The game was called "Revenge Reflex". (a wayward bound fragment)

The game was called "Revenge Reflex". It was my favorite thing about turning four. It was back in the winter of 20XX that I first played it.

 

Though the game was released in 19XX.

 

Its hero is a cyborg ninja named Ananiel.

 

Fighting against the capitalist mafia known as the Watchers.

 

The watchers had made a drug that was highly addictive they called crucifixion though with the terrible side effect that it was so addictive that you came back from the dead to get your fix.

 

I played that game for hours the green ooze of the zombies the freakish bosses. Beautiful nightmare fuel with 3D backgrounds (nothing more complex than a voxel) and hi-bit pixel art.

 

The 32-bit nightmare and the thrill of overcoming it.

 

Anniel had a blue, green, and purple outfit. With two silver cyborg fists and a spikey head of black hair.

 

If you collect Five orbs you have fire in your eyes as a flaming spirit blade is given to you. You are immune to damage as long as you don't get hit. though you always have a pair of katana.

 

The last boss was God with a capital G... No matter what you do you can't hurt him. He is ethereal and unreachable with white hair and red eyes. Quoting apocryphal scripture and the book revelation with regularity. His word is power. Visible wounds on his palms and side where he was impaled with the spear.

 

But most of all the last boss would say "Who are you resisting?"

 

I spent most of that Christmas ascending the Tower of Babel to reach the Lord of Hosts.

 

Not knowing what would happen when I got there.

 

I was eight the first time I made it to the last boss.

 

I did not know the game was unbeatable.

 

I kept trying till tears warmed up in my eyes knowing I had been wronged in some way.

 

I lost my arm in a hunting incident when I was eighteen.

 

I will never have the privilege of losing that game again as I can no longer use the controller.

 

Pixelated dreams break down in design.

 

The isometric is fixed and the camera is only able to rotate with the triggers of the controllers.

 

Stealth elements are key... your main weapons have limited Amo. The 2.5D was like Metal Gear Solid (1998) meets Baroque (1998) Though graphically it was much more of a Xenogears (1998 [that was a good year for gaming]) aesthetic.

 

You could only level up after losing a life. Though you could beat the game without leveling up.

 

Procedural elements though much more controlled than modern indie games. Using restraint with randomization is obviously influenced by the original rogue.

 

I don't know why I am typing this... it's just something that used to be important to me. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

The flaws have made it eternal.