Fenix Rage, the debut title from the three man Costa Rican developer Green Lava Studios, is not a game for this generation of coddled gamers. Its roots reach far back to the classic 1980s platform runners like the original Ninja Gaiden, and crosses them with a twisted version of Flappy Bird. The game is not interested in holding your hand, it is not here to be your friend. Fenix Rage will defeat you again and again and again, but you will keep coming back for more.
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Make no mistake, Fenix Rage is a difficult game, about on par with Super Meat Boy (one of the most notoriously difficult speed running titles in recent memory) but it is not an unfair one. There are games that punish you because they are broken, the ones where you throw the controller in frustration, shouting obscenities. There is no controller hurling at Fenix Rage since the game does not beat you- you fail at beating it. During my many, albeit frustrating, hours with the game, the only rage I experienced was towards myself. You will question your skills as a gamer.
None of this is the game's fault. Fenix Rage has impeccable level design; it is simply designed around ensuring perfection. One light touch against an enemy object and you are sent right back to the beginning. It is an old-school arcade puzzle title. There are patterns, and you have to memorize and exploit them, and die trying. You'll die a lot, actually. But, with great rage, comes great satisfaction. Beating a particularly tough level in Fenix Rage is like winning the lotto, scoring a date with Kate Upton and getting the lead role in the new Star Wars film all in one.
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The setup to the game is simple. When an explosion destroys his village, Fenix Rage, a heretofore unidentified (but ridiculously adorable) creature intends to have some words with Oktarus, an icy clad interloper whom we suspect is responsible for said destruction. Fenix chases Oktarus through hundreds of cunningly conceived platform levels, though each time Oktarus narrowly escapes Fenix's grasp.
The gameplay is quick, responsive and utterly unforgiving. Your twitch skills will be put to the test. Victory and defeat ride the same line and as stated, you have to be perfect. Between Fenix and Oktarus lie dozens of blob-like enemies, environmental hazards and, near the end of each series of stages, a giant floating eye thing. Players use the keypad, X for up, Z for dash and the arrow keys, to navigate the maze-like terrain. One mistake and you're sent back to the beginning. Fenix's deaths are quick (and slightly satisfying in a masochistic way) and there are no loading screens between defeat and restarting; in fact, you may die quickly after respawning because you hadn't yet realized that you had been killed.
If Fenix Rage had a motto, it would be 'Gotta go fast.' Dashing is the best way to stay afloat and survive. The game should prove to be very popular for speed-gamers, those hardcore players who have to get the fastest time in everything. Your time is kept in the upper right hand corner, and resets upon each death. At the completion of each level, your time is held against the 'Best Time' and in many instances, that best time feels unattainable.
But they are attainable, and that's where the madness sets in. 'Oh, I beat that level, but I could do it faster.' And now extrapolate that to a hundred-plus levels. Sure, Fenix can go fast, but the game will take a very long time to complete.
Finishing under the best time nets you a certain amount of stars. The stars can be used to purchase various mini-games, which pits Fenix against various different types of challenge. One mode, Horizon (the first to be unlocked) has you avoiding Oktarus as he hurls blobs at you while you try to catch the Cookies, the in-game special reward. Or try your hand with the Hunter mode, where you collect as many trapped cookies while being hunted by a Hunter blob, whose speed increases the longer you play. They are different than the normal game, but no less difficult but provide a nice challenge.
You have to be good to unlock the mini-games via the in-game menu. The stars are single use. So the one that costs 45? You better be damn sure you really want to play that.
Bosses appear at the end of every stage, which are broken into about 20 different levels. They're big mean floating blobs that will pursue you, toss things at you or otherwise make your life very difficult. If the game lacks any sense of doom during the normal levels, being pursued by a giant green Beholder-esque creature is sure to wipe away any sense of safety the infinite dying can produce.
The visual style is simple yet very satisfying. The colors pop quite well, especially on a high end machine. The character design is suitably pleasing, bouncing back and forth between intimidating and cute. I desperately want a Fenix Rage plush doll. If Fenix gets to close to the edge of a platform, he'll flail his arms and make a distressed face which is just so much fun to watch. There's no dialogue, so you get the small bits of character from Fenix's very animated face. The level music is a catchy little jingle that inexplicably does not get annoying, ever. It gets you pumped.
Fenix Rage is a fun, at times crushingly difficult title; there were numerous levels where I died in excess of 100 times. But it always fights fair. Players who want to test themselves against the computer may question their skills. The internet leaderboards will be a game of endless oneupsmanship as the best of the best compete against each other for the best times and bragging rights. It is a lightning quick, great example of the recent second Renaissance of 2D platform titles and proves that you don't need a AAA budget to make a satisfying gaming experience.
Must go faster. Must go faster.
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Fenix Rage was reviewed from a code provided by the publisher. You can purchase it from Steam for $11.99 (20% off the regular price of $14.99). A Mac version will hit late October, as well as Xbox One and PS4 ports hitting early in 2015.
