B.Ark preview: Furrious Lasers in space

Last Updated on: 18th June 2021, 01:12 pm

B.Ark at first glance looks like those cheap ads that you get on YouTube for some mobile game, but man, did this preview change my mind. TicToc games have gone out of their way to make a charming, fun, and strangely emotional game that will hit people who’ve ever owned a furry friend before.

The cutesy facade is only on the surface, however, because Tic Toc has made sure to create a game that is equal parts accessible and challenging for veterans that have enjoyed all sorts of shoot-em-up games.

Fighting for more than just kibble

B.ARK’s premise hits you like a mack truck driven by Hulk Hogan; the opening scene depicts a group of humans loading up a spaceship to escape some sort of otherwordly threat. The ship is stopped by the invaders and the humans eject the various animals that were also on board. Cue the weirdly heartstring-tugging scene of the pets looking down at the main human character sadly as she and her crew are captured by the alien force.

Suffice it to say, the story has a strong enough opening that anyone who’s ever owned any sort of pet at one point. The shot of the animals and the humans looking sadly at each other incite something viscerally sad inside one’s self. It’s not hammy or overplayed, as that part of the opening scene lasts all of about thirty seconds or so. This is just the thing to get one interested in blasting away space fish that are wanting to take over the galaxy.

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All blast and no bark

From then on, you’re just blasting your way from level to level, using whichever character that suits your playstyle the best. In the B.Ark preview, the devs emphasized the different identities of each character, as they each carry different attributes that have their own utility, especially in co-op play.

You’ve got different characters to choose from: Barker the Dog, Felicity the Cat, Marv the Rabbit, and Lucio the actual bear someone had as a pet are all cutely designed and wonderfully animated. Art Lead Sara Pocock emphasized the art style as wanting to capture the vibe of a Saturday morning cartoon through handrawn animation. It really shows in how expressive each character is through their aesthetic and dialogue.

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Bullet patterns, bullet speeds, and differing super attacks all contribute to each character’s unique identity. In particular, different combinations of characters in the co-op mode can lead to different super moves when properly coordinated. In solo play, you are encouraged to strategize and adapt to the steadily increasing difficulty by leveling your character by destroying enemies.

The game has three different difficulty levels, with the hardest, according to Game Director Abraham Morales, being enough of a challenge for seasoned SHMUP players. Indeed, the myriad of projectiles on the screen along with the tense boss fights make B.ARK look like a great time for players of any skill gap. The preview really made me reconsider my stance on games that look cute initially, as B.Ark has shown that it’s not just all bark.

Cause there’s definitely lasers there too. Definitely keep your eyes out for B.Ark on Steam and Nintendo Switch.