Expect to do a lot of it
A corpse is typically not a welcoming sight, but in Super Rude Bear Resurrectionit absolutely is. That decomposing body (which is yours from seconds ago, by the way) means that maybe you can skirt a particularly challenging section using your past failures as a way to make things a bit easier on yourself. This is the only time Super Rude Bearwill show any mercy.
Developer Alex Rose nonchalantly told us “The idea is to get through the game without any deaths. That’s, like, the ultimate goal.” Don’t hold your breath. Super Rude Bearis tough as nails. Upon picking up the controller, I was instantly reminded of those 10,835 times I died in Super Meat Boybefore finally besting it. Brute-forcing your way through this game will be accomplishment enough for most people.
Super Rude Bearwears its Meat Boyinfluences on its sleeve, as so many games have in the past five years. That’s not to say it’s disingenuous in any way. It’s a tight-controlling platformer where deaths come at a constant clip. That’s a fine formula for video game success no matter what year it is.
After any given death, the titular Rude Bear’s body will by lying across the trap you just succumbed to. There’s a fair chance it was a spike trap; Super Rude Bearhas a lot of spike traps. On the next attempt, you can platform on the corpse which shields you from those pesky spikes. Super Rude Bearjust got easier, albeit for only the briefest of moments.
For a game about a rude bear (curiously, we haven’t seen any ill-behaved mannerisms apart from a backward hat and a permanent scowl), this isn’t as light-hearted and blithe as one may expect. Actually, it’s quite entrenched in the macabre. Coffins serve as checkpoints and are even more appreciated than coming across your freshly dead body.
There are some extra mechanics offered up to guide along the platforming. Rude Bear is forever followed by a wizard, as he’s the one who actually transported you back to medieval England and put you in this dire situation. It’s possible to take control of him and scout ahead. How thoughtful, Guy Who Is Directly Responsible For Me Dying Thousands Of Times. Likewise, in the event that your corpses pile up too high to clear some sections (yes, that will happen), he can clear them one-by-one or with a single powerful blast. Again, how thoughtful.
This is actually the second time we’ve seen Super Rude Bear— originally, it had the “Resurrection” withheld from the end. The first was at Tokyo Game Show 2014. There was obvious care put into the controls, but everything was made up of placeholder art. Also, the jumping on your past failures part is new, which is why we’ve seen the game fittingly re-titled.
Super Rude Bear Resurrectionhas come a long way in the year that has passed. Now, it’s a game that I’m actually excited to play, even as infuriating as it’s likely to be. The game’s site currently lists projected platforms as PC, PS4, PS Vita, and Xbox One. Wherever you find yourself playing, don’t be afraid to die; it’s all part of the process.