Developer: Banana Bytes
Publisher: RED ART GAMES
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch (2)
Tested on: Switch 2
Psyvariar 3 – Review
Before we got to grips with Psyvariar 3, our only real interaction with the series was the guest appearance of Psyva Ria as a playable character in Cotton Fantasy. That’s probably not surprising, as the original Psyvariar only received a very niche PS2 release outside of Japan and Psyvariar 2 didn’t even leave the Land of the Rising Sun. Outside of enhanced versions of the original game, the series has been dormant since 2003. With Psyvariar 3, the series is getting another shot at recognition, this time worldwide.
Story
A lengthy text crawl summarizes the events preceding Psyvariar 3. We’re not entirely sure whether this summary describes events from the previous games or where this story sits in the series’ timeline. The writing condenses a ton of information without really explaining any of the series-specific details; we’re still not entirely sure what a “psyvariar” is, for example. The gist of the text is that humanity faces destruction after the appearance of a mysterious alien signal tied to something called “Gluon particles”. As a whole, the game’s premise left us with more questions than answers, but given Psyvariar 3’s arcade nature, the story is largely irrelevant anyway, with the focus being entirely on gameplay instead.
Graphics
The gap between the second and third Psyvariar games, and the much wider release of the latter, would’ve provided a good opportunity for the series to opt for modernised visuals. A good chunk of the potential audience wouldn’t be familiar with the series’ history after all. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case here, and Psyvariar 3 sticks to the established aesthetic. While there is something to be said about staying true to the series’ roots, Psyvariar 3 looks very outdated. Ship models are blocky and feel oversimplified, and enemies look bland and generic. Visual feedback when attacking is weak, particularly when facing off against bosses. The overly bright and cluttered backgrounds make gameplay hard to read. The game not taking advantage of your full screen due to being a vertical shooter is something that we can forgive, but the bland overall aesthetic feels like a miss. On the positive side, performance is nothing short of fantastic, with a very stable frame rate and no stuttering, even in the most frantic of action.
Sound
There is very little to say about Psyvariar 3’s audio overall, as the game’s soundscape follows a similar philosophy as its visuals. Apart from the occasional feedback cues from your computer, there is no voice acting present. Sound effects lack the punch and crunchiness you’d expect from a shooter. Even the game’s music often fades into the background. It’s there, but there isn’t anything memorable about it.
Gameplay
With an irrelevant story and an underwhelming audiovisual presentation, Psyvariar 3’s gameplay has a lot to make up for to give the game a fighting chance at notability. Does it? Well, kind of. The core gameplay of Psyvariar 3 is centered around fast-paced vertical shoot ‘em up combat, with a strong emphasis on risk versus reward. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before: you navigate your ship through enemy-filled bullet hell stages, firing constantly, using bombs strategically and dodging incoming attacks. The mechanic that is supposed to set Psyvariar 3 apart is the series’ signature “buzz” system. Instead of simply avoiding enemy fire, you’re encouraged to fly extremely close to it. Doing so raises your level, improves weapons, activates shields, and most importantly, increases that all-important score.
For genre enthusiasts, this mechanic makes Psyvariar 3 worth considering at least, as precision and player mastery do feel like they make a difference. Your chosen ship has a tiny hitbox, allowing for extremely tight dodging through dense bullet streams. There are focused-shot mechanics that slow movement, allowing for even more careful navigation; character-specific bomb abilities and even quick dodge manoeuvres tied to a barrel roll system. Sorry, upcoming Starfox remake, it looks like Psyvariar beat you to the punch. This all adds up to a demanding and intense gameplay loop that does become satisfying to play, although we’ll also say that it doesn’t break any new ground for the genre.
Admittedly, the game’s €19.99 RRP makes things much easier to swallow compared to something like Sonic Wings Reunion, coïncidentally a game from the same publisher. Interestingly enough, Nata de Cotton makes a guest appearance in Psyvariar 3, undoubtedly a nod to that aforementioned Psyva Ria inclusion in Cotton Fantasy, even though Cotton and Psyvariar are notably not from the same publisher, but we digress. In terms of content, Psyvariar 3 mostly sticks to the traditional arcade philosophy that replayability and score chasing are more important than a game being lengthy. There are online leaderboards and several different modes and challenges. Beyond the main arcade mode, there is an endless mode, survival-style challenges, a score attack mode, and more. This makes Psyvariar 3 feel like a much more comprehensive package than some others in the genre, although this is still the kind of game where you could technically “see everything” in under an hour.
Conclusion
The least we can say about Psyvariar 3 is that it is a competent vertical shooter, but it’s not a standout one. The lackluster presentation really undermines the appeal of the game, and while we understand the idea of this being a “sequel” to a long-dormant series, one couldn’t help but wonder if the game would’ve been better if the developers had decided not to bank on brand recognition and instead opted for something fully original instead. Perhaps we’re a little biased because we’re still riding the high of Sektori, but Psyvariar 3 felt underwhelming.
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