BitMaster (PC) Review

By Tomas Barry 29.05.2017

Inspired by the more famous and grand twin-stick shooters, such as Geometry Wars and Crimson Land, BitMaster is a low budget and small-scale tribute to these experiences, which costs just £1.99 on the Steam store. It's made by a very small independent team called Sometimes You, and features eight different weapons, thirteen perks for players to utilise, twenty types of enemies, five different 'heroes' to unlock, and five bosses to beat. Powered by Unreal Engine 4, there's no doubt this title is pleasing on the eye, but does this short-burst arcade shooter do all it can to keep one coming back?

The titles that BitMaster looks to emulate were undoubtedly visual spectacles, but they were also intricate and complex in gameplay terms. Therefore, while it has to be conceded that this experience certainly looks the part, with a clean but pleasing art style and tons of flashy effects, the acid test is always going to be what happens when the player gets over this initial wow-factor. There's definitely a good amount of content on show here, with a range of characters to unlock, and a great variety of enemies and individual bosses. The problem, however, is that these choices don't really add sufficient flavour, given the rather lacklustre gameplay itself.

Screenshot for BitMaster on PC

Floating around the maps feels nice and intuitive, and aiming is nice and straightforward (although sometimes not as accurate as with similar series); however, the actual enemies are dull, indiscriminate shapes and flashing lights, and mostly too abstract to distinguish. This isn't lazy, it's just that it makes the overall experience feel a little bit muddled, especially so because this is hardly the type of game players will digest in a quick succession of lengthy sittings. It's best enjoyed in small bursts, although in reality, it seems there's a time limit of enjoyment with this experience.

Screenshot for BitMaster on PC

Cubed3 Rating

6/10

Good

A player would have to really love something rather ambiguous about BitMaster to actually persevere to its centre. It's nice that some sense of depth can be perceived in that regard, but the game could do a lot more in terms of incentivising this pursuit, since many of these additions seem arbitrary rather than purposeful. Instead it seems like the kind of title that will be consumed rather quickly, then put down just as quickly - and permanently. Considering the price, however, it's difficult to find much at fault, ultimately. It should be applauded for being a technical success, with plenty of smaller details, a vibrant art style, and pleasing music. A larger, more ambitious shooter project from Sometimes You, with a bigger budget, would certainly be welcome, based on this evidence.