Berzerk is one of the first video games in the history of the industry to truly live up to its name. A 2D shooter that inspired classic games the likes of Robotron 2084 and Smash TV, it was a massive success in arcades across the United States well before iconic games the likes of Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. were ever released. An undeniable classic in a day where there was no base to even create games, no formula to work from, Berzerk is an undeniable classic.
Time does weird things to video games though. Most of the time they don’t keep their shine as well as a great film, song or a book. That has everything to do with the audience. Gamers consistently expect more. More in terms of visuals, gameplay and of course fun. Berzerk is a rare game that after nearly 40 years, is still enjoyable to play. Although the visuals are dated, the core gameplay holds up. That’s because in essence it has a perfect formula. It also has a frenetic pace that makes your heart beat faster. And of course, it has a villain that’ll drive you crazy. In terms of the earliest smash hits in the Arcade, it may be one of the best ever.
At its heart, Berzerk is about destroying robots and advancing from room to room. As you advance and accumulate points, the robots get smarter and you have to speed up. Move too slow and Evil Otto appears and forces you to get your rear in gear. Oh, and yeah, the walls in each level are electrified and each level is randomly generated making you end up anywhere after you escape a room. It may seem novel by today’s standards but it’s still incredibly simple but wildly addictive. It’s also a technological achievement for its time. If the randomly-generated levels weren’t enough, it was one of the first games to feature speaking of any sort, the game’s publisher Stern Electronics spent a pretty penny to have lines the likes of added to the game, making your frantic run through this maze of mayhem even more brutal on the mind.
Those that don’t play video games or even those who detest the retro scene may never “get” that part of Berzerk. Playing through a few levels is tough enough, but once the robots begin to come after you and you don’t have nearly as much room to navigate, the game becomes almost cerebral. Your fingers and mind work together and you’ll do anything to survive. It doesn’t matter that the characters and enemies are stick figures. When you’re playing Berzerk, it feels real.
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