It’s nice to come across a game like this RKGK every now and then, which is the tag used by the members of the fictional group Rakugaki. It is essentially a platform where you walk and jump, plus it is possible to activate a sort of slide which will allow us to go much faster spreading color as we pass, as in a sort of Splatoon.
But much of RKGK / Rakugaki’s appeal comes from its distinctive visual style and from the soundtrack that will overflow incessantly into our ears…
Mexican Anime
Rakugaki offers an interesting mix of references that point the gaze from Mexico, where the development team was born, resides and works, to Japan, whose production of video games and anime of the 90s is completely reflected in this game. The result is graphics that vibrate fluorescent like a lucha libre fighter from 2070, between cel-shading kept on a leash and laser beams that constantly illuminate the action. The surrounding environment is predominantly composed of brutalist, oppressive architecture and, in the role of the young and very agile Valah, we will have to reverse the situation and inspire rebellion with graffiti.
Valah can walk, jump and perform double jumps like in the most typical of platformers, plus perform this long and fast slide which will allow us to hook onto rails like in the latest Sonic; Valah can also kick and punch crates to reveal their contents and enemies. In the levels it is possible to find coins, which are not that important except for unlocking new things in the base, and spray cans, which on the contrary will be fundamental to completing the final graffiti. Drawing does not introduce a minigame, as happens for example in Jet Set Radio, but it will be enough to position yourself in front of the pre-established wall with a sufficient quantity of paint and press the appropriate button. Graffiti deserves a separate discussion because of how beautiful and excessive it iseven animated and the largest ones capable of literally coming out of the wall on which they were drawn.
Money and paint
At the end of each level, Valah’s performance will be evaluated through a summary screen that will take into account the time spent, the number of coins collected, the number of enemies destroyed and so on. The score expressed will end up in an offline leaderboard, a place where you will not find the scores of other players but which you can use to challenge yourself and any friends and relatives who will have access to your game.
Each level also features challenges that you can try to complete in exchange for other rewards. Money and rewards will flow into the Rakugaki meeting place where you can relax and spend what you have collected. Among the possible purchases, of course, many variations of Valha’s dress, new outfits with which to dress her, different graffiti divided into sizes and other colors that will liven up the levels during the raids.
Like a Boss
RKGK / Rakugaki is essentially that. The only aspect that we have left out are the battles with the bosses at the end of the level, but only because we have only seen one: divided into three steps, the battle with this partly robotic and partly virtual entity mainly involved Valah’s dodging skills, continually threatened by attacks made up of concentric rings, virtual walls and colored spheres just like the action games of the past. The developers are the first to reveal the inspiration, to which they add all the improvements on the “quality of life” of a modern game. The challenge for Rakugaki is to find space in today’s market, which is not very receptive to solid gameplay, but as concise as the arcade games of the past. The same goes for Sega with its revival between Crazy Taxy, Jet Set Radio and Street of Rage, but at least there is a pedigree there to act as a possible parachute. There is also the danger that, among too many homages, the character of the game will struggle to emerge. Luckily, it won’t take long to find out what he’s really made of.
RKGK / Rakugaki, for Rakugaki friends, is a game that pays homage to the world of anime and video games with which programmers and a large part of those who are reading this preview right now grew up, giving all this Mexican nuances that they glimpse especially in the use of colors and the overload of details. Bringing color back to a gray and dystopian world is always nice, but the gameplay has to be up to par. Whether or not it will be that of this first game by Wabisabi Games and produced by Gearbox, we will find out on May 22nd when it will finally be available on Steam.
