And, for our next shmup, we have IKARUS! As mentioned in both the Omen and Rogue Eclipse reviews, all three of these are very different from each other. In Magical Something’s side-scrolling shooter, it sandwiches in several genres and is initially the most hectic of the group. It’s also in Early Access.
Unwilling to be defined by being a simple shooter, IKARUS is also not your conventional side-scroller, either. There’s quite a lot to unpack here that I actually felt slightly overloaded with what’s happening in the game, and that having more of a slow burner like Omen was more immediately appealing. If I had just this to play, then perhaps I’d have enjoyed it more than I did.
Don’t read that as a slur, as what has been crammed into the game is pretty impressive, though it runs the risk of overwhelming with conventions like Talespinner initially did. So, like with all shmups, let’s put away the storyline and just throw ourselves straight into the action side of things.
First is the side-scrolling aspect. While the background moves as if going at a fast pace, it’s effectively a fixed screen, as you need to destroy waves at a time, as if an allocated stage. A group of enemies will spawn, and you have to destroy all of them, collecting the loot shortly after, or it’ll go. The enemies will not, and will remain until you defeat them.
At your initial disposal are twin-stick controls which are quite unusual in this 2D environment. That’s not to say IKARUS is pioneering here; it just doesn’t feel immediately natural – especially when you have to stretch your fingers to dash through beams and projectiles, then stretch again to parry a shot. Yes, you read that correctly: you can parry shots and cause further damage. It offers a good variety of play styles, as do the three crafts you can select from, yet we’ll add more modifiers to gameplay with the deckbuilding aspect.
IKARUS isn’t a fast-paced game, though the bullet hell nails it. While it isn’t lightning fast, the card aspects interrupt play through each wave and, for me, complicate the game, though when mastered, it is actually pretty amazing. You will have access to a wealth of cards that you can organise to play per wave, pressing one button to heal, fire heat-seeking missiles, plus a wealth of other excellent buffs and support. Again, this was confusing at first, but it literally is game-changing.
When it comes to boss battles, I found these quite overwhelming, or perhaps it was the mechanics that were confusing me. Either way, the difficulty spikes and the screen is filled with projectiles that are often impossible to dodge, prematurely ending my run each time. However, as with most games of their ilk, repeat runs improve the decks as well as provide the opportunity to learn which class best suits you. Personally, I preferred the more offensive style of play, but lacked the skill to counter my weaker armour when up against the bosses. IKARUS is quite an ambitious game, and if you allow some time to get accustomed to the mechanics, it can be a very rewarding experience.
For sure, there’ll be ace pilots jumping into this saying it’s easy, but as mentioned, I personally found it more challenging due to learning all the features on offer, and even then, don’t think I’ve scratched the surface. Give it a go yourself, as there’s a demo currently available.
