REVIEW / Platypus Reclayed (PC)

Something that makes reviewing difficult is that we can’t see what any given player is going to be looking for when they’re shelling out their hard-earned money on a game. It’s easy to just give an unbiased review of a title, but when you’re advising a group, as opposed to a person, things get a little trickier. This is an important note for today’s review. I’ve been playing Platypus Reclayed on PC, and it’s making me question where my enjoyment of the game comes from, rather than whether the game is good as a standalone entity. I’ll elaborate as we go.

Platypus Reclayed is a sexy looking side-scrolling shooter, very much in the vein of games like Super R-Type. You pilot your ship through waves of incoming enemy ships, turrets, and, of course, those all-important bosses with the aim of coming out on top. That’s literally the premise. No bells or whistles, just arcade shooting fun over several difficulty levels and game modes. This is all absolutely fine, but in a world where games are giving us more for arguably less money, is this going to be enough, or are we looking for something a bit more expansive?

As an arcade shooter, Platypus Reclayed ticks all the boxes. Each stage is broken into zones. Survive about four of these, and you’ll be faced with a boss to blow up. As you go, you’ll collect power-ups that will alter your weapon and pick up points from destroyed enemy ships. None of this is anything we haven’t seen before, and this title does all of this perfectly well. As a score attack or check of our shooting skills, I have no issues whatsoever, and it’s fun to blast away and rack up points. If this were on an arcade machine, I’d be scoring this title highly because, in that setting, this game is stellar. Then we encounter a few issues.

Firstly, Platypus Reclayed has no discernible story. Obviously, with this being a shooter, we aren’t expecting swathes of deep lore. Some kind of reason for doing what we’re doing is always good for engagement, though. The odd cut-scene or bit of fluff helps us stay focused on an objective. Even if that objective is simply “kill things,” it’s still useful to have an understanding of why we’re doing it.

Secondly, it would be nice to have a little bit of choice with respect to loadouts, for example. If we could upgrade our ship or our basic weaponry, we would be getting a sense of progression. This is always good to keep us coming back for more and wanting to unlock the next thing waiting for us. Whether that be a new ship, a new gun, or even something as basic as a new skin, it keeps us engaged. As gamers, we love being given shiny, virtual things, and when they aren’t there, we notice. In the absence of upgrades, some shooters give us branching level paths instead. This gives us an element of choice and makes the game feel less linear, even if it doesn’t change the premise of play. Without any of these things, Platypus Reclayed starts feeling a little repetitive.

This comes back to my initial point. If I’m only scoring this title as an arcade shooter. It’s fun, looks great, and plays perfectly well. If you’re the kind of player looking to constantly beat your score and ace levels over a series of different difficulty settings, then you’re going to be made up with this game, and I think you’ll have tons of fun going back to hone your skills.

If, on the other hand, you want a game that offers all the things that I’ve just mentioned, but with a more rounded playing experience, Platypus Reclayed might become a little bit of a harder sell. I think you’ll still get a good amount of enjoyment here, but you’ll probably play through once and be perfectly content to call it a day. At £12.79, this isn’t an overly expensive title, but there are games out there for a similar price that probably offer more in terms of giving you a deeper experience.

Negatives out of the way, what does this game do well? Well, as I’ve mentioned, Platypus Reclayed is a faithful remaster of a classic that will tick all the boxes for arcade fans and those of you who played and enjoyed the original. This title is also absolutely gorgeous. The claymation is bright and the levels pop with colour. The sound is also perfectly fitting for the theme. I have absolutely no complaints with respect to look and feel, and the controls are responsive and fluid. When it comes to nuts and bolts, there really isn’t anything to complain about.

I feel like I’m finding fault a little bit with Platypus Reclayed, but I think it’s an important point. On its own, this is a great game, but players seldom take a game on its own and will always find comparisons. This being said, I think there’s fun to be had here regardless, but if you’re looking for something you haven’t seen before and aren’t fussed about getting that gooey feeling of nostalgia or replaying to hone your skills, you might want to find something with a little more depth.

This review is based on a copy of the game provided by the publisher.