At the lowest setting, the game can be easily completed within an hour so the amount of time put in will mostly be linked to how much punishment you want to apply to yourself. The difficulty varies greatly thanks to several different settings and ranges from incredibly easy to sadistically punishing. Each of the five levels has the hero side-scrolling through a 2D environment Contra-style fighting through bad guys and finishing with a boss fight. In a post-apocalyptic future, the protagonist, Taro Takahashi, fights through a handful of levels in order to defeat an evil tyrant bent on world domination. It is also possible to turn off screen shake if that’s a deal-breaker.Steel Assault doesn’t get too detailed when it comes to the story. You can make the game even more retro by unlocking border art or adding CRT curvature. Playing Steel Assault reminded me of how powerful the 16-bit aesthetic can truly be. Yes, it’s retro, but it’s still stunning. There’s an incredible amount of replay value to this game and the gorgeous visuals and soundtrack meant I never got sick of playing it. If you’re feeling especially masochistic, you can try Arcade Mode, which demands you start over completely after dying and should probably be considered a form of self-harm. It’s a game that’s easy to complete and incredibly difficult to master. Levels often look like standard action-platformer fare before revealing some brutal secret that demands you take verticality into account, like firebombs or electrical blockades. Every time I went somewhere new, I was faced with fresh opponents, gameplay mechanics, and sometimes power-ups. In fact, the game always seems to have something new up its sleeve with each new screen, which is really impressive.
#STEEL ASSAULT MODES TRIAL#
Magnus’ evil plan was also not explained very well, which didn’t keep me from getting invested in thwarting it.Įach level has hazards and specific enemy patterns you’ll have to learn through trial and error, Dark Souls-style, which means you are going to die. The intro cutscene did a lot to establish the personal grudge between protagonist Taro Takahashi and Magnus was, and Magnus himself is entertainingly evil in cutscenes, but I didn’t feel like I knew who any of the other characters were.
I would’ve liked a bit more explicit exposition on what was going on. The scenes of overgrown cities with flickering neon signs still playing ancient ads are especially haunting. However, the environmental storytelling makes up for it in my opinion. There’s something surprisingly unsettling about the tinny death screams of dictator Magnus Pierce’s soldiers.Īlthough Steel Assault tells a story of corruption, revenge, and seeking justice in a devastated world, the limitations of its retro arcade-style can be keenly felt in this area. The soundtrack is equal parts futuristic and nostalgic, creating an immersive atmosphere that meshes well with the equally nostalgic sound effects.
#STEEL ASSAULT MODES HOW TO#
It’s a quick introduction to the gameplay mechanics that will give you time to work out how to aim the zipline–and how to time your slides, because they do not go as far as you think they will.
#STEEL ASSAULT MODES FULL#
This 16-bit game offers a separate tutorial mode you should absolutely play through before the full game. Like many retro arcade games, Steel Assault has a pretty interesting story, but it definitely takes a back seat to the grueling trial and error gameplay.
0 kommentar(er)
