Ratyrinth is the latest budget release from publisher EastAsiaSoft and falls into the precision platformer genre. We’ve been sent the Switch code to review but it is also out now on PlayStation and Xbox priced under £5 on each console.
You play as a rat that has been separated from his family and become lost in a filled with fearful foes. It’s your job to get through over 80 levels of platforming. Each level is small but packed with danger and from about the 15th stage, the difficulty starts to ramp up.
Ratyrinth plays very similarly to other precision-platformers such as Super Meat Boy. You have limited moves, just a jump that can also be used to bounce between walls. Every level presents a mix of tough platforming, spikes and enemies. There is enough variety in the level designs to keep the overall gameplay interesting but the game never veers too far from the main themes.
Every so often you come across pieces of fruit that will change the colour of the graphics from black and white to two other colours. Other interesting mechanics to encounter are spider webs and springs that add some variety to the overall gameplay. Some excellent set pieces crop up from time to time, usually involving a giant animal such as snakes, fish and cat paws.
Graphically, Ratyrinth is minimalist and in keeping with the game’s overall style. The focus here is squarely on the gameplay although some larger creatures look quite spectacular in their monochrome forms. The animation is also fine at this price point as is the soundtrack, although we would have liked a few more tracks to add some variety in the overall presentation.
As far as budget platformers go, Ratyrinth is a great offering that will certainly take some time to complete. The later game needs true mastery of the mechanics to complete and then there will be wanting to the levels without stopping. Hardcore platform fans will appreciate this and those looking for a weekend filler to fill that indie retro need can be assured this is worth picking up.
