17 Bit's Galak-Z
When I was asked to describe this game to a close friend of mine, the very first thing that popped in my mind was:
Galak-Z is like Robotech on steroids.
And while this perhaps isn’t the most accurate way to describe Galak-Z, it is by far the fastest way to get someone to fall in love with this 2D thing of beauty. As the 17 Bit’s very own CEO, Jake Kazdal, stated himself – this game is sort of an homage to the Japanese Anime series that he used to watch as a kid (and probably still does on the regular). But while the inspiration behind this masterpiece is indisputable, the gameplay provides a unique experience that makes this creation certainly a one of a kind adventure. Don’t let the 16 bit look fool you! Powered by AI, this game gets so tough at certain points that it will definitely have you sobbing in a fetal position, wondering why you are such a massive failure and why is life so hard (you know the feeling).
What do they mean AI?
Well exactly what you think it means. Your enemies are powered by Artificial Intelligence, all thanks to the amazing innovation from the Cyntient® software.
This means that there are no particular patterns of movements of your attackers. Instead of that – they are continuously learning from your gameplay and adapt as you play along in order to make your life a living hell. Not only that, but those SOBs are also quick at adapting to their surroundings and even collaborate in order to defeat you. This amazing feature really defines the game, making every repeated play a completely new experience and every opponent a unique adversary.
It’s almost like you’re playing against an actual person, that is far more experienced in this game, and is really determined to mess you up. While AI makes every stage utterly interesting, no matter how many times you play it, and characters seem as if they are living humans (sometime alien) beings, it also makes Galak-Z an extremely challenging game.
Arcade VS Rouge-like
Since the devs realized that the game is causing mental breakdowns with its level of difficulty, and even the seasoned gamers agree that the game is a real kick in the teeth, they’ve been kind enough to bless us with the Arcade mode which is now available as an option.You are able to save missions and replay them countless of times without losing progress.
A rouge-like gameplay certainly goes along splendidly with the overall concept and the design of the game, and this option also remains available for the somewhat bolder gamers with nerves of steel.
Best Game Design
The 17 Bit squad received The Best Game Design award at the Tokyo Indie Fest 2015 for their work on Galak-Z. Since the game is very much influenced by the Japanese anime, this award is probably the best possible approval to the 17 Bit’s developers. Not to mention a huge honor too. Apparently, the Galak-Z was the star of the show (of course) among the 100 indie games presented.
Galak Z was also nominated for the best PS4 Game, the Best of E3 2015 Best Action Game and the game won the US Gamer Editor’s Choice Award.
On PC, MAC & Linux
While this game is primarily built for PS4, and is one of the best game that you can play on that console (arguably? don’t think so) now you can also purchase this game on Steam for the reasonable price of 19,99€.
You can also stay tuned on FoH, follow us on Twitter @FistsofHeaven, and we might just have a pleasant surprise for you if you are looking into trying out your chances against the Raiders. In the meantime, enjoy our exclusive screenshots and stay tuned in for our video review of Galak-Z, The Dimensional.
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