Bringing old licenses up to date is a bit of the credo of the moment. With a more or less pronounced expectation depending on the title in question. A recent example can be cited - and successful - Streets of Rage 4, which is not a reboot of previous episodes, but rather a cleverly thought out sequel, between nostalgia, fan service and risk-taking. The example is not insignificant since it is somewhat in this register and this style of play that Battletoads is supposed to fit: namely an effective, punchy beat 'em up, playable with several people. And if the comparison is tenable during the first minutes of the adventure, it is much less then. Quite simply because Battletoads is a multi-genre title and claims itself quickly and somewhat to everyone's surprise, as such. Let's go back to the beat'em up part before attacking the rest. And at the same time, let's put this return of Battletoads into context: our three overtrained and battle-tested toads, Rash, Zitz (the leader) and Pimple, discover that they have spent all these last years (all those between the present episode and the previous one) in a virtual world, all installed in a disused bunker. The following ? After entering the job market and having tasted the joy of a salaried job, our fighters resume the thread of their adventures, allying themselves with an old enemy, the Black Queen, before crossing the universe and take on several opponents as varied as they are crazy.
Whether you like the cartoon style or not, it is clear that the cutscenes are of very high quality and that the jokes in the dialogues largely do their job.
Who says three toads says so much variety and possibility in terms of distributing the slap at all costs. Fast (Zitz), complete (Rash), slow and powerful (Pimple), each of our heroes has their own characteristics and adapted blows, always delivered with the touch of humor that characterizes and accompanies the Battletoads universe. We are thinking here of the powerful kick, the transformation into a ram of Pimple, the jackhammer of Zitz or the transformation into a shark of Rash, not to mention a thrashing with the help of an arcade machine. (yes, yes): all blows are allowed, including using your tongue, as much to spit chewing gum and immobilize an enemy as to attract him to yourself, but also to swallow flies or access an element in the background of the screen. All these features are carried by the readily cartoonish graphics of the title, which are rather pleasant to look at, without being hyper-pushed and detailed. A good point for Battletoads, which plays, solo or in trio (we will come back to this), the map of the management of your toads, thanks to a simple and effective switch system, especially with regard to combos.
A MULTI-GENDER TO GOVERN THEM ALL (OR NOT)
It is also this cartoon aspect that reinforces the general humor that emanates from the game and this, throughout the plot. Intrigue that will have to be followed in English subtitled, which allows us to slip that we would not have been against a French dubbing. Whether you like the cartoon style or not, it is clear that the cutscenes are of very high quality and that the jokes in the dialogues largely do their job. Another good point for Battletoads… except that once these cinematics are put aside (and there are a small number of them) and the beat'em up part is dispatched (too quickly by the way, even if the whole thing is appreciable without be scotching), Battletoads turns into a multi-genre title. And don't skimp on the multiplayer aspect at all.
Each phase of the game suffers from the same length and the same overbidding on the part of the developers: a proposed experience that is far too long, redundant, and, to make matters worse, a difficulty that is far too excessive.
Hovercraft phases or pure sliding on the back of a secondary character, QTE phases, shoot'em up, puzzles, nothing is spared to the player. The intention and the general policy around this choice is commendable: that of offering a truly varied experience to the public and, why not, as much to surprise the nostalgic of the time as to seduce the most curious. But this intention unfortunately comes up against a much less attractive reality: all the phases of the game mentioned above have far too many faults and not enough qualities to do the job and not jeopardize the very interest of a part of Battletoads.
GAME SEQUENCES IN THE SHAPE OF TUNNELS
Each phase of the game suffers from the same length and the same one-upmanship on the part of the developers: whether you pilot an R-Type ship in space or a stellar motorcycle in underground tunnels, the experience offered is always too long, redundant, sometimes (often) uninteresting and, to make matters worse, a much too excessive difficulty, which is sometimes due to the lack of support from the player during these famous phases. We had to lose (that's the term) several minutes to understand what to do during a mock Olympic Games, understand what to do during puzzles to solve, not necessarily immersive and interesting to solve... And what about some platform phases, without any rhythm or dynamism on one side, and those, in jumping in particular, at the limit of unplayable?
The major advantage of this title? Its local multiplayer for up to three players, which gives a huge boost to the gameplay of the other game phases.
The observation is simple and the word all found: damage. It's a shame, indeed, because the idea of varying the pleasures and implementing several types of games was a good idea. Provided you wear a particular genre (or come back to it quite seriously as a red thread) and provided you don't go too long each time. Clearly, we are never really into it and never really thrilled with Battletoads, even though the packaging is of high quality, the lifespan consistent, with an adventure divided into four acts, themselves broken down into several levels. The general atmosphere of the title is very, very good… obviously if you are sensitive and seduced by the artistic direction.
The major advantage of this title? Its local multiplayer, up to three players, which gives a real boost to the gameplay of the other phases of the game (especially with regard to the puzzles or the shoot phases, with one player to direct, another to shoot and another to manage the shields) but which has the unfortunate tendency to make the beat'em up part almost messy, even if we welcome the possibility of resuscitating a downed teammate... while at the same time we deplore the side battle arena, necessarily visible after having traveled several meters without enemies. Another proof of the paradox from which Battletoads suffers: many good ideas… but never or almost sufficiently well exploited.
