TEMPEST 4000 Review for PlayStation 4

I played TEMPEST 4000 this weekend on PS4, and it was pretty good old fashioned fun. Developed by Llamasoft and released by ATARI, this game is basically a slightly more sophisticated version of the classic game we played as a kid in the arcades. If you’re an ancient gamer like me, feeling nostalgic, you can relive an experience from the “olden days” by downloading this game from your dashboard, minus the sticky floors and pocket full of filthy quarters you fished out of the sofa. This game also works well as a simple and addictive solution for younger gamers who are tired of “going deep” with RPG’s and watching lengthy cut-scenes. TEMPEST 4000 is a shooter in the vein of games like Galaga and Space Invaders, but it employs a unique geometric twist; you control an angular u-shaped spaceship that rides on the outside edge of a glowing prismatic tube or planar field. Alien crafts fly from the center or bottom of the field and up and out towards your ship, sometimes firing all the while; basically you need to shoot them before they capture or blow up your claw-like craft. There are “boosts” and power-ups that also ride up towards your ship on the prism fields and grabbing them produces awesome effects and makes blowing up the enemy way easier (and even cooler looking).

It’s really a simple game with two modes – level by level or survival (“Standard” and “Pure”), but the real stars of TEMPEST 4000 are the pulsing soundtrack and sweet 80’s lightshow. Pink, blue, red, and yellow geometric shapes flash in a psychedelic display that vibes well with the funky electronic beat of the music. The soundtrack of this new version has a bit more bass and complexity than the original TEMPEST, but it stays true to that sweet electric groove that kept us dumping quarters we stole from our mom’s purse into the machine back in the day.

There is an online component that allows you to compare scores to other players, but this game is mostly a solo endeavor – load up on your gaming fuel of choice and get to blasting!

Here is how I rate TEMPEST 4000 systematically / by standard gaming criteria:

Graphics and Audio:

Grade –6/10 for SIMPLE but PLEASING; the graphics of this game do what they are supposed to and look pretty much how they should look, given the developers obvious intent to recapture the old-school glory of a hugely popular arcade hit from the 80’s. The further you get and the more BOOSTS you pick up, the wilder the effects and lightshow get; I didn’t get bored with the visuals and the cheesy adjectives add to the fun – “BEAUTY!”

Controls / Playability:

Grade – 6/10 for INTUITIVE and BASIC; It takes a little getting used to before you aren’t overshooting on your spins, but, once you’ve got it this game feels easy and fun to control. Players can use the D-Pad or the joystick for shooting levels and then controller orientation to center your icon and get more points while traveling through the “tunnels” during the level transition scenes.

Story:

Grade – NA there is no story short of DESTROY THE ENEMY. Super simple game that requires minimal thought; zone out and blast those baddies to the beat.

Value: Grade 5/10 because the game costs $29 in the PS4 store. ..this is a little steep in my opinion for how simple this game is and how little it is altered from the arcade stand-up version.

I recommend this game to anyone who is nostalgic for the original or who just wants to enjoy some chill gaming with cool visuals and jamming beats.

Overall Score: 6.5/10

Watch the TEMPEST 4000 Trailer:

Tempest 4000 will be available today on PlayStation 4 system and Xbox One for $29.99. The game is rated E for Everyone, with warnings for Mild Fantasy Violence. For more information, visit www.Tempest4000.com.