Introduction
I got the chance to try out a rage-inducing, nostalgic, and surprisingly satisfying game called Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit. AVGN opens with a familiar face most OG YouTube viewers will recognize. If you are new to the series or have never heard of the Angry Video Game Nerd, don't worry. The story is still just as fun and hilarious without context. James Rolfe easily slides into his Angry Video Game Nerd persona as he guides you through the chaos, giving you just enough details to stay invested. Don’t forget to take your blood-pressure meds. This NES-inspired pain parade experience doesn’t pull punches.
Storyline
The game opens up in 4K, literally. James Rolfe’s Nerd bursts into frame, giving the player background and setting up for the main boss’s arrival. Super Mecha Death Christ 2000 B.C. v4.1 Unstable Beta jumps into the scene, blasting a hole in the Nerd’s wall and yelling his favorite expletive, and yes, that is his real name. He proceeds to possess the nearby NES, forcing the Angry Video Game Nerd to do a satanic ritual to combine six of the worst games to create none other than Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit. This becomes your weapon to defeat SMDC and restore balance to video games in the world. At this point the game switches to that nostalgic 8-bit graphic as you select the first level to struggle through.
Gameplay
The controls in this game stick to your typical NES formula. Using an Xbox controller, I didn’t have any issues figuring it out even though the game offered no tutorial. AVGN offers typical platforming with one weapon that you can find upgrade tokens for. Take a hit though, and you’ll lose an upgrade, adding an extra risk to taking damage. The shooting mechanic had an artificial cool-down stopping you from spamming the button and causing you to think before running through the level with your gun blazing. It feels more restrictive than strategic, but it fits with the feel of a retro game. If you have played any retro platformers, you should be comfortable with how things work.
Graphics & Audio
To keep with the theme, this game is 8-bit, as the title would suggest. The colors are crisp in each level, offering variety to the background and keeping each level fresh. Even with the game being 8-bit, the transitions were smooth, and I didn't have any issues with hidden dead zones for each level. The bad guys were clearly contrasted against the background, making it easy to tell the difference. For the audio and music in the game, it harkened back to the classic sound of your typical game from the 80s and 90s. It had the same echoey sound when your character talked and fun sounds when any sort of action took place. The audio/visual of the game felt nostalgic while playing.
Difficulty
AVGN’s roots come from impossibly difficult NES games. They pay homage to this by instilling the same difficulty in this game. The developer’s goal is to get you to the same level of rage that James does in his YouTube videos. Ultimately I had to lower the difficulty just to maintain my sanity. Once doing that, the game was still difficult, but I could at least finish the levels. I wouldn’t change a thing about this. The pain of losing is part of the charm. They even pushed the difficulty of the final boss to the edge to maintain that rageful feeling.
Replayability
Once you beat Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit once, it offers little in terms of “New Game+,” but if you're hooked on punishment, it does offer variety. Each level has alternate routes, offering a refreshing take on the level if you are masochistic enough to jump back in. On Steam or PC, there are cheat codes allowing you to flip the script and be the one impossible to defeat. It doesn't change the game completely, but it does give curious players a new way to suffer in style.
Conclusion
Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit is a satisfying rage-bait throwback that fills you with nostalgia. The game was developed by Retroware, Programancer, and Mega Cat Studios. I enjoyed playing this game for multiple reasons. It brought back memories of playing old NES games that had no tutorial phase and dropped you into the thick of it, expecting you to know exactly what to do. The punishing difficulty that couldn't be changed and the rage-filled losses all contributed to the satisfaction of finally beating that big boss at the end. If you were a fan of the previous AVGN games, then this will be a welcome addition to the family. If you are a newcomer, it will remind you of why we love (and hate) gaming in general. Available now on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch for $19.99, it’s absolutely worth the pain.
