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Actraiser is definitely one of the most unique games to emerge during the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) Era. During the early days of gaming, gameplay usually revolved around a single genre. For example, the classic Super Mario Bros, originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985, is a platformer where the gameplay focuses on moving your character from the left side of the screen, navigating obstacles and enemies until you reach the end of the stage to advance to the next.
Actraiser, originally released in 1990 for the SNES by Enix, tried to do things differently, showcasing innovative game design. The game features three distinct gameplay styles rolled into one compelling experience. First, there are platforming elements where you control a God-like character defeating demons as you clear each stage. Then, there’s a simulation building phase where you lead townsmen in your realm to harvest resources and protect your kingdom.
While controlling an angel in this stage, you shoot down flying enemies that occasionally spawn on the map for extra gold while waiting for your townsmen to complete harvesting and building. The final phase transforms the game into a tower defense-style challenge where you construct barricades and defend your town from demons spawning from various locations on the map.In 2017, Square Enix released Actraiser Renaissance simultaneously across PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile platforms.
Despite initial technical issues and bugs, the game was generally received positively by fans and critics. Subsequent patch fixes addressed the most common problems, including game slowdowns and adjusting difficulty to improve overall gameplay. For a game that came out in 2017 with the addition of patch fixes through the years is the game still worth it in 2024? Let’s find out.
Graphics/Presentation
Actraiser Renaissance uses a 2D pre-rendered graphics style, a choice that resonates strongly with retro game enthusiasts. This style, popularized by titles like Donkey Kong Country, delivers stunningly detailed backgrounds.
However, as is typical with pre-rendered designs, the character models exhibit a blocky appearance. This might go unnoticed on smaller screens like those of the Nintendo Switch or mobile devices, but it becomes more apparent when playing on larger displays such as the PS4 or PC.
Furthermore, the game’s cutscenes lean heavily into an anime aesthetic, a choice that appeals to a wider, more modern gaming audience. While this style might resonate with contemporary players, it can feel out of place for those who prefer a strictly retro experience.
The shift from the pre-rendered graphics of gameplay to the anime-inspired cutscenes can be jarring initially, but you could get used to this visual contrast as the game progresses.For casual mobile gamers, Actraiser Renaissance’s graphics and presentation hold up remarkably well, even seven years after its release.
Story/Gameplay
In this game, you control two beings. First, a Deity awakens after being defeated by a demon named Tanza, discovering a world overrun by demons. You begin by clearing demons and defeating bosses in each area. Once an area is demon-free, people settle and create a town, and you switch to controlling an angel.
As the angel, you guide townsmen in map development, using divine powers like lightning to clear trees and rain to accelerate crop growth. You defend against flying monsters from underground lairs, collecting resources and gold when defeating them. After meeting specific requirements, you build roads to these lairs, switch back to Deity form, and defeat their bosses.
After clearing all lairs in a town, you move to the next area. The game’s narrative follows a straightforward path: battling evil demons to establish worship. During city-building phases, demon raids transform the gameplay into a tower defense mode. In ActRaiser Renaissance, you’ll have the help of hero companions who aid in defending against temple-threatening invasions.
Renaissance enriches the original concept with more detailed hero backstory and meaningful narrative context for tasks like resource gathering, though some gameplay elements remain inherently repetitive. The hero companions are a new addition that weren’t present in the original ActRaiser.
Unlike the original ActRaiser, this version feels imbalanced, with reduced emphasis on action platforming and increased focus on city-building and tower defense mechanics. The leveling system rewards players by connecting character progression with city development.
Players earn experience through combat, city management, and monster defeats. Each level provides stat boosts and skill points for combat and divine abilities, with citizen worship and population growth acting as experience multipliers.
Sound
The original ActRaiser game, released in 1990, featured a soundtrack composed by Yuzo Koshiro. The game’s musical scores became popular for their unique blend of orchestral and electronic elements.
These memorable melodies effectively capture the game’s scope and emotional depth. For players seeking more of the ActRaiser music, ActRaiser Renaissance offers over 30 musical scores, including newly composed tunes and re-orchestrations of the classic pieces. These new arrangements enhance the immersive experience while playing the game.
You also have the option of changing music styles from the option menu, switching between the classic musical scores and a more Renaissance style. This Renaissance style sounds more like a full orchestra, enhancing the game’s musical experience although the classic music is also very good especially for those who want to experience the classic feel of Actraiser.
Controls
The game features intuitive touch controls, translating better to touchscreen than the original ActRaiser on the SNES. In the action phase, you’ll find standard jump, attack, and backstep buttons on the lower right side of the screen. During the world-building phase, you can move your angel by swiping on the screen.
Floating buttons on the bottom right provide access to firing arrows, offering guidance to your townsmen, and wielding miracles. Tapping the miracle button opens a tab to choose which miracle or magic you want to use on the map. Additionally, you can disable Renaissance actions, which, when turned off, disables combos, backsteps, rising strikes, and overhead slams, providing a more classic gameplay experience.
Replayability
After completing the game, you can continue with your Deity, carrying over all stat upgrades and unlocked miracles. You can also replay the game with a hero selection option, choosing which companion to bring along before entering a region, for a more diverse experience. The game’s difficulty becomes more challenging, and you have the option to skip previously completed tower defense battles, allowing for a more action-oriented playthrough. Other than that, no new story elements are given so it’s more of replaying the game with everything you’ve unlocked in a much difficult setting.
Verdict
ActRaiser Renaissance is not a port from other consoles, so the experience is polished, and all the controls, touch schemes, and UI feel right at home on mobile devices. After purchasing the game, there are no microtransactions or hidden paywalls, a refreshing change from many mobile games.
Priced around $20 on the app store and $30 on other platforms, it’s a good purchase on mobile, considering that the phone’s small screen size makes the game’s 2D pre-rendered graphics style less glaring on larger screens.
