Thunderflash
Developed by SEEP
Published by Ratalaika Games S.L.
Released for Xbox One (2/26/2021)
Also on Series/PC/PS5/Switch
Developed by 2-brother indie-team SEEP, Thunderflash is an obvious love-letter to classic overhead shooters from the 80's, such as Commando, Ikari Warriors or Bloody Wolf. The game even names the enemy criminal organization Bloody Wolf and features pixel graphics that look like they came right out of an early 90's arcade game. Much like the titles that inspired it, Thunderflash is designed to be a quick burst of fun and in this review we'll dive in to see if this one's worth a download or is it just another title trying to make a quick sale off nostalgia...
With Thunderflash being a retro-throwback title, the controls are extremely simple: d-pad or analog stick to move, A to fire your primary weapon and B to fire your rockets (which are limited in ammunition). The first time you play the game, you'll have 10 credits to try and beat it, but after you make some progress and use all of those up you'll unlock and option to start with 15 credits and eventually another for 20 credits, so even if you find the game difficult you'll eventually be able to plow your way through. There's also an option to put a CRT filter over the screen to give it that old-school monitor look.
After selecting your options, you'll be be greeted with the main title screen with 4 different gameplay modes: arcade, stage select, boss rush and survival. You'll start with arcade and likely spend the bulk of your gameplay in this mode, which features 5 missions each separated into 5 different sections. Levels typically consist of walking from one end of the screen to the next while shooting enemies and avoiding the occasional obstacle along the way. The gameplay is simple, but everything works well and the presentation goes a long way in making this feel like an authentic old-school title. One section in each mission switches to an auto-scroller level, where you'll pilot vehicles ranging from motorcycles to jetpacks. These levels play more like a shmup and do a nice job to add some variety to the gameplay.
As you blast your way through Thunderflash, you'll occasionally find weapon pickups that will temporarily grant some additional firepower like flamethrowers or spread shots. There are 2 different characters to select from, each looking like your stereotypical 80's action hero. There are also 2 difficulty modes: normal and hardcore, so those finding the game too easy can ramp up the challenge if they wish. The game also offers local 2-player simultaneous action and, while playing with a friend makes the game significantly easier, these types of games are always fun to play with a buddy.
Once you've cleared a stage, you'll be able to start from the beginning of that section by using the stage select feature at the main menu, preventing you from having to play all the way through the game when starting over. Boss rush is exactly what you'd expect, allowing you to face each of the game's bosses in order. Survival mode adds in a few outfits to select for either character and then throws you into an arena-looking stage that takes place on a single screen. Enemies will continuously spawn until you meet your inevitable demise. While these additional game modes are nice, they'll likely only provide some fun for a few plays and then you'll forget all about them.
Thunderflash is fun, but much like the old-school titles that inspired it, it's not going to take you more than an hour or so before you've blasted your way through to the end. As is the case with most games published by Ratalaika Games, the achievements aren't too demanding and can all be obtained within a few hours of playtime. The short amount of time you'll get out of the game is made a bit more reasonable by the games low price tag of $4.99. If you're into the aforementioned old-school shooters or just retro-inspired games in general, or if you're just looking for some easy achievements to unlock, Thunderflash might be worth checking out.
Final Verdict: If you're a fan of old-school shooters like Ikari Warriors, retro-styled games in general or you just want some easy gamerscore, Thunderflash is worth a play. Just be aware that while the game is solid, you're likely only going to get a few hours of play out of it, but the price is right and Thunderflash is a good time while it lasts.
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