There have been many throwback style Metroidvania games over the years and some are better some others at capturing an old-school feel. B.I.O.T.A. is a game that enters the ring trying not to do something new, but trying to do something right with its gameplay. But is it a successful game or yet another would have been contender?
B.I.O.T.A is a single-player 2D Metroidvania with simple gameplay but fast-paced action. The game has multiple characters to play as, some of which you have access to right away, some you unlock in the story and some once the story is completed. These characters can be swapped out on the fly to get the right playstyle and each one manages to feel unique.
The game is a bit on the difficult side at first, but after a little bit of time, you will adjust and manage to get the hang of things. At this point, the game becomes easier to handle and you will soon be ready for another mode besides story mode. These include the arcade mode and time trials, and as this is a fast-paced game, time trials are a great way to truly test yourself here.
One neat detail about B.I.O.T.A is that the game lets you teleport back to the base to heal up, buy items from shops to stock up on items, and then teleport right back to where you were. The game also makes sure you will know if you have the key item from a shop or not and thus manages to remove one of the most frustrating details about Metroidvania games, without breaking the gameplay experience. Biota does a lot to break up the standard gameplay of Metroidvanias in general, and also contains multiple vehicle sections to add variety and this is to be commended.
One thing B.I.O.T.A has become known for is its wide variety of CRT palettes and displays that give you the ability to customize the look to your liking. Some of the options can actually be rough on the eyes, while others are helpful for accessibility reasons, so this is a good addition. When combined with an amazing soundtrack, B.I.O.T.A manages to do much right in the audio/visual department, but be aware that some of the flashes can be a bit too intense for those with photosensitivity issues.
All in all, B.I.O.T.A is a welcome addition to the Metroidvania genre and a game that both understands what made classics work and what needed to be changed from them. This is not a tribute but a game that stands on its own and one that is fun to play. B.I.O.T.A’S inclusion of palettes and filters also manages to help with the photosensitivity issues, and so that is another point in its favour. All in all, this is an easy one to recommend.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided