Curve Digital, the studio that brought us games like Titan Attack, is bringing forth a spiritual successor to the classic and historically-significant arcade game, Robotron 2084 by Midway Games. Not to be confused with Marvel’s Ultron, or Tron, the warrior of The Grid; Simon Byron and PuppyGames are bringing PlayStation Owners Ultratron to the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita on May 12th.
Released in 1982, Robotron 2084 pitted players against wave after wave of neon-colored robots in an effort to defend the last human family, the rest of which was slain from an army of apocalyptic robots. The game featured a sharp presentation, with glowing visuals and crisp, clean designs. The game was also the first to introduce the twin-stick gameplay control mechanic of moving and shooting, a mechanic still in use today by various title such as Gatling Gears, Narco Terror, Renegade Ops, and even the recently released PROJECT ROOT.
Ultratron is the spiritual successor to that game, except the formula is a bit fine-tuned. In Ultratron, all the human are dead. You are the last humanoid machine and you must completely destroy the massive race of robots that has destroyed humanity. Throughout 40 vibrantly colored levels, you will fight to avenge humanity. The enemy will have various combat types, including four huge boss fights.
Simon took the time to express this appreciation of both Robotron 2084, and Ultratron, over on the Playstation Blog:
“Looking at screenshots of Robotron 2084 these days, it’s impossible to appreciate the sense of terror created by that particular cabinet. It popularized the twin-stick control scheme now used widely across a range of games and genres. Those who managed to digitally carve their initials into the high score tables were truly gods among teenagers. […] Whilst the core old-school gameplay remains, Puppygames has brought the genre bang up to date, with a host of unlocks and upgrades designed to keep players challenged way into the night. The visuals are hypnotic — modern, with a retro twist. There’s even a simulated CRT screen curve designed to mimic the displays of the era, which were the opposite of high definition.”
Look for the game on May 12th when the PlayStation Store updates. Follow Curve Digital and Puppy Games.
