and any game running at that frame rate should run smoothly, but I noticed like many others that there was jittering and screen tearing.”
- “Performance on 5600G APU was generally fine, except the video output had terrible, terrible horizontal tearing, and all settings done in configuration to change resolution or enable VSync did not appear to have any appreciable effect on the game at all.”
- “As someone who played and enjoyed the original and other Quintet games, my joy upon seeing the trailer was dashed upon the cruel rocks of the reality of this mobile-optimized garbage.”
- “However, the questionable choices in the art direction, the bugs, poor performance, and the, at times, way too wordy expanded script, mar the experience in such a way that what should have been the masterful return of a masterpiece instead turns out to be a nice introduction to the classic for new audiences, but not much more.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
Reviewers highlight significant improvements in character development, praising the depth of storytelling and the new character designs. The enhanced focus on the characters from each region contributes positively to the overall narrative experience, although some express a desire for more varied aesthetics in gameplay. Overall, the writing is noted for effectively showcasing character growth and engagement.
- “My favorite part: there's far more story and character development going on.”
- “Everything reads like a positive psalm with the writing really showing some great character development and overall storytelling.”
- “Perhaps the two biggest changes are the character development and siege mode in the sim mode.”
- “I can understand everyone's frustration on this matter, as I wish too that we could have seen a different type of aesthetic in the gameplay sections for enemy and character design.”
- “More character development with the people of each region, which is good.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting a strong connection between the gameplay and emotional experiences, leading to a heartfelt and nostalgic journey. The soundtrack evokes deep feelings, contributing to a wholesome atmosphere that resonates with both new and returning fans. Overall, the game is described as wonderfully touching and thematically fitting.
- “Because of that emotional loop that coincides with gameplay loop, it just feels really damn good.”
- “I shed a tear hearing the soundtrack.”
- “Summary: wonderful & heartfelt!”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players feeling that it lacks genuine effort and understanding of the original's appeal. The remastered soundtrack is the only aspect that received any praise, but overall, the game's approach has left many disillusioned and unwilling to engage with future releases from the developer.
- “The whole thing feels like a cash grab, and the only part that feels like any love was put into it is the remastered soundtrack.”
- “Unless they add an option to disable it, I'll never play this shameless cash grab made by someone who very clearly did not understand the appeal of the original.”
- “I will never touch anything from this developer again, and I really hope that someone develops a spiritual successor that breathes new life into this classic in the manner that it deserves, and not what is obviously a cash grab for an aging IP.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent freezes occurring after about 30 minutes of play, alongside various technical issues such as AI and audio bugs, low resolution defaults, and minor graphical glitches. While it performs well on the Steam Deck and features an impressive soundtrack, the overall experience is marred by these interruptions and awkward graphics.
- “The soundtrack is still as amazing as ever, and it looks and runs great on the Steam Deck as well.”
- “The game freezes constantly, usually after 30 minutes of play.”
- “And that's not including technical issues like AI bugs, audio bugs, the game defaulting to low resolution every time I start it up (for no explicable reason), and minor graphical glitches.”
- “Buggy, the graphics look awkward and gameplay is constantly interrupted by requests from the townspeople.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it offers significant value through mastering mechanics and revisiting side-scrolling stages, others feel it lacks real replay value. Overall, it seems that the enjoyment of replaying may depend on individual player engagement with the game's mechanics.
- “Replayability is good: once you learn more mechanics, it's fun to restart from the beginning and really utilize them.”
- “The side-scrolling stages are replayable and there's benefit to doing so.”
- “- no real replay value.”
- “- no real replay value.”
- “This is a solid classic game with a lot of replay value.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its beautiful rendering and charming simplicity, enhanced by Yuzo Koshiro's exceptional music. The expanded story further enriches the overall ambiance, creating a captivating experience across various stages.
- “The expanded story is really cool and adds a lot of atmosphere.”
- “Much of that is due to its simple charm, great atmosphere, and more than anything else thanks to the great music from Yuzo Koshiro.”
- “Other stages, like the first one, are rendered beautifully with nice atmospheric effects.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often described as hilarious, particularly due to its nostalgic nods to old-school game development. Players find the angel character amusing, especially in the early moments when he mocks the mortals he guides.
- “This stuff is pretty hilarious how much they left in the old school ways of developing games.”
- “The angel is funny sometimes, especially at the beginning when he makes fun of the dumb mortals you have to guide.”

71%Critics’ scoreBased on 13 critic reviews

Buy Actraiser Renaissance

13h Median play time

11h Average play time

5-22h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

80%3.7kreviews

Final Fantasy III

2024

Role Playing

84%9.3kreviews

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

2018

Open World Role Playing

85%4.3kreviews

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

2024

Role Playing

+10

87%8.1kreviews

FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE

2019

Role Playing

80%1.9kreviews

Bravely Default 2

2021

Role Playing

88%1.8kreviews

Ys I & II Chronicles+

2013

Role Playing

91%316reviews

Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure

2015

Role Playing

86%15.2kreviews

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE

2022

Role Playing

82%4.6kreviews

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth

2019

Role Playing

83%1.5kreviews

Cosmic Star Heroine

2017

Role Playing

Actraiser Renaissance

Platforms

About