🔔 While images may captivate the view, it's analysis that unveils what's true. 🔔
I confess that the current landscape needs more video games like this: short but delightful and frenetic adventures, filled with vibrant colors and lively tones that spice up any screen. It's undeniable that the pixelated graphics appeal to nostalgia and set it apart from its peers, resembling a lost feat from the days of the Game Boy Advance, but Steel Assault's ruthless and electrifying gameplay also has something to say.
That's why, despite Steel Assault being a fun side-scroller, with a tiny and cliché plot, paired with a short duration (60 minutes), recommending it is somewhat difficult. Making comparisons between these values never ends well, but the truth is that Steel Assault feels good but lacks substance, notwithstanding the excellent and diverse level design with gameplay so good that the only fitting adjective is "crispy."
That said, without wanting to contradict, Steel Assault is a complete package and an excellent experience, whose sources of inspiration are (almost certainly) Castlevania and Bionic Commando. These influences are reflected not only in the gameplay but also in the creativity of the five available levels, standing out for the way constant danger, at every turn, engages the player in a race to the end that only ends when they decide to inhale oxygen.
Still, one of the elements that truly sets Steel Assault apart from other indies is the main character's zipline: a contraption that shoots a rope with two hooks, one on each end, in eight different directions. This mechanic is used by the game without exception, rewarding the player for inventive and fun implementations, with the entire title designed to accommodate this gimmick. It's strange because it doesn't always seem to want to work as needed in moments of distress, but after a few minutes, it becomes almost like an extension of the body itself.
Apart from the usual options in a title of this caliber, such as the option to turn specific filters on or off to provide a more retro experience, the different difficulty levels will accommodate players of all abilities. Those, however, seeking a greater challenge have Arcade Mode available, a mode that increases the overall difficulty, removes checkpoints, and provides only one life to finish the adventure from start to finish.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C O N C L U S I O N
It's brutal, but all things considered, Steel Assault is yet another one of those coveted action-packed adventures, with challenging gameplay and nostalgia, featuring that arcade flair in level progression and how the narrative is delivered to the audience. Its short duration and final price may not please many who like to quantify their experiences per hour, but it is certainly one of the most enjoyable side-scrollers in recent memory.
Pros:
✅ Breathtaking Pixel Art
✅ Intense, Grappling Hook-Fueled Gameplay
✅ Multiple Difficulty Options
Cons:
❌ Very Short Campaign
❌ Story is Clichéd
❌ Grappling Hook Can Be Unreliable at Times
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M I S C
◻️ 🌳 Don't forget to visit my Linktree here
◻️ 📝 Click here for the website link published on June 22nd, 2023
◻️ 🙋♂️ Also tap here to find more reviews of mine
◻️ 🎮 And touch here to discover more Xbox One video games I've played
◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 128
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N
I confess that the current landscape needs more video games like this: short but delightful and frenetic adventures, filled with vibrant colors and lively tones that spice up any screen. It's undeniable that the pixelated graphics appeal to nostalgia and set it apart from its peers, resembling a lost feat from the days of the Game Boy Advance, but Steel Assault's ruthless and electrifying gameplay also has something to say.
That's why, despite Steel Assault being a fun side-scroller, with a tiny and cliché plot, paired with a short duration (60 minutes), recommending it is somewhat difficult. Making comparisons between these values never ends well, but the truth is that Steel Assault feels good but lacks substance, notwithstanding the excellent and diverse level design with gameplay so good that the only fitting adjective is "crispy."
That said, without wanting to contradict, Steel Assault is a complete package and an excellent experience, whose sources of inspiration are (almost certainly) Castlevania and Bionic Commando. These influences are reflected not only in the gameplay but also in the creativity of the five available levels, standing out for the way constant danger, at every turn, engages the player in a race to the end that only ends when they decide to inhale oxygen.
Still, one of the elements that truly sets Steel Assault apart from other indies is the main character's zipline: a contraption that shoots a rope with two hooks, one on each end, in eight different directions. This mechanic is used by the game without exception, rewarding the player for inventive and fun implementations, with the entire title designed to accommodate this gimmick. It's strange because it doesn't always seem to want to work as needed in moments of distress, but after a few minutes, it becomes almost like an extension of the body itself.
Apart from the usual options in a title of this caliber, such as the option to turn specific filters on or off to provide a more retro experience, the different difficulty levels will accommodate players of all abilities. Those, however, seeking a greater challenge have Arcade Mode available, a mode that increases the overall difficulty, removes checkpoints, and provides only one life to finish the adventure from start to finish.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C O N C L U S I O N
It's brutal, but all things considered, Steel Assault is yet another one of those coveted action-packed adventures, with challenging gameplay and nostalgia, featuring that arcade flair in level progression and how the narrative is delivered to the audience. Its short duration and final price may not please many who like to quantify their experiences per hour, but it is certainly one of the most enjoyable side-scrollers in recent memory.
Pros:
✅ Breathtaking Pixel Art
✅ Intense, Grappling Hook-Fueled Gameplay
✅ Multiple Difficulty Options
Cons:
❌ Very Short Campaign
❌ Story is Clichéd
❌ Grappling Hook Can Be Unreliable at Times
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M I S C
◻️ 🌳 Don't forget to visit my Linktree here
◻️ 📝 Click here for the website link published on June 22nd, 2023
◻️ 🙋♂️ Also tap here to find more reviews of mine
◻️ 🎮 And touch here to discover more Xbox One video games I've played
◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 128
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N