Batboy Jungle
Image Credit - Sonzai Games

Bat Boy: Not Quite a Homerun – PC Review

Sonzai Game’s Bat Boy is a well-made, yet uninventive, 2D action platformer in the vein of the Mega Man series. But with the competitive market of 8- and 16-bit retro-like experiences that have since exploded since the early 2010s, Bat Boy just doesn’t stand out enough for a recommendation beyond passionate fans of Mega Man and the broader genre.

Playing as a Japanese high school baseball star named Bat Boy, you must rescue fellow club leaders in school from the clutches of the evil Lord Vicious. But only by defeating your brainwashed friends, do even stand a chance against him.

Bat Boy Lava Level
Image Credit – Sonzai Games

“Movement is smooth and flows well with various upgrades you receive after taking down bosses.”

For retro aficionados, the formula of Bat Boy will immediately be familiar; play through assorted levels; beat the boss at the end of each one; and nab a new power to help you move, evade, or attack. However, unlike its influences, Bat Boy does not allow players to tackle bosses in any order. Instead, it provides new levels in groups of three that can be tackled in any sequence, with bonus challenge levels thrown in for extra content.

Movement is smooth and flows well with various upgrades you receive after taking down bosses. Players can air dash, throw and jump on their baseball bat, hit oncoming projectiles, and much more. While it takes its time to ease the player in the game, in later levels, it does eventually challenge you by requiring you to use several skills at once to overcome certain obstacles. But with frequent checkpoints, Bat Boy eases up on the frustration while still providing plenty of platforming challenges.

Bat Boy Kendo boss
Image Credit – Sonzai Games

“What should be charming, ends up feeling pointless”

However, bosses are often forgettable and repetitive, with little variation in size, theming and attack patterns. Unfortunately, many of the climatic fights can be completed by jumping in place and attacking as the enemy zips around the screen.

Outside of the main experience, there are non-combat levels that you can select from an overworld. This is where you can pick items, talk to NPCs and learn tips and bits of lore about the world. What should be charming, as in games like Shovel Knight, ends up feeling pointless with lifeless dialogue and shops selling items with seemingly zero explanation or purposes.

Batboy Tavern
Image Credit – Sonzai Games

“It’s a good, not great experience that fails to do better than other recent attempts to recapture the early days of 2D action platformers”

The levels do an excellent job of recreating an NES 8-bit look with hi-bit detail and readable environments and enemy patterns. The same can be said of the characters and enemies, with recognizable silhouettes and cute looks.

These pieces, levels, mechanics, and story come together to form a rough approximation of its influences with quality of life improvements. It’s a good, not great experience that fails to do better than other recent attempts to recapture the early days of 2D action platformers. Although, for fans of the genre, or those itching for a MegaMan-like experience, Bat Boy still serves as a fun, if forgettable, romp.

However, I cannot finish this review without highlighting Bat Boy’s strongest element: the truly exceptional chiptune soundtrack by Evader Music. Hitting moody lows and exceptional highs during tense combat encounters, Bat Boy’s soundtrack stands out as an excellent addition to the chiptune genre. Though it can’t live solely off its music and solid art style, Bat Boy comes quite close.

Disclaimer: A PC key was provided for the purposes of this review.

Batboy Jungle
Bat Boy Review
Summary
With a fiercely competitive market for 8- and 16-bit retro-like experiences that have since exploded since the early 2010s, Bat Boy just doesn’t stand out enough for a recommendation beyond passionate fans of Mega Man and the broader genre.
Pros
Good Character Feel
Excellent Music
Great Retro Look
Cons
Uninspired Design and Levels
Half Baked Free Roaming Sections
Disappointing Boss Fights
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