Video Game Review - B.I.O.T.A.

Rob reviews B.I.O.T.A. on PC...

B.I.O.T.A. is a 2-D Metroidvania that's been developed by Ivan Porrini; the one-man-band behind development studio Small Bros. B.I.O.T.A has been Porrini's labour of love over the last 2-years, and from playing the title it's clear to see the passion that's been put into this charming Metroidvania. 

So what's it all about? 

B.I.O.T.A. is a simple Metroidvania that's played out via an 8-bit presentation. Over its 6-7 hours of gameplay, you'll lead a small team of mercenaries as they attempt to stop an alien plague from taking over the world. It's a typical sci-fi story that's filled with greedy corporations, missing scientists, and a rough and ready group of mercs. Thankfully B.I.O.T.A. does attempt to mix up its narrative, and as such there are a few pleasant surprises along the way. 

Through the journey, you'll be in control of the eight mercenaries that make up Gemini II. You're able to freely switch between these squad members, with each having a unique weapon and skill set. For added replayability two of these characters are unlocked once the game has been beaten. Anyway, while the majority of gameplay takes place underground, Gemini II has set up a base of operations on the planet's surface. It's here where you'll be able to switch your character, take on additional training challenges, and spend your hard-earned viridium. 

Once you've chosen your operative and geared up you'll then head underground into the mining colony, and it's here where the bulk of B.I.O.T.A. takes place. This subterranean world is made up of a tangle of rooms and corridors that are teeming with enemies to kill and puzzles to solve. As you explore this world, you'll slowly start to unveil the map, which in turn offers plenty more areas to explore. Unlike other Metroidvania's B.I.O.T.A. will always give you a clear direction on where to go. While you can explore off of the beaten track, primary objectives and important items are always marked for you. 

To keep things feeling fresh at various points you'll be able to utilise various vehicles such as mech-suits and even a submarine. These vehicle sections take on a more action-oriented feeling as you'll be blasting through plenty of enemies as you travel to your destination. While these sections are a nice addition to the gameplay loop, they do go on for a little too long and can feel slightly repetitive. However, their inclusion does highlight something that the genre is lacking.

Away from this and the rest of the gameplay mechanics take on that tried and tested formula. The look and feel of B.I.O.T.A reminded me a lot of Metroid II: Return of Samus, albeit with a much more simplistic visual hue. The default colour palette is a soft red and black, which is very reminiscent of retro Gameboy titles. If this colour scheme isn't to your fancy, you're able to cycle through quite a few variations until you find a suitable one. There are quite a few which don't work, and even more which are quite headache-inducing! The player's HUD is also of a minimalist design, with only current health, special ammo, and currency displayed. The vast majority of the story is foretold via on-screen text. For the majority it's pretty simple to read, however, this does depend on your chosen colour palette.

For those of you looking for a fast-paced retro-style action-platformer, B.I.O.T.A. is a game that will tick many boxes. Its simple gameplay, presentation, and artistic style offer a wonderful sense of nostalgia. While its narrative plays out like an 80's sci-fi horror, you'll be too busy stamping down on pixilated aliens, and rescuing the colonists to give it a second thought! 

I'm off to smash some bugs! 

Rating: 8/10 

A code was kindly provided for this review. 

B.I.O.T.A. is out now and can be purchased via GOG or Steam. 

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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev