In a media age dominated by remakes, sequels, and reboots, the weaponization of nostalgia is bringing both joy and despair to gamers around the world. Recycling old things can be fun if handled with care, but there’s something to be said for finding something new in the familiar.
Evil Raptor’s latest release, Akimbot, seeks to do just that. Acting as a vibrant throwback and homage to the action-adventure platformers of the PS2 era, Akinbot is loaded with influences from classics like Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Daxter. Comparison is the thief of joy, but even under the heavy shadow of comparison to the legend it imitates, Akinbot still manages to shine momentarily, but not bright enough to escape that shadow entirely. there is no.
first protocol first
The story of the game itself is completely practical and comfortably silly. Set in a space devoid of humans, Akinbot follows the robotic mercenary Exe and his wisecracking drone companion Shipset. Their journey begins with a jailbreak and spirals into an intergalactic war involving time travel, robot dinosaurs, and a rogue scientist named Evilware. Recruited to stop Evilware from controlling the universe using a time-warp artifact, Exe and Shipset’s adventure is a trippy adventure that fully embraces its sci-fi setting and throwback roots.
The game reaches its peak with absurdist laughter. It’s hard to take the ever-increasing stakes too seriously, but it works in the game’s favor. You could poke holes in the plot’s confetti cannon, but thinking too much about Sly Cooper’s raccoon thief would probably ruin that too. It’s a really fun premise, and the game has enough self-awareness as a video game to just have fun.
While the story serves its purpose, the game stagnates by not diving deeper into its world or characters. There’s a big robot world out there ready to explore, but it feels retrained and unreachable. The “Lost Data” collectibles tell small stories about the people who live on Earth, but we want to know just a little more. Whether it’s a feature or a bug, nothing can completely shake up the surface-level world-building. However, the story certainly ups the fun factor instead and remains engaging enough to keep you reading until the end. However, I wish it were a little deeper.
disposal and shooting
Where Akinbot shines most is in its blend of third-person shooting mechanics and platforming. The basics are there – shoot, jump, dash – vast, open landscapes full of enemies, dangerous environments, and the occasional puzzle or mini-game. At its best, this game allows you to represent Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, especially when mowing down enemies with rocket launchers, assault rifles, snipers, and even tanks. The cinematography is snappy and the platforming is serviceable, but it’s never groundbreaking or truly memorable.
Enemy variations also make for plenty of satisfying combat, including swooping robot bats, electric fences, and intergalactic spaceships being shot down from space. Difficulty can vary from moment to moment, but knowing your weapon will get you out of most situations. Furthermore, this game allows you to almost fail even on low difficulties.
The game feels like it knows its pace well, throwing in new weapons, mechanics, and even challenging vehicle sections at the right times. There are some hacking mini-games thrown in if you want them, but they fall into the trap of being too simple and can feel a bit tedious. These serve more as filler than engaging gameplay elements, which is a shame considering the potential for more subtle mechanics. Even for younger viewers, it lacks the depth that could have added some much-needed variety.
Watch the part, play the part
Akinbot is visually pleasing to the eye. The game sports an early 2000s platformer aesthetic with bold, bright colors that pop off the screen. Each environment offers something different, from neon-lit space battles to bright sandy beaches. Despite the open-world illusion, the level design feels very linear, further accentuated by the lack of a map or navigation. This is another thing that I really enjoy about this game and would like to do a little more with, but I can’t quite figure it out.
Akimbt’s controls are standard for the genre, with double jumps, dashes, weapon swaps, and more making for a fluid experience. The gunfights are serviceable, but there’s no wow factor with any of the weapons. The game offers a decent selection and a moderate upgrade system, but the lack of a deeper upgrade system makes the combat feel a little repetitive, and the box-breaking coin-collecting side tasks that are standard for the genre Not encouraged.
One of the standout features of the game is the audio. From menu music to in-game sound effects, the soundtrack does a lot of the heavy lifting and keeps you hooked even when the gameplay itself starts to drag. The voice actors’ performances also deserve praise. Shipset’s tongue-in-cheek banter contrasts well with Exe’s stoic snarl, but neither character has enough depth to really make it stand out.
real robot
If Akinbot stumbles anywhere, it is in his writing. Brooding Loner Exe checks all the boxes for a reluctant hero, but has little personality beyond that. His journey from prisoner to universe savior feels predictable without much emotional weight behind it. Also, he never quite establishes the lovable rogue vibe that would otherwise make his arc more satisfying.
Intended to be comic relief, Shipset is both endearing and annoying. Much like Claptrap in Borderlands, his sarcasm shows up from time to time and his lines are often very funny. There’s a clear sense of humor that this game is going for, which pretty much sticks the landing, but it’s also felt when it’s not. If it’s not for you, you’ll feel very frustrated. And there’s nothing worse than the current question, “Why is this character here?”
For a game that relies so heavily on characters, the lack of development left me disconnected from the story’s stakes, and it felt odd that the gameplay didn’t add the ability for players to control their shipsets. This feels like a development issue. Many of the major shortcomings, such as the limited story, the lack of fleshing out both the world and characters, and the ability to control sub-protagonists, would have brought this work closer to a podium finish than its contemporaries, given a little more time.
final thoughts
For those nostalgic for the golden age of PS2 platformers, Akimbot offers a fun trip down memory lane. While its vivid visuals, punchy combat, and engaging soundtrack make for nostalgic fun, the game ultimately falls short of establishing much of its own identity. The underdeveloped characters, lack of world-building, and limited weaponry weigh down this otherwise outstanding homage, but a sequel that addressed these issues would be a quick cash cow.
Akimbt is certainly not perfect, but the price is incredibly affordable. At AU$29.95 on the Steam, Xbox and Playstation stores, it’s an incredible deal and more than worth the price of admission. It may be a safe bet, and perhaps it relies a little too much on its predecessor, but overall it’s still worth playing for those looking for some old-fashioned fun, or at least a curiosity well worth the price. This is a lively work. It took about 10 hours to complete.
3 stars (out of 5 stars)
Highlight: Charming nostalgic atmosphere. A fun story with scope, ambition, and absurdity.
Cons: Poorly developed characters. Limited upgrade system
Developer: Evil Raptor
Publisher: Prion
Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows PC
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on a PC using a pre-release code provided by the publisher.
