The story of Frenzy is that you play as Lieutenant Lyra Nova. Lyra is trapped in an alien maze and must make her escape. Failure to escape will lead to her being fried to a crisp! While not the best story, Frenzy is an arcade game and you don’t need a complex story for this game to be enjoyable, and enjoyable it is!
Frenzy’s gameplay builds on the familiar eight directional shooting with significant additions, the most important mechanical change being the destructible environment. The ability to shoot through gray walls and fixtures fundamentally alters the dynamic, encouraging the player to engage with the maze rather than just avoiding it. This introduces a strategic element that wasn’t present in the purely evasive Berzerk. The enemy variety is also greatly expanded, featuring tough, shooting Tanks and faster Sentry Bots, forcing the player to prioritize targets based on their immediate threat level.
Along with the new mechanics, Frenzy introduces Crazy Otto; Evil Otto’s cousin. Unlike Evil Otto, Crazy Otto can be stopped; though temporarily. If by chance you stick around long enough for him to emerge, you have a chance to hit him and make for a hasty escape. The 7800 port handles these new elements well. The firing system remains responsive, essential for clearing walls quickly. However, the game retains the harsh collision mechanics where touching an electric wall or robot is instantaneous death. Because the mazes in Frenzy are fixed (not randomly generated), the difficulty relies on memorizing optimal routes and destructive sequences. This helps with not feeling as endangered when it comes to colliding with a wall, but you still have to be mindful of all the other elements in the room as you make your way through.
Visually, Frenzy benefits immensely from the move to fixed, structured levels. While the core aesthetic is similar, the 7800 version uses the console’s color capabilities to clearly define three types of barriers: the lethal electric walls, the destructible gray walls, and the invincible black borders. This clarity is vital for tactical shooting. The presentation is rich with graphical detail not found in Berzerk, including varied furniture, complex patterns, and the distinct, imposing sprite of the final opponent, Robot Kutter.
The game performs flawlessly, showcasing a stable frame rate and effective sprite handling that minimizes the visual clutter, even when multiple enemies, bullets, and wall debris are on screen. The graphics successfully capture the slightly cleaner, more structured feel of the arcade original, ensuring that the unique look of each static room is immediately recognizable and distinct.
The sound design is arguably the definitive technical success of the 7800 port, successfully expanding upon the system’s ability to handle digitized speech. Frenzy features a wider vocabulary and more varied phrases than its predecessor, with the robotic voice often making pronouncements related to the in-game action and intensifying the atmosphere. Hearing the voice declare “Shoot the walls!” or warn about the incoming “Robot Kutter!” adds significant tension.
Crucially, the sound effects provide excellent feedback for the new gameplay elements. The sound of a wall being destroyed is loud and distinct, confirming the tactical action immediately. The new enemies have unique auditory signatures with the heavy tread of the Tanks versus the rapid pew-pew of the standard robots. This really helps the player identify threats based on sound alone. The audio fidelity is excellent, delivering the full, intimidating soundscape necessary for an arcade experience.
Frenzy on the Atari 7800 is a brilliant sequel and a superb port. It successfully takes the core, tense gameplay of Berzerk and evolves it into a more strategic, deliberate shooter through the excellent addition of destructible environments and varied enemies. Its strengths lie in its technical fidelity with the smooth performance and the extended use of digitized speech. While the high difficulty and the necessity for pure precision will challenge even veteran players, Frenzy is an essential title that showcases how deep and complex 8-bit arcade adaptations can truly be the Atari 7800 platform.
If you’re a fan of Berserk and were hoping for a true sequel that expanded on the original in every way, Frenzy is it! I highly recommend checking out this game and picking it up if you’re looking for an amazing arcade experience on the Atari 7800.
Disclaimer: A review unit was provided
In addition to writing articles, Ryan Byers also creates content for his YouTube channel called "Obscure Games and Consoles", collects video games, and dabbles in video game development.