Before the PlayStation 4 Pro and the Xbox One X, there was an infamous add-on to the Sega Genesis. My friends and I would always joke about what a waste of money it was and the fact that it was likely a piece of junk. In an age where producing an upgraded version of a current console to sell to hungry consumers exists, Sega of the 1990s tried something bold and almost succeeded.
I was never on team blue, but in retrospect, it was either pretty cool or probably pretty disappointing arguing for blast processing. This time around, trying to be ahead of the curve proved to be disastrous for Sega.
Also, do check out more of the Gaming Historian, it’s a great channel filled with well produced mini-documentaries.
At first glance, Iconoclasts might look like another pixel art styled game, but style is one of the many things that bring its charm. From the very start, there is something endearing about the game. It’s easily seen and felt throughout.
You play as Robin and occasionally some of the other characters that grace the games presence. Robin is the game’s displaced, silent protagonist who has just recently lost her father and lives in a dystopian like world where things are heavily controlled, particularly the building and repairing of technology. One substance, ivory, has been powering most of the worlds technology and is nearly depleted.
Many things are at play in Iconoclasts, story elements bob and weave, coming in and out of the picture at the right moments, emerging at pivotal times and revealing themselves in just the right way. Dialog and cutscenes play out in text, sometimes emoted for extra emphasis. And believe it or not, you get a real good sense for each of the characters, feeling their purpose and motivations. They don’t feel fake or tacked on. The story is one of the best parts of Iconoclasts.
Controlling Robin is easy, fluid and simple. Most movements and attacks work as expected. Because of the that, the puzzles never feel difficult, but a treat to figure out. Like any Metroidvania inspired platformer, you can expect the check boxes to be met and completed within the boundaries of the game’s own merits.
As mentioned above, the graphics style don’t always do the game justice, but the more you play it the more it grows on you along with the game’s soundtrack. From the characters expressions to the animations to the level design… the more you play it, the more you realize it was all meant to be.
Iconoclasts has a decently long play length, but can be mastered, if you’re up for that. It also doesn’t feel that difficult, but that can also be changed if you feel the need to. Boss fights are fair, creative and are actually a big highlight. Collectibles are scattered throughout the world and are useful to an extent, but once you find a loadout that works for you, you probably won’t be needing to craft with them too often.
I never felt bored with Iconoclasts, frustrated or angry. I had genuine, honest fun through my entire playthrough and always wanted to see what would come next for Robin and her companions. Just remember that as you play this that one guy, Joakin Sandberg, pretty much did all of this.
When I first saw the trailer for Iconoclasts I was immediately enthralled by the art style. Then the gameplay, then the music. So, by the end of the trailer I asked myself: “What is this game?”
Iconoclasts is a game by Joakim Sandberg (Konjak). It’s obviously a 2D action-platformer featuring various characters. But what else? The gameplay looks fast-paced with some cool looking puzzles and super stylized cinemas. I’m a big fan of the retro pixel art look and this game is hitting all the right notes with its graphics and gameplay.
It’s worth mentioning that Sandberg has been working on this for a many years, since about 2009, basing the game on a project he created back in 2007 called Ivory Springs. So, it’s been a long road for him and the work looks like its been well manifested. This is the work of one man!
Iconoclasts will be available on January 23, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Vita and Steam.
The boot up screens for the original PlayStation and PS2 are quite possibly some of my favorites. However, the PS2 brought us peaceful and sleek menu designs. So, on December 6th, we all can enjoy it again on our PS4!