Anyaroth: The Queen's Tyranny Review (PC)

An elevator is a classic location for a big battle in a retro action game. Enemies are coming from platforms on both sides, jumping on the platform, catching my insect warrior in a pincer movement. I use my rifle to try and clear them as fast as possible while using my jump to try and avoid most of their fire. It’s chaotic and fun, even if my character is losing health faster than I would like him to.

They also have drones coming from above in pairs but I can use my own companion drone to augment my firepower and take them down quickly. The final wave is made up of some tougher soldiers, wielding shotguns for close-up work. I need to switch up my tactics if I want to get out of this alive.

I take out the classic pistol, re-activate my robotic companion, and put more emphasis on my dash move, which offers me a few precious moments of invulnerability every time I use it. Helped by a powerful sword I picked up from a defeated boss, I manage to win this elevator fight with more than half of my health intact, a decent result. Let’s hope that the rest of this level doesn’t feature another arena fight or, even worse, a boss.

Anyaroth: The Queen's Tyranny is developed by Yggdraseed and published by Firenut Games. I played on Steam on the PC. It is also offered on the Nintendo Switch. The title is an action platformer with a classic set of mechanics and a pixel art universe.

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This world of insects is under the control of a powerful Queen, who uses powerful mind-control devices to ensure the loyalty of the population. She exploits the entire planet for her own needs and this has spurred the development of a rebellion. Players take on the role of an elite Queen’s Guard named Avestas, who has had his brainwashing reversed.

The world of Anyaroth mixes science fiction, like min-control helmets and laser weapons, with a political system inspired by the world of insects. The protagonist will meet plenty of other freedom fighters during his adventures, offering some good conversations about the universe's state and history.

But Anyaroth: The Queen's Tyranny exists to deliver solid and classic action and platformer mechanics. Our Queen’s Guard is pretty mobile, quickly acquiring a dash to supplement a decent jump ability. As the game progresses, more movement options open up, making Avestas a fast and powerful combatant.

His firepower is also initially weak, with a pistol that can never run out of bullets complemented by a knife. Shotguns, rifles, and more exotic options are both bought and received after tough fights. I used the pistol for a long time because I was worried about ammunition, but there’s plenty to go around in the levels.

The game features free aim, allowing Avestas to engage any target on the screen while he is moving. Opponents are initially melee-focused, with the occasional drone thrown in, making it relatively easy to make progress. Soon, some opponents have pistols, and they also get shotguns and rifles and it gets harder to make progress.

The Queen’s Tyranny soon throws in environmental dangers, like falling spikes, to add complexity to certain situations. At certain points, levels narrow into arenas, where players will have to deal with large numbers of enemies coming in waves. Thankfully, there are plenty of health drops to pick up from their corpses.

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The game can be hard by it does not feel unfair. Our protagonist gets better weapons relatively fast and he can choose between a capable companion drone, which can shoot rockets or a health boost. Both of them can be very useful when a boss comes in, equipped with powerful attacks and featuring multiple phases. Watch for patterns and be patient until a clear opening appears.

As players explore levels, which are a little basic in terms of design, they can pick up other soldier helmets. A quick and easy mini-game decrypts them, offering more detail about the history of the world. It’s a nice addition but there’s no other big collectible to look for.

This is a good example of Anyaroth: The Queen's Tyranny’s big weak point. The game knows the classic, understands what made them fun, and replicates plenty of those moments with a modern sheen. Unfortunately, it does not try to deliver significant innovation. Avestas should have received a weird ability, the world should have tried for more interesting levels, and maybe enemies needed more surprising abilities.

It’s fun simply pushing through the levels, eliminating opponents, and rejoicing every time you get a new weapon or ability. The game is never frustrating, even during the tense battle arenas. All the main mechanics are competently executed. The nostalgia factor is well dialed in. But the game needs a little more to attract a wider audience.

Anyaroth: The Queen's Tyranny hits the retro look hard and certainly hopes that its audience is more driven by nostalgia than by the need for graphical fidelity. The chunky pixel art is well-executed but sometimes struggles to make the world feel truly interesting. Gameplay is not affected but it could have used more personality. The soundtrack is good, a mix of retro references and modern techno, designed to push players forward. Combat sound effects also seem to come straight from the ‘80s.

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The Good

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