Yars Rising is a Metroidvania sequel to the 1982 classic game Yars' Revenge and brings a modern take to the four-decade-old title.
The original game was released on the Atari 2600 and the announcement of the sequel marks the longest break between sequels in the history of gaming. The new game is made by WayForward, which is a company that goes all the way back to the Game Boy Color and the original Shantae.
Yars Rising Release
(Photo : WayForward, Atari / Screenshot taken from Steam)
Since then, the company has released a series of fantastic Shantae titles and many other games in the Metroidvania genre. These include the underrated The Mummy Demastered. WayForward also had a hand in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. This is considered the spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
While Yars Rising is a sequel to the 1982 titles, it does not mean that it plays anything similar to the decades-old classic. The original game was an early version of what later became known as shoot 'em ups, such as R-Type and Ikaruga, according to Engadget.
On the other hand, the latest game is a sidescrolling platformer where players will be in control of a person, not a flying alien bug. However, the new title seems to include a lot of narrative nods to the original Yars' Revenge.
The developer of Yars Rising also promised that on top of the traditional Metroidvania action, there will be a "balance of stealth and combat" as well as plenty of "retro-inspired minigames." The game will be released on consoles and PCs later this year.
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WayForward's Yars Rising is a complete reimagining of the series and its world. It lets players take control of a young hacker by the name of Emi Kimura. She is hired to infiltrate and bring down a shadowy corporation.
Yars Rising will require players to sneak, fight, run, jump, and steadily earn upgrades as they take on a challenging, modern-feeling platformer with a series of nostalgia. While waiting for the full release, fans of the franchise can wishlist the game on Steam, said PCGamesN.
A Modern Take on a Classic Game
The announcement trailer for WayForward's newest game stopped short of actually showcasing gameplay footage of Yars Rising. The title includes a minigame of the original Yars' Revenge and will urge players to "unravel layers of intrigue" within Qotech, the shadow corporation, and Emi herself.
The story progresses as the protagonist gradually discovers her bond to the Yars, which already appears to take on forms including a moving tattoo and ethereal wings. The chairman and CEO of Atari, Wade Rosen, praised his new partners at WayForward.
He said that the developer is the perfect choice for the reimagining of one of their most enduring game franchises. He especially praised WayForward's "proven story-telling and world-building powers."
The new title is Atari's second reboot of the franchise and the first was Yars: Recharged, which was released in 2022 as a modernization of the original Yars' Revenge. The release of that particular title spurred more releases and there are now 10 mainline entries in the franchise, according to Forbes.
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