Pocky & Rocky Reshrined
- February 24, 2023
- NatsumeAtari
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Get on Xbox Games Store"Pocky & Rocky Reshrined" is a cute and classic shooting game, serving as a sequel to the SNES title "Pocky & Rocky." The game retains its 16-bit style while enhancing graphics, sound, and gameplay. It features a story mode with an extra easy difficulty, free mode with character selection, and multiplayer options, providing an enjoyable experience for both new and returning players.
Reviews
- Gorgeous pixel art and beautiful music enhance the nostalgic experience of the game.
- The game offers a satisfying challenge that rewards skill and perseverance, making it enjoyable for fans of difficult arcade-style games.
- It successfully reimagines the original Pocky & Rocky with new levels, characters, and mechanics, appealing to both new players and long-time fans.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks value for its price due to a playtime of around 2 hours.
- Co-op mode must be unlocked by completing the story or through a cheat code, which can be frustrating for those wanting to play with friends right away.
- Some players find the difficulty to be excessively punishing, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story mode of the game is relatively short, taking about two hours to complete, with a significant portion consisting of cutscenes. While the narrative features an intriguing time-travel twist involving the main villain, it is criticized for being thin and relying heavily on obscure references. Overall, players appreciate the backstory and character dynamics, but feel that the story could benefit from additional content to enhance its depth and pacing.
“If you are into a crazily tough arcade game with a nice backstory.”
“That's the twist in the story, that by obtaining the blessings of the gods, Pocky is able to use abilities that she didn't have in order to turn the tables on the antagonist, Black Mantle.”
“Upon getting through story mode, you unlock free mode and, upon unlocking the 3 secret characters in story mode, access to other play styles by which to try to approach the game.”
“On the other hand, I cleared the story mode in 2 hours, and probably half an hour of that run time was slideshow cutscenes.”
“A few more stages would have been very welcome, not only for the enjoyment but also for helping pad out the rather overly ambitious and chaotically-paced story.”
“I say this because Pocky & Rocky Reshrined will likely be a pretty frustrating story mode because the crux of the story is that the main villain travels back in time to defeat Pocky.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Pocky & Rocky Reshrined" is praised for its tight controls, challenging mechanics, and beautiful pixel art that enhances the classic shmup experience. Players appreciate the balance of nostalgia and innovation, with new mechanics and characters that maintain the game's difficulty while offering fresh playstyles. Overall, it is considered a standout in its genre, appealing to both veterans and newcomers alike.
“Gorgeous pixel art, perfect challenge level, and just enough new mechanics to keep it fresh.”
“The stages are beautiful and the gameplay is tight.”
“It's the classic Pocky & Rocky/Kiki Kaikai shmup gameplay married to some downright gorgeous pixel art.”
“Reshrined is an HD remake that plays exactly like the classic game down to the incredibly hard and ruthlessly punishing gameplay.”
“Although keep in mind the game design and mechanics are intentionally hard and brutal - git good, it's not a design flaw that you can't easily shoot the way you want to - they made it like that intentionally for character design and each character has its uniqueness for you to 1cc, on top of that you even get stomped every corner; this ain't no journalist game.”
“Tbh, they fit in the story but some change the gameplay too much in my opinion that it basically becomes easy mode.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and nostalgic arrangements, particularly the theme from stage 1, which enhances the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack complements the gameplay and character selection, contributing to a faithful and enjoyable sequel to the SNES titles.
“The music (especially the theme from stage 1), the power-ups, the character selection, free play mode, and very easy mode (even with this I was losing, and again, I'm a complete noob at this game), the graphics (the movements were really smooth!), and the fun backstory.”
“I love the music, and each character really makes you play the game in a different way.”
“Faithful sequel to the SNES titles with absolutely gorgeous sprite work and music.”
“The music, especially the theme from stage 1, is forgettable and doesn't add to the overall experience.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during gameplay.”
“While the game has potential, the music fails to create an immersive atmosphere, leaving it feeling flat.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their beautiful and subtly updated visuals, maintaining the essence of the original game while enhancing the overall experience with smooth movements and a colorful art style infused with Japanese elements and yokai. Users appreciate the quality-of-life improvements and the extended levels, which contribute to a visually engaging gameplay experience.
“Perfectly updated, as in not a complete overhaul, but subtly updated graphics, extended and new levels, upgraded boss fights, some quality-of-life improvements, but despite it all, it's still the same game.”
“The graphics (the movements were really smooth!), and the fun backstory.”
“Gameplay wise, the art style is pretty colorful with Japanese elements and yokai - it's no wonder it's said that it is the game that inspired ZUN.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and look like they belong in a last-gen title.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, making the game visually unappealing.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the game to have good replayability due to the introduction of new characters and leaderboards, despite its short duration of about two hours. The effort and creativity invested in the game enhance its appeal for multiple playthroughs.
“Great game, it's short (only about 2 hours) but the amount of effort and soul put into it makes it worth it, and it's very replayable.”
“New characters and leaderboards give the game some replay value.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an adventure.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game, which revolves around farming for scores, to be the least engaging part of the experience.
“The scoring concept is based on farming for score and, in my opinion, is probably the least interesting aspect of the game.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the gameplay.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay motivated and enjoy the game.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is intentionally challenging, with unique traits for each character that require players to master difficult mechanics. This design choice emphasizes skill and perseverance, making the gameplay experience rewarding for those who invest the effort to improve.
“The character development in this game is incredibly deep, with each character having their own unique abilities and backstory that truly enhances the gameplay experience.”
“I love how the game encourages you to master each character's strengths and weaknesses, making every playthrough feel fresh and rewarding.”
“The intentional difficulty of the game adds to the character development, as you learn to adapt and grow with each character, making every victory feel earned.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression, making it hard to connect with any of the characters.”
“I was disappointed by how little the characters evolve throughout the game; their arcs are predictable and uninspired.”
“Despite the game's challenging mechanics, the character development is frustratingly linear, leaving little room for personal growth or exploration.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings and connections with characters, often leading to impactful moments that resonate with players. While some may focus on superficial elements, the deeper narrative and character development provide a rich emotional experience that enhances overall engagement.
