Haxor

Review

The inhabitants of the planet Haxor are in rather a pickle! Their primary source of power, the Vitae energy, is running out, and without it all the races on that world will cease to exist. Scientists worked twice as hard as usual to find a solution from the resources on their own planet, but their hard work didn’t pay off. However, they did manage to track a similar energy source within their solar system. So an expedition was quickly assembled with the best scientists and launched almost straight away to find and retrieve this energy. But the unthinkable happened and the spaceship was sucked through a black hole into another dimension, crash-landing on an unknown planet and killing all of the scientists except one. Her name is Kra, and she is the last survivor of the planet Haxor!

Haxor is a retro-platformer game developed by climou and published by Fat Dog Games, and was released on Steam on 12th April 2018.



The game consists of four worlds with six levels each, as well as a bonus world when you manage to clear the first four. The heroine Kla will be armed with two main weapons: a gun and a rocket launcher. She also has a few abilities that she can use at any time during each level. At the start of the game, she ‘ll be able to use two abilities: Invisibility will enable her to go through locked doors without being seen, and Invulnerability will give her a certain amount of time during which she will not receive any damage. There is a gauge at the top left of the screen which is filled at 100%, and each time she uses one of these abilities, the number in the gauge will decrease.  She can use it all or stop it at any given time and the gauge will refill until it is back to 100%. The third ability will be unlocked when she reaches the third planet, and the fourth one when she gains access to the fourth planet.

To win each of the levels, Kra will need to find 2 to 4 symbols that correspond with symbols on an exit door.  Once each of those symbols has been found, she will be able to leave through this door. There are two additional items to collect, which are coins and rubies, and it will be quite tough in more than one situation to collect them all. That, of course, is because monsters will run across platforms and hang from ceilings throughout these levels. She’ll also find arrow symbols and as she collects them, she’ll be able to move blocks and access new areas within the level. On top of that, you need to be careful of obstacles strewn here and there, such as electric wires, firestones, spikes and more.  She will take on damage quite easily if she doesn’t use her Invulnerability ability efficiently, especially during a fall on platforms down below as you never know what is down there until the last second. Thankfully, she can activate her abilities in mid-air, which will save her more than once, let me tell you! Don’t despair, on the first two worlds there are a small number of heart icons, and if she manages to jump on one, her health will be back to 100% straight away. There are no heart icons in the third and fourth worlds, which will increase the difficulty slightly; if she dies, she restarts the level from scratch. Don’t you love these retro-games? I do!   

Mind you, every three levels, Kra will be facing off a boss; these fights are not too challenging but fun.

Fun pixel artworks and chipmunk soundtrack. Well-designed levels; you might sometimes wonder how is she going to reach the platforms above her? It’s very simple, by shooting a rocket onto the ground, she’ll be propelled straight up. In terms of controls, you can use your keyboard and rebind the keys if you wish to suit you, or just use a gamepad. I used an Xbox One wireless gamepad, and I had no issue at all. The only downside for me is that the levels, and especially the boss’s fights, could have been a little bit harder. Apart from that, it’s a fun retro-platformer game.


Positives

+ Fun pixel artwork and chipmunk music (can be turned off)
+ Well-designed levels
+ 2 boss fights per world
+ Fun to play
+ Responsive controls
+ Achievements

Negatives

- No trading cards as yet
- A tad too easy

Review Summary

Help Kra, the last survivor of the planet Haxor, through 5 unknown worlds. A retro-platformer game full of nostalgia!

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Zeepond Rating: 7/10

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