SATAZIUS
- December 15, 2011
- ASTRO PORT
Get on Steam"SATAZIUS" is a single-player Science Fiction Shooter game set in 2051 on the abandoned planet SATAZIUS. The player controls the assault ship 'Trafalgar', the last hope for destroying a space pirate base after their attack on the cruiser Agano. With 13 upgradeable weapons, power-ups, and intense boss encounters, SATAZIUS brings an old-school side-scrolling arcade shooter experience with impressive graphics and game mechanics.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Satazius offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic shmups like Gradius and R-Type, with engaging gameplay and a variety of weapon options.
- The game features a catchy techno soundtrack that complements the fast-paced action and enhances the overall atmosphere.
- Despite its challenging difficulty, Satazius provides a fair gameplay experience with checkpoints and continues, making it accessible for both newcomers and seasoned players.
- The game suffers from a lack of modern features, such as widescreen support and customizable controls, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Many players find the level design frustrating due to 'cheap deaths' and unexpected hazards that require memorization to navigate successfully.
- The graphics are considered outdated, with a low resolution that may not appeal to players accustomed to more polished visuals in contemporary games.
- graphics41 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as decent but often criticized for being low-resolution and reusing sprites from previous titles, leading to a somewhat generic appearance. While some players appreciate the retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic 16-bit games, others find the visuals lacking and in need of an update. Overall, the graphics are considered serviceable, with some praising their clarity in gameplay despite their simplicity.
“I like the reduced graphic style with great visibility of enemy bullets and obstacles.”
“Tasty graphics, notable and catchy soundtrack, challenging difficulty settings.”
“The graphics are old-school and fantastically done, and the music fits the game like a glove.”
“Bad graphics design.”
“Decent graphics, but rendered in very low resolution of 640x480, full-screen only scaled.”
“The graphics feel a little blurry.”
- music35 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy techno themes and nostalgic vibes reminiscent of classic Sega Genesis soundtracks. While some players find the music engaging and fitting for the sci-fi environment, others describe it as bland or lacking memorability. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for enhancing the gameplay experience, though it may not leave a lasting impression for everyone.
“Great music by the way, and that classic Japanese doujin PC game 640x480 resolution lock (look into borderless gaming if you need to).”
“Banger soundtrack!”
“The sound track is great, it's a metal retro mix of high-speed loops and fast guitar riffs that really set the mood and get your blood pumping.”
“The soundtrack sounds like Sega Genesis music, but it wasn't great either.”
“The level design varies from stupidly easy to cheap and frustrating, the graphics are dull, and the music is bland, but if you're desperate for a shmup, you could do far worse.”
“Also, the OST is kind of lackluster in my opinion - Ether Vapor's much better with its ambivalent sound and gives the real feeling of a Japanese game (which I prefer for this genre).”
- gameplay24 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and challenging level designs that can lead to frustration, often overshadowing the fun elements. Players appreciate the upgradeable weapons and speed bonuses, alongside the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic shoot 'em ups, though some find the core gameplay loop unengaging. Overall, while the game features tight controls and impressive visuals, its difficulty and design choices can detract from the overall experience.
“They obviously put a lot of love and care into their games which are always replete with gorgeous details, excellent stage and enemy designs, epic bosses, and fun gameplay mechanics.”
“A tough damn good horizontal scrolling shoot 'em up in the best traditions of Gradius/R-Type etc. Thumping amazing soundtrack, really good visuals and tight gameplay.”
“With its Sega Mega Drive-style graphics and classic arcade 16-bit console gameplay, this is pure uncomplicated fun.”
“The core gameplay elements are fine and the game feels fun at times; the only things that make this game not fun are the design decisions.”
“Gameplay is really tough and unpredictable.”
“This game is hard, and I mean classically hard. If you aren't familiar with this style of gameplay, you will have a rough go of it.”
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and largely conveyed through visual elements rather than text or cutscenes, with players primarily focused on action rather than narrative. While some players find the lack of a detailed plot acceptable for the gameplay style, others note that the story is relegated to the game manual and lacks engagement. Overall, the narrative is simplistic, revolving around a mission to combat pirates, but it does not detract significantly from the overall experience for those who prioritize gameplay over story.
“Though there really isn't much dialogue or story to the game, the gist of Satazius involves a pirate-infested planet and the assault ship Tralfagar's crew taking on immeasurable odds to wade through fleet after fleet of enemies and destroy the pirates' base situated there.”
“The story is pretty much explained through visual presentation, a normal thing I see in some of the old hits.”
“There is no wordy text to explain the story, no worry about catching up with the story by reading while you are busy blasting stuff, creating beautiful fireworks.”
“The story comes only in the manual (right click on the game in your Steam library to find it) and... it's not even interesting to read.”
“No story, no cutscenes!”
“There is no wordy text to explain the story, no worry about catching up the story by reading while you are busy blasting stuff, creating beautiful fireworks.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is influenced by the desire to improve high scores and hunt for achievements, although some achievements may be bugged, limiting this aspect. While the game is relatively short, it offers decent replay value through harder difficulty levels and a variety of powerful equipment that encourages experimentation. Overall, fans of old-school scrolling shooters will find enough content to keep them engaged.
“Every equipment feels powerful and useful, adding to experimentation and replay value.”
“This impacts the replayability as well, as it leaves not much to do after beating the game once other than hunting for achievements; and that itself is problematic too because some achievements are bugged and will not unlock.”
“The game isn't that long, but the harder difficulties give it decent replayability.”
“Replayability: if you wish to compete to improve your own high scores, it will be nice to come back to.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, as levels often require repetitive maneuvering and feature unexpected hazards that lead to frequent deaths, making the experience feel unnecessarily punishing.
“While the levels are interesting, they quickly become tedious and frustrating with intentionally tedious maneuvering in some spots and 'surprise' hazards in others that you will only know are coming after they have already killed you at least once.”
“The grinding feels endless, with repetitive tasks that offer little reward and make progress feel more like a chore than an achievement.”
“I found myself stuck in a loop of grinding for hours, only to realize that the rewards were not worth the time invested.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized, delivering smooth performance even on low-end hardware, making it accessible to a wider range of players.
“It is a greatly optimized game that runs very smoothly on some very low-end hardware.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game features an emotionally engaging narrative, players find frustration in the gameplay mechanics, particularly with the ship's size and the punishing nature of wall collisions that disrupt the emotional immersion by forcing repeated checkpoints.
