14 DAY TRIAL // 
This may sound like the complaint of an old gamer but, back in the old days, games were tough and if you didn't like it you couldn't exactly look up tips online or just forget about that title and try another one.
Oniken, from developer JoyMasher, aims at emulating that classic formula by delivering a side-scrolling brawler in the vein of Ninja Gaiden, which is tough as nails and requires all sorts of muscle memory, not to mention plenty of repetition.
Throw in the pixelated visuals, the retro soundtrack, and the cheesy 1980s sci-fi story and the game looks like a great blast from the past. Does it deliver or should it be shelved alongside those old, unbalanced titles? Let's find out.
Oniken puts players in the shoes of Zaku, a ninja mercenary who's employed by a group of soldiers to strike back against an evil organization called Oniken. The story borrows elements from all sorts of 1980s sci-fi movies, like the Terminator or Escape from Los Angeles, but cleverly riffs on them in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
You'll go through six different missions composed of three stages each and a few bonus things, such as a post-credits engagement and a Boss rush mode.
In the true 1980s gaming style, Oniken is a really challenging experience that certainly delights in throwing players against insurmountable odds, not to mention plenty of enemies with aggressive attack patterns, while using just four buttons (left, right, jump, and slash).
But, in the style of Dark Souls, the game doesn’t feel that cheap about its challenging nature. Enemies aren't overpowered and, with enough repetition, you'll get through most stages, especially since each of your three lives has quite a lot of fragments. For those who really want a challenge, there's even a recently added Hardcore mode that gives players just one life and enemies double damage.
The actual gameplay relies on slashing your way through enemies with the occasional grenade throw to take out some tricky bosses or opponents that have a regular patrol route. You'll also encounter boxes that can be broken to get an extra boost to your life or more powerful slashes that are lost when enemies hit you. You can also trigger a berserk mode when the time is right, but it's a true challenge getting to use that on bosses.
In terms of levels, the game is quite varied, offering plenty of different environments to go through, from your regular industrial and military bases, to sequences where you get to use a jet ski and avoid enemies or mines.
The boss battles are quite impressive, as Zaku will face off against all sorts of crazy foes, including mecha-centipedes, for example. There are checkpoints, but don't rely on them to get you out of tricky situations, as they are few and far between.
While you can employ the keyboard, the game is a bit better with a controller, as you have a tad more control over Zaku, usually during some of the trickier platforming sections. Even so, you'll still use just four buttons, which is quite baffling and frustrating sometimes, especially when trying to launch grenades while jumping.
In terms of visuals, the game looks quite good, notably when it comes to the cutscenes, which really evoke the NES-era pixelated visuals. The effects also have that retro look and don't interfere with the responsiveness of the controls.
Sound-wise, Oniken really nails the retro style, with some great chiptunes that feel epic and make the whole experience that much more memorable.
Conclusion
Oniken is a great blast from the past that evokes some of the best and most challenging games from the late 1980s and early 1990s. It manages to make the experience feel tough but not that cheap, although there are some moments when your patience is really put to the test. It also emphasizes a lot of repetition, so prepare to restart missions many times before getting them right.
