Psyvariar 3

There are game series that are constantly evolving to stay relevant to the times. Then there are series that refuse to compromise, clinging to a design philosophy so niche that it almost feels provocative. Psyvariar 3 belongs to the latter category. With the series' unique grazing system, it's an explosive bullet hell title for people who want to dance millimetres from disaster and feel the adrenaline pumping right to their fingertips!

Grazing, that's right. Or buzzing, if you prefer. It's a gameplay system where you score points and level up by flying as close to enemy projectiles as possible without getting hit. When you level up, you become temporarily invincible, which opens up a chaotic dance of death where you try to survive a barrage of enemy attacks whilst getting as close as possible to the bullet storms so you can unleash even more death and destruction. It helps that your ship's hitbox is extremely small. If, however, you try to play Psyvariar 3 as a more traditional shoot 'em up where you keep a safe distance from enemy fire, you won't last long. The result is a space shooter that, more than usual, intertwines risk and reward into something that feels very unique and innovative for the genre.

But the first impression is... not great. Psyvariar 3 isn't a visually appealing game, to put it diplomatically. You could also say that that leftover sack of potatoes, right at the back of the cupboard, probably looks better. The graphics are some sort of retro-inspired 3D with a plastic feel that screams generic space shooter. I also don't like the fact that the background scrolls at 180 kilometres an hour, with loads of detail. At a quick glance, it's hard to tell what's actually just part of the background and what are things you actively need to avoid. After all, shoot 'em ups rely on quick reflexes, and so it's a cardinal sin to let the screen be this overloaded with clutter. The enemy design is also almost painfully sterile and anonymous, with hordes of scrap metal. The same can be said of the electronic soundtrack, which is by no means rubbish in any way... It's just there, completely impersonal and meaningless, and I find it hard to tell one track from the next.

I may sound unnecessarily grumpy and negative here. But despite my reservations, Psyvariar 3 is by no means a bad game. Its strength lies in its gameplay, where the grazing mechanics, at their best, create an almost hypnotic flow that's hard to tear yourself away from. For a shoot 'em up, the developers have also thrown in quite a few game modes. In addition to Arcade mode, there's Arrange Mode (a slightly easier, alternative version of Arcade mode), Mission Mode (around fifty different missions to complete... or survive!), Caravan Mode (chase high scores), Endless Mode and a training mode.

In other words, there's plenty to get stuck into for those who do get hooked.

Psyvariar 3 is a niche game within an already niche genre. This is a title that knows exactly which audience it's aimed at: the kind of shoot 'em up enthusiasts who fell in love with the old Psyvariar games released around the turn of the millennium, and who have been waiting for a new shoot 'em up with the same super-aggressive gameplay ever since. If you belong to this narrow target group, Psyvariar 3 is Christmas, Eid and Hanukkah all rolled into one. For everyone else, it might just seem like a sack of potatoes.