Game: Scurge: Hive
Genre: Action, Adventure
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows), PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo DS)
Developer|Publisher: Orbital Media | Ratalaika Games
Age Rating: EU 7 | US Everyone 10+
Price: US $14.99 | UK 14.99 | EU € 14.99
Release Date: October 9th, 2025
Review code provided with many thanks to Ratalaika Games.
Scurge: Hive Review – Retro Infection
If you played handheld games in the mid-2000s, you might faintly remember Scurge: Hive. It was one of those hidden gems that quietly appeared on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS, impressed a few players, and then vanished into retro legend. Now, thanks to Ratalaika Games’ ongoing mission to revive old favourites, Scurge: Hive has burst out of quarantine and landed on modern consoles, completely intact, infection meter and all.
I’ll be honest: I never played it back in the day, so this release felt like opening a time capsule. What I found inside is a surprisingly unique sci-fi adventure that mixes combat and a constant ticking clock that keeps you just a little on edge. It’s a relic of its era, but a fascinating one that still has plenty of bite.
Meet Jenosa, Bounty Hunter (Not That One)
You play as Jenosa Arma, a bounty hunter hired to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak on a distant planet. The infection, known as the Scurge, corrupts everything it touches. Jenosa’s bio-suit slows the spread but doesn’t stop it entirely, which introduces one of the game’s most interesting mechanics: your infection meter constantly rises as you explore.
Let it hit 100 percent, and your health begins to drain until you reach a decontamination station. These checkpoints double as save points and safe zones, forcing you to plan your routes carefully. It’s a clever way to keep tension high. Early on, the timers feel generous, but later areas will have you dashing for a cleanse while enemies swarm from every direction or you’re trying to figure out a puzzle.
It’s a system that keeps you moving, giving you little time to stop and explore, which may deter some players.
Action and Awkward Angles
Gameplay-wise, Scurge: Hive sits somewhere between Metroid Fusion and an isometric puzzle adventure. You’ll explore maze-like research stations, fight hordes of mutated creatures, and unlock new weapons and abilities. The main focus is on pushing forward through the tension. A handy map points you in the right direction to assist if you get lost.
A notable niggle is that the isometric viewpoint can make aiming or lining up jumps feel awkward. You’ll sometimes be off by just a pixel, which can be frustrating when enemies are closing in. And jumping to platforms can be quite the nightmare, figuring out where you need to leap off a ledge to reach a floating platform. This is more a product of the era where many games were exploring outside the 2D realm in handheld titles. One can adjust to it, but it does take a little patience.
The combat itself is quick and responsive. Your main blaster gets the job done, and you’ll pick up new abilities such as a grappling hook for pulling platforms or solving environmental puzzles as well as find new elemental shots which are better at defeating certain enemies which power up others. The mix of exploration and light puzzle-solving keeps things interesting, even if the enemy waves can feel relentless at times.
A Bit of Metroid DNA
It’s impossible to ignore the Metroid comparisons, particularly Metroid: Fusion, which some die-hard fans may dislike. Scurge: Hive shares a lot of that same lonely-sci-fi atmosphere. The world feels hostile but intriguing, and Jenosa’s herself is another bounty hunter, only without the cool outfit. Even the infection feels similar to parasite X from Fusion. Scurge: Hive, with its action focus and isometric view, does still manage to just deviate enough to feel different.
Retro Look, Modern Touches
Visually, the game holds up surprisingly well. The pixel art is detailed and expressive, somewhere between late-SNES and early-GBA quality. Environments have that grungy, industrial sci-fi look, and the colour palette shifts as the infection spreads, a subtle touch that adds atmosphere.
Ratalaika Games has once again done a great job with their porting treatment. Alongside the untouched original version, both US and Japanese, you get modern comforts like save states, rewind, and turbo functions. You can even flip through the original instruction manual. A nostalgic little bonus for anyone who misses printed booklets.
They’ve also added optional cheats such as invulnerability or infection immunity. Purists might never touch them, but they’re perfect for players who want to experience the story without the stress. Having these accessibility options is always a win in my book.
Preservation with Personality
Scurge: Hive might not have the name recognition of other classics, but it absolutely deserves its second chance. It’s a slice of mid-2000s design philosophy, slightly clunky in places, ambitious in others, and now preserved for a new audience to rediscover.
Sure, the camera can be fiddly and the pacing occasionally uneven, but beneath that is a clever and genuinely engaging adventure. The infection mechanic gives it a real sense of urgency, maybe too stressful for some.
Conclusion: Still a Gem
Whether you’re revisiting a long-lost favourite or discovering it for the first time, Scurge: Hive is worth the trip. It’s tense, atmospheric, and full of that experimental energy you used to see in handheld games from the GBA era.
For those who appreciate game preservation, this is another solid rescue job from Ratalaika Games, complete with modern features that make it more approachable without losing its identity.
Final Verdict: I Like It
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