Sharp dressed cyborg
There are so many side-scrolling action games in the indie scene that it becomes almost impossible for one to stand out amongst the crowd. Combine that with the fact that there are between 30 and 50 new games released each week, and finding a foothold can be a challenge. This is true even for someone who tries to keep up with most game releases, so when one stops me in my tracks, I usually take note. Metal Suits: Counter-Attack is one of those games. From the intro I knew this game had something. The controls felt good, the story was intriguing, and it made an early impression on me. I wanted to keep playing, and in this day and age of having too many games and not enough time, that says something.
Let’s kick off with the setup. Players take on the role of Kevin, who has retired after saving the universe. He is enjoying his golden years when all of a sudden, his retirement home is blown up by his mortal enemies, the Golida. Kevin suffers major injuries during this attack, but we can rebuild him, we have the technology. He then returns as a cyborg and sets out on a revenge tour across the galaxy to take it out on the Golida for ruining his retirement.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
Alright, time to get down to brass tax, let’s talk about the gameplay. Right off the bat, the game was giving me vibes of Broforce. It is fast and chunky. Enemies explode in satisfying fashion, barrels blow up in nice big pixels, and the jumping feels very light and sticky. It is just fun to play. It moves fast and chaotic with the entire focus on moving left-to-right and destroying everything in your path. Kevin is equipped with a standard blaster and a melee attack, but the real star of the show are the suits scattered throughout each level.
Throughout the game Kevin will gain access to ten suits, each one with its own unique gameplay mechanic. The suits are not always available, and they have their own timer that limits their use. These can either be ammo or how much damage they take. Once they run out, Kevin goes back to his standard arsenal. The suits run the spectrum from rocket launchers, to flamethrowers, to even tossing shurikens at enemies. Each one is extremely satisfying and takes down enemies with ease.
The suits can be extended with exploration as you can find ammo and extra health to make them last longer. So it is a risk/reward system that encourages searching the levels to keep a specific suit. It is chaotic, and most importantly, fun. I had a great time trying to make my favorite suit last, and when it runs out, the anxiety kicks in as I feel vulnerable to the enemies, and one mistake would send me back to a checkpoint.
Like any good side-scrolling action game there are a host of bosses. Each one is harder than the last, and this is where the suits really come into play. These are necessary for boss fights, and each suit has a special move, and these are required to win. The first few bosses were a nice warm up, but once I got later in the game, the challenge really kicked in. The best part is that I never felt like the game was unfair. When I died, I knew it was on me, and it immediately made me want to go right back in. A lot of games try to achieve this balance, and so many of them fail. Metal Suits nails it though and I always had ‘just one more’ attempt left in me.
Visually the game has a pretty standard look with chunky pixels and short characters. The levels are designed well, and the sounds are great. They really hit and the explosions sound fantastic. The music is fine, but a bit muted compared to the sounds. The game runs great with only a few hitches here and there. The screen shaking can be a bit much at times, but I got used to it after a few levels.
Metal Suits: Counter-Attack is a game that I had never heard of before diving in. I am glad I got a chance to check it out though, as it ended up being one of the better side-scrolling action games I have played in a while. With so much vying for your attention these days, this is one not to miss. If you enjoy stuff like Contra, Broforce, or any game of that ilk, definitely keep this on your radar. It is more than worth your time.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
