Actraiser Renaissance Reviews
Overall, Actraiser Renaissance stays true to the original game, while building it out even further and keeping the essence of what made it so special intact. If you never played the original Actraiser, then you are definitely in for a treat as it’s not every day you don the mantle of the Lord of Light and defy the will of Tanzra.
Mileage will vary of course, and I can't say if my unexpected adoration of this game will extend to all players. Nonetheless, ActRaiser Renaissance is a meticulously crafted remake that genuinely improves on the original game in several respects while maintaining the spirit of what made it special in the first place. The simulation and tower defense elements are instantly addicting, and the sidescrolling sections really make you feel like God has come down to smite the wicked. ActRaiser Renaissance is almost the best-case scenario for a remake, and I hope Square Enix keeps it up.
The original Actraiser achieved cult classic status back when it first debuted thanks to its unique premise and gameplay. Fortunately, the promised Renaissance is able to more than give this gem another look for those who understandably missed its decades-old launch, and Actraiser Renaissance is an exciting, engaging experience in 2021.
An outstanding remake with meaningful additions that will appeal to fans of the original and newcomers alike.
Not everyone is going to think that way, clearly. Each individual has their own expectations for a remake, and Actraiser Renaissance may have put hands on facets that were once sacred. Some will find the changes intrusive. It would have been nice if there was a classic mode included that strips out the tower defense to make everyone happy, but that’s not in the cards. In my eyes, however, Acraiser Renaissance was one of the biggest surprises and the most enjoyable gaming experiences I’ve had this year.
Actraiser Renaissance is a remake of the SNES original that mixes several genres and allows us to be gods to guide humanity to a world of prosperity and peace.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Actraiser Renaissance marks the return of a classic that could not make a big name for itself in its day. With its totally renewed visual and sound aspect, it aims to conquer the hearts of players looking for cocktails of atypical genres. And boy does he get it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Yuzo Koshiro crushes it with both the classic and rearranged soundtrack, the gameplay is fun and a little bit improved in some cases, and the world is more enjoyable than ever to take in from the skies above and on the ground. I wish some classic pain points hadn’t come along for the ride and that the sprite work was a bit better, but Actraiser Renaissance is still a fantastic title whether you’re walking down memory lane or playing it for the first time.
While the updated graphical style and jerky scrolling don't make a great first impression and there may be some who feel the 'Tower Defence' sections are given too much screen time, Actraiser Renaissance is ultimately a successful attempt at updating a solid-gold classic from yesteryear. Rarely are two totally different gameplay styles fused this effectively, and the enhancements introduced by developer Sonic Powered really do improve things; combat in the action sections is more fun, while the 'God Sim' portions of the game are lent increased depth thanks to thoughtful gameplay upgrades. To cap it all off, Yuzo Koshiro's music – available in both its SNES and rearranged forms – is masterful. While it's not perfect, Actraiser Renaissance will nonetheless find favour with fans of the original, as well as pick up plenty of new fans along the way.
There’s a little something for everyone, including adjustable difficulty, improved RPG elements, a deeper storyline, and competent combat. It’s great to see a beloved classic recaptured with much-needed modern updates while ensuring the charm of the original never loses its place.
Actraiser Renaissance is not necessarily aimed only at the fans of the original and this is actually a good thing because although the developers have kept the core premise and mechanics intact, they have also expanded on them which has given us a nice fantasy story with colorful characters, a more modern combat design and a deeper system in the management parts.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Actraiser Renaissance is a remake of Quintet and Enix's classic Actraiser released in 1990 that became a cult game in its own right. This is the perfect opportunity to recover that classic that has received many new features and improvements in its updating, although all not so well received. Despite the controversial tower defense mechanics and the graphical aspect of the action phases, the final experience is well worth it, and we hope that it will lead to the arrival of other of the great Quintet classics.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
ActRaiser Renaissance arrived at exactly the right time. It perfectly builds on everything good about the original. More importantly, it makes the the city simulation portions even more engaging by adding RTS elements.
Actraiser Renaissance is a tasty mix of many genres. At the same time a plateformer, a strategy game and a shooter, we can say its his own unique genre. Early adopters will find their way around quite quickly, while newcomers will enjoy it. A very nice tribute to a game that marked its time.
Review in French | Read full review
The original Actraiser was one almighty game. Originally released back in 1990 on the SNES (aka the Super Famicom) the game mixed action-platforming with a pretty in-depth world builder. Actraiser managed to capture your imagination and gave you the tools to literally play God. Since the initial release there’s been a less than memorable sequel – Actraiser 2 – then a few decades of slumber happened to our Lord of Light.
Successful remake of an unusual classic, but you have to get involved in it.
Review in German | Read full review
Actraiser Renaissance is a skilfully made remake, but it does suffer from a couple of major technical and stylistic uncertainties. If you love Actraiser I recommend giving it a chance: the strategic portion has been significantly expanded and even those who know the original by heart will find new elements to play with.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Actraiser Renaissance is a game with good ideas and a solid foundation for the new content, but it fails to deliver an experience that matches the divinity of the original SNES title.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Actraiser Renaissance is a remake that takes the content of the original game a few steps ahead but may not be liked by everyone due to some problems.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
An unexpected gift for fans of the SNES original and while the remake is seriously flawed in terms of both graphics and gameplay its sheer oddness is still highly compelling.