Angry Video Game Nerd 8-bit review (PS5)

Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit – published by Retroware and developed in partnership with Programancer and Mega Cat Studios for the PS5 – leans hard into an NES-era action-platformer identity, wrapping James Rolfe’s cranky comedy in compact, palette-swapped stages and set-piece boss fights. The premise is deliberately simple: guide the Nerd through a series of themed levels filled with zombies, skeletal contraptions and other genre stock enemies while hunting secrets and alternate routes; that economy of ambition is part of the game’s charm, because the experience is designed to be judged on level craft and pacing rather than narrative surprises.

Movement and combat favor clarity and timing over chaotic juggling: the jump-and-shoot loop is responsive, and encounters reward memorisation and careful positioning rather than button-mashing. Designers sprinkle stages with branching paths and collectibles so that short bursts feel complete while repeat runs reveal hidden design flourishes, but the difficulty can bite – a handful of stages introduce abrupt spikes that feel more punitive than purposeful until patterns are learned.

Visually, the game does a neat trick of evoking cartridge-era charm without inheriting its unreadable moments: sprites are lively, enemy silhouettes read clearly in the chaos of play, and boss encounters are given distinctive palettes and animation beats that make them memorable. That said, the pastiche isn’t uniform – some stages show stronger cohesion than others, which occasionally exposes the tension between homage and consistent visual identity.

Where the package most reliably sells itself is in the audio design: upbeat chiptune tracks set tempo and mood across different stage types, and the inclusion of voice gags and effect work gives the game a personality that underpins otherwise-standard platforming loops. The OST often elevates replaying levels, providing rhythmic cues that align with enemy waves and boss telegraphs.

On PS5 the controls are generally tight and inputs feel faithful to the platforming the game aspires to, avoiding visual clutter or slowdown that would undermine precision. There are a couple of rough edges in polish – checkpoint placement and a few stage transitions could be more forgiving, and the console build’s accessibility suite is lighter than some modern players might expect – none are too troublesome, but they do narrow the audience to those comfortable with arcade-leaning challenge.

Length and replay value sit in a pragmatic middle ground: the main run is compact and focused, boss fights and secret routes add replay incentives, and achievement hunters will find hooks to keep returning, but the overall scope is intentionally restrained. Expect a concentrated, high-quality set of moments rather than a sprawling single-player marathon; how much value you find will depend on whether you prize concentrated design and nostalgia over sheer runtime.

All told, Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit is an affectionate and often effective translation of the AVGN world into a playable retro frame: it balances faithful homage with enough modern clarity to make platforming feel fair even when the difficulty leans old-school. Fans of crisp pixel work, catchy chiptunes and compact but challenging platform design will find much to admire on PS5, while players seeking broad accessibility or hours of content may judge it a niche, albeit well-crafted, throwback.

Score: 8.0/10