Nuclear Blaze Review (PS4)

very good
key review info
  • Game: Nuclear Blaze
  • Platform: Playstation 4
  • Show system requirements
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Nuclear Blaze

If you ever dreamed of being a firefighter, but for whatever reasons didn't pursue your aspirations, Nuclear Blaze can definitely quench your thirst for extinguishing fires. Developed by the creator of mega-hit Dead Cells, a metroidvania roguelike platformer that's insanely addictive, Nuclear Blaze has a more forgiving gameplay loop, yet it's just as addictive.

In Nuclear Blaze, players take on the role of a firefighter who has just been summoned to put out a massive fire. Although the game starts on the ground level, the protagonist will soon start to delve into the underground levels of a top-secret facility.

Your firefighter is equipped with a hose that has limited water, but he'll soon start to pick up various upgrades that will allow him to protect himself from the fire or other hazardous materials. Levels are pretty short and don't pose too much challenge on the normal difficulty, but the gameplay is very enjoyable.

The game slowly introduces you to its main mechanics, so you'll soon be able to sprinkle water not just horizontally, but also vertically and all around you. Armor and even a dodge move will also be added to your arsenal of tools that will help you survive while you're trapped underground.

Nuclear Blaze
Nuclear Blaze
Nuclear Blaze
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Some of the levels require you to extinguish all the fires to let you advance, while others are more challenging and also introduce a time limit. If you don't put out all the fire within the time limit, you'll have to restart the level.

Since you have a limited amount of water that you can use to fight the fire, you'll have to keep your eyes out for any water pump that's nearby to automatically replenish your water tank. These are spread throughout levels, usually close enough to prevent players from dying because of lack of water.

There are secrets to discover, cats to save and a small mystery to unravel. The big surprise here is that the story is related to the SCP universe. The fictional setting centered around findings and activities of the SCP Foundation has been part of many games throughout the years, including the SCP series and Control.

Don’t expect the narrative to go too deep, but I was pleasantly surprised by the approach and definitely enjoyed the not so mundane ending. If you’re a fan of the paranormal stories about fictional SCP Foundation, Nuclear Blaze has a little bit of that to scratch that itch.

But above all else, you’ll want to play Nuclear Blaze for its gameplay. Since it’s not a roguelike game, you won't have to restart from the beginning whenever you fail a level. That makes Nuclear Blaze a far more approachable game than Dead Cells or most of other similar games.

The lack of challenge might deter some fans of the genre, but Nuclear Blaze has a certain charm that I wouldn’t trade for a more difficult gameplay. The way the game mixes action, puzzles, exploration, and narrative make it a good indie game with some novel ideas.


The Good

  • Addictive gameplay with some novel ideas
  • Good mix of action, puzzles and exploration
  • Nice pixel graphics

The Bad

  • Too short
  • Needs more tracks

Conclusion

I didn’t expect to be enthralled by a short indie game like Nuclear Blaze after just a few minutes, but I should have expected considering the developer’s pedigree. The same person behind Dead Cells has delivered another indie gem that platformer fans shouldn’t skip.

The gameplay is addictive and innovative, while the controls are simple and tight. Perhaps the game needed a few more tunes, but the pixel art is very well done. There’s no voice-acting, but there’s a little bit of an unconventional story to discover if you’re a fan of mysteries.

The only downside is that Nuclear Blaze ends very fast. It’s like a very short SCP novel that you read while commuting. It took me less than two hours to finish it, but I had a lot of fun. Get this if you’re looking for a good platformer.

Review key was provided by the publisher.

story 7
gameplay 8
concept 8
graphics 8
audio 7
multiplayer 0
final rating 8
Editor's review
very good
 
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Nuclear Blaze screenshots (21 Images)

Nuclear Blaze
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