Tempest 4000 | Xbox One Review

Attention all you gamers and arcade fans! Atari has graced us with an ode to the past. I present to you for your consideration Tempest 4000, a new take on a wonderful old idea. I have very fond memories from playing Tempest at one of local bowling alleys when I was growing up. After hearing the news of an upcoming new version, I almost cried. The new iteration of the game even has some old blood infused into it. Developer Llamasoft was created by Jeff Minter, who was the programmer from Tempest 2000 on Atari Jaguar. Let’s dive right in and take a look and see if this game brings back all the feel good memories from the past.

A Fresh Blast from the Past

I give credit to the designers for reproducing what seems like a very familiar representation of vector graphics. The only difference between the new and old version is the multitude of colors that gives an interesting new spin on the view. For those that have never played the original Tempest, the game is a shooter that places you in a geometric tunnel. Your “Blaster” is at the top, and you must shoot enemies as they travel towards you to stop their advance.

Outside of the updated graphics, Tempest 4000 is almost identical in play to the original. A welcome addition is the new level designs. One in particular that stands out is in the shape of a human ear. Each is very well put together and includes many of the originally designed enemies from the 1981 classic.

As you reacher higher stages, some of the enemies start shooting back at you. Some even leave spikes that will destroy your ship if you hit them. Fail to stop an enemy before they reach the top, and they will traverse the top and chase you. This limits the area in which you can move, because (like all old arcade games) if they touch you…you die.

Where’s My Arcade Stick?

The lack of an arcade dial controller does take away from the experience a bit. I still thoroughly enjoyed playing with a controller, but I feel that games like this would benefit from a traditional joystick. The reason I say this is this: as the levels increase, the speed and difficulty increase. A joystick provides more precise movements, allowing for faster responses. My dream is to see this game turned into an arcade cabinet and placed in public places.

Another gripe I have is the sheer amount happening on the screen at once. The frenetic visuals tend to get very distracting. The tube itself is also not fixed in the center of the screen, so as you move your ship the tube moves on the screen. This isn’t really an issue until you come across levels that are wide on a horizontal plane. For instance, when you are the far right, enemies might creep up on the far left out of your field of vision. You might not notice them until it’s too late to compensate. A “jump” mechanic helps to  get around this, but it’s only available after you’ve been active for a certain period of time.

Shout-Out to Atari

The developers also hid a few little nods to pay homage to the original. You’ll see familiar quips written at the bottom of the title screen, and they’re a nice touch. This recognition of the love that was poured into the creation of this game makes me happy. After all, there are people who still love these types of games, myself included.

The music is absolutely fitting for this style of game. It’s a perfect blend of 90’s electronic/techno music that simultaneously drives you to focus while elevating your pulse. The excitement for what’s to come in the next level is palpable.

Retro arcade-style games deserve a bit of the spotlight. Tempest 4000‘s existence leaves the door open for remakes of other classics. Nothing would make me happier than a resurrection of more favorites from my younger years. It gives me hope that a younger generation will experience these influential titles and try their hand at besting each other’s scores. First person shooters and in-depth role playing games dominate gaming currently. It’s a breath of fresh air to have a game like this come along and remind us of video gaming’s roots.

Tempest 4000 FInal Verdict

It was an absolute treat to be able to play a new take on an old arcade game like Tempest 4000. Though the game’s minor flaws and quirks keep it from perfection, it’s a nice reminder of the games of yesteryear. I encourage you to take a trip back to a time when chasing a high score was paramount. If you think you have what it takes to climb the scoreboard in an attempt for that top spot, give Tempest 4000 a try. You might be pleasantly surprised by the experience.

 

This review is based off of an Xbox One review copy provided by UberStrategist for coverage purposes. The game is also available on PS4 and Microsoft Windows.