Genre: Action platformer
Developer: Extend Studio
Publisher: ORiGO GAMES

The sprite-based character art throughout A.R.E.S. is stunningly detailed, clean, and well-animated. It also manages to have a high resolution, anti-aliased look, without suffering from the substantial lack of detail that plagues other games such as the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. As for stage art, history has proven that it's difficult to make a 2.5D platformer that doesn't end up looking like a solid color-filled, Fisher Price-inspired, aliased mess. The stage art in A.R.E.S. mostly avoids that pitfall, and it does so via pleasantly busy textures and wonderful color motifs throughout each of the stages.

In an era where video games have largely shunned melody altogether in their soundtracks in lieu of forgettable, derivative Hollywood-inspired fare, titles like A.R.E.S. prove that the art of the video game soundtrack is not completely lost. Like the best 32-bit era titles in the mid-90s, this game features 16-bit style techno-rock fusion masterpieces but with high quality, modern instrumentation. Sound effects are minimal and a bit generic, but take a back seat to the outstanding soundtrack anyway.

A.R.E.S. player movement is controlled via a configurable WASD keyboard scheme, while aiming and firing is done with the mouse. This scheme allows the player plenty of flexibility when it comes to clearing the game's five well-paced, secret-laden stages, filled with a nice variety of baddies. The title's short length, rating and upgrade systems, and interesting stages mean that the title's replay value is high.

Between its phenomenal artwork, production values, well-designed stages, and excellent upgrade system, A.R.E.S. is the best Mega Man X-like title since Mega Man X. The only downside to the title's design is that it doesn't quite feel fleshed-out, or quite complete; the game's short length means that the story, with its predictable arc, falls a bit flat, while the game simultaneously lacks the intricate and challenging feel of 16-bit era titles of a similar length. All the same, it's difficult to not enjoy the experience, replay value, and sense of style A.R.E.S. brings to the table.