First Impressions: BIT.TRIP RERUNNER (VSD)

BIT.TRIP RERUNNER

Release Date: September 19, 2023

Systems: PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series S/X, Windows, Xbox One, Linux

Publisher: Choice Provisions

Developer(s): Choice Provisions, Gamecraft Studio

Time Spent: 23 Minutes

It was only earlier this year that I discovered that a new BIT.TRIP game was released back in September 2023.  I was a little disappointed when it looked like a revamped remastered version based on the trailer. But, then it got into the "Maker" portion of the game and there started to be elements that didn't exist in the original 2011 game.  Something to do with CommanderVideo firing projectiles and turning into The Void from BIT.TRIP VOID made it look like more than a cash grabby glowup.  So, onto my Steam Wishlist, it went and with it being 60% off for Steam's Winter Sale, I thought why not!?  Plus I was hoping that The Squire might want me to play this so I wouldn't have to do the same set of levels from BIT.TRIP RUNNER; although I may still end up doing that because that's what he's familiar with.

But this last week I played through the first world in BIT.TRIP RERUNNER and since I had played through the first 10 worlds in the original game earlier in the day, I thought I was moderately qualified to write a First Impressions article about my first 23 minutes.  Upon booting up, the game asks which difficulty setting to play based somewhat on your previous experience with the BIT.TRIP series and since I was sub-moderately good at Runner3 and somewhat decent at both previous Runner installments, I went with the Medium level of difficulty.

Well, after playing 23 minutes and making it through the first world, I have mostly positive thoughts about the game.  I like how much of the game feels like a throwback to the original BIT.TRIP RUNNER with a fair amount of accessibility features baked in, even at the Medium difficulty.  There are an abundance of checkpoints, most occurring right after you pick up a power-up or right before an overly difficult section.  I do think that there are too many checkpoints most of the time, although in the later stages, I did appreciate not being kicked back to the middle or the beginning of the stage.  I'd be surprised if there isn't a setting that lets you turn off or limit the number of checkpoints.

I was a little disappointed after finishing the levels that there wasn't the expected "Bonus Get!" that happens in the first BIT.TRIP RUNNER, but it appears that each of your gold bars goes towards a pool that earns you the ability to unlock extras that I haven't delved into yet apart from seeing what the keys/boombox items can be used for; that will likely be for a later article.  The only other thing I'm currently critical about is that each stage seems to have exactly 32 gold bars whereas previous games would sometimes have as few as six gold bars and as many as 93.  I know it's completely arbitrary knowing how many gold bars there are in a stage before I start, but something inside me seems to prefer having the number of gold bars be a surprise before I start.

But apart from that, I am finding that I am having a lot more fun in BIT.TRIP RERUNNER than in Runner3.  There seems to be less of a focus on making the game visually distinct and being wacky than on the gameplay actually being fun.  So far, RERUNNER is a lot of fun and is a refreshing return to the complex simplicity of the BIT.TRIP series that I was afraid had been lost.

~JWfW/JDub/The Faceplantman/Jaconian
Time Stands Still in these Ancient Halls

P.S.  And if you're interested in watching my unedited first-play playthrough, complete with minute-long pauses to help The Squire with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, then you can check out my video below: