The 1982 intergalactic adventure Gravitar – also called Lunar Battle – is not a game that lacks ambition. As with the iconic Asteroids, Mike Hally – who made his debut – added real gameplay depth by using the same “rotate-and-thrust” control system. Its parent planet determines the missions you can complete. As one of the most deep releases available for the Atari 2600, it was later ported in 1983.
It’s a slick package modernizing the 40-year-old classic. You can explore a solar system with planets and space stations rotating around a sun, with a minimalistic visual style that’s similar to old sci-fi book covers and comic books. Some of these places have unique gravitational properties, requiring you to carefully feather your ship’s thruster. You’ll need to destroy all the enemies or power-up the beacons.
With some subtle yet smart use of DualSense’s features, this gameplay mechanic – a source of frustration for retro gamers returning to arcade classics – feels absolutely fantastic. In addition to the haptic feedback that pulses through the pad, the triggers fight you ever so slightly to convey your aircraft’s power. It’s a small detail, but it’s a reminder that the PS5’s controller can provide gameplay texture not possible with previous pads.
It’s streamlined and modernized, but you still need patience and precision to top the online leaderboards. Separate, standalone missions provide hand-crafted objectives based on some encounters you’ll find in the core arcade mode, while local multiplayer is available for those who prefer to play alone.
It’s interesting to see Atari, in its current form, profiting from its past classics, although Gravitar: Recharged does justice to the original – even if you weren’t around in the 80s.
Pros:
- A clean, minimal style.
- DualSense is superb.
- Rightly modernised.
- One more chance.
Cons:
- Package is fairly light.
- Launch price a little high.
- Some won’t like retro gameplay.
This game gets a 7 out of 10.
