Thexder Neo Review

What do you get when you revive a classic side scrolling transforming robot game on the PSP? Thexder Neo, that’s what you get. Thexder Neo is a remake of the original Thexder, released on the NEC PC-8801 in Japan way back in 1985 (when I was still in diapers). It was released here in the United States in ‘87 by Sierra Entertainment on multiple platforms. I’m assuming there were fans of the game back then and perhaps some of those fans are still alive. If so, they may be interested in this remake available on PSN for ten clams ($10US for those of you who don’t barter).

First and foremost, this game is a remake. I have seen videos of the original on YouTube and it appears that the game is very much the same with a new coat of paint. Granted, there are some small modifications here and there but none of them are substantial game changers. The concept of Thexder revolves around a robot that can transform into a jet. I was inclined to call the protagonist a mecha at first but I do not believe there to be a pilot in the story. It is just a robot.

Anyway, the robot shoots a laser from its head or from the front of the jet, whichever form you may find yourself throughout the game. You, the transforming robot, casually run, jump or fly through futuristic winding metal industrial interior spaces while shooting enemies with your laser. You can switch on the fly between your bipedal and your jet airplane forms to traverse the levels and fend off swarms of small robots and defeat bosses.

The concept never gets much more complicated than that. You have a health bar to keep an eye on and which you can replenish by acquiring glowing red orbs. These are released when you defeat certain enemies or destroy pods. You are also equipped with a temporary shied that surrounds your robot in a glowing green orb. As you destroy enemies, you accumulate points and at the end of the level your points, health, time completion are tallied and a final score recorded. There are two modes of play, “Single-Player” and “Online Play”. Single player has two difficulty settings, normal and easy. The online mode consists of a six player race. I am assuming that it is a race to the end of each level but I was unable to confirm my suspicions because of a lack of online players; I encountered none.

The controls are fairly simple and the PSPs nub does handle better than the d-pad. Running and jumping are standard fare. You can jump higher by pressing and holding the ex (X) button longer. Your laser can fire continuously by holding the circle (O) button and auto locks onto the nearest target in front of you. While in jet form, things get a little bit difficult. You can fly in 8 directions but are always propelled in that direction. You cannot hover. When you bump into something, you either automatically turn in the opposite direction or return to your bipedal form. If you bump into an enemy, you continue in the same direction while taking damage. While in jet form, your laser can only fire in the direction you are traveling; auto targeting disappears while in this form. You are in the most vulnerable form while in jet form. While the controls may be simple, in general I found the game to be frustrating in normal single player mode.

The game’s presentation is fairly simple when compared to other games of its type. For me, the entire production of this game hinted towards the casual. Casual may in fact be what this game is. The 33MB download size certainly leans towards that. Graphically, the game does not impress and looks fairly generic. The level design also feels generic in that there isn’t much thinking required to traverse to the end of the stage. There are no labyrinthine traps here. The sound design is also generic but bearable. The accompanying music tracks are similar to the original game music but are ultimately forgettable.

The amount of entertainment you may get from this game might vary. The entire production definitely leans towards the casual with little commitment required. Those who enjoyed the original might be filled with great feelings of nostalgia. I must say that I found myself plenty challenged and frustrated by the enemies on the normal difficulty setting. Of course I could attribute some of that challenge to the gameplay mechanics. Flying in jet form felt a little clumsy and the laser became terribly ineffective in that form. I do not know the reasoning for changing the behavior of the laser between the bipedal and the jet forms. In mecha form, the laser auto targeted 180 degrees in front of you. In jet form, the laser only fired in the direction of travel. That makes no sense to me.

I suppose that if you were a huge fan of the original Thexder game you would be very interested in playing this. Thexder Neo is not a difficult game to pick up but it can be a frustrating game to play. I’m not sure I would play this game on a relaxing train commute home from work, if there is such a thing. Thexder Neo makes a relatively inexpensive proposition, on PSN, and it is definitely targeted towards the PSP GO crowd. The game includes a small tutorial that uses the PSP Go’s image rather than the PSP 3000 model to explain the controls.

Thexder Neo has its charm but you’re mileage may vary. For me, I’m glad the 33MB fit in my 1GB memory stick. I’m not sure that $10 is a good price for it. If it was less, would there be someone online I could race? I did not divulge what the boss encounters are like because I feel that would spoil what little this game has up its sleeves. There is no story, just a transforming robot.