Villordsutch reviews DiscStorm…
DiscStorm has just hit Steam for PC & Mac from Mastertronic and XMPT Games. After a few teething issues getting into the game, which were quickly sorted out by the extremely impressive response time from the XMPT Games, I stepped into this battle arena having only caught glimpses of a few screenshots beforehand.
DiscStorm attempts to bring an 8-bit Sega Master System/NES feel to its graphics and it achieves this goal extremely well. I could believe that once again I was sat – near thirty plus years back – in front of my television playing Smash TV with Mario like toons, though admittedly DiscStorm is nowhere near as violent as Smash TV, as here we’re throwing lethal Frisbee’s in this arena.
I’d advise you to take a few moments and jump into the practice Dojo just to get a feel on the controls and movement of the game, as all be it appears to be easy it can be quite tricky and frustrating. The frustrating element I believe – for myself – lies in the fact I am using a mouse and keyboard and the first screen you meet on DiscStorm in recommends you play this game with a Gamepad, which I don’t; this I believe will hinder the average player.
The single player mode is a series of mobs fights and you can easily path these mobs and bunch them up, bringing them down with one nice throw. As you pass checkpoint your progress is saved and if you do die you return to said checkpoint, leaving the game however doesn’t save your progress within the level so you will have to grind through that level again; unless of course you completed the entire level. Something I found a bit cruel was the lack of health regens that were dropped, after you first encounter with a mid-level boss you’re given one energy bubble back, but you were then expected to proceed through the next round on a heavily depleted life force.
The multiplayer mode is unfortunately only local multiplayer, so there is currently no chance of joining up with three other random’s around the globe to lob discs at their heads. You can set up a game against bots if you – like me – have no friends, this then immediately shows how hectic the game can become with three other people playing and you realise you need some more training at this game.
The music keeps faithfully in line with the appearance of the game, you would believe that this game has been pulled from a cupboard back in the mid-1980’s. The developers certainly have their hearts firmly planted in the era of the Sega Master System and the NES.
DiscStorm harks back to an era of games having playability rather than lush graphics and quicktime key mashing. Granted there are frustrations, it’s clearly designed for Gamespads, the Multiplayer is local only and they really should throw in a few more health boosts. However the positives clearly outweigh the negatives.
DiscStorm is now available to buy from Steam here.
Rating: 7/10
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=8k_v0cVxqEY
Originally published August 21, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
