Steel Assault is a retro throwback to Nintendo classics. There are a ton of robots to destroy like in the Mega Man games. There is also a big emphasis on grappling hooks which fall under the Bionic Commando umbrella. Those are just two examples of the games Steel Assault seems like it is trying to emulate.
Does it succeed as an homage and as a game that can stand on its own? The answer is mostly yes. The reviews so far are doing well. Like any release from the biggest AAA titles to the littlest indie games like this, there are bound to be some issues. Thankfully they are small in comparison to the positives found in Steel Assault but they still need to be addressed.
8 Best: Retro Graphics
The retro-inspired pixel art in this game is spot on from the height of the 16-bit era. The animations are equally amazing. From the graphics themselves to the enemy and character designs, Steel Assault feels like it could have come from the 80s or 90s. The colors are much sharper in the game so it is more modern as well.
One of the biggest highlights is the giant bosses which often take up the screen. They can be tricky to defeat and might push some players to their absolute limits. Hard or not, there is no denying the designs look great though.
7 Worst: No Fullscreen Option
There are various filters in the game to make Steel Assault feel like a retro 16-bit title. There are CRT lines and even an emulated viewpoint to make it look like an old tube TV. Turning these effects on makes the game look blurry so it is recommended to turn them off.
This makes Steel Assault look better and it’s much easier to see what’s going on. The downside is that even with all of these options turned off, the game is only presented in a 4:3 ratio. It’s a shame because again, it is a real looker.
6 Best: Grappling Hooks
The main character, Taro, has two basic moves. He can use a plasma-powered whip to attack foes and he can shoot grappling hooks. These hooks can anchor on most things in the environment or even some moving objects.
When players jump off there is a nice bounce. Learning the ropes is a bit tricky at first, but it will soon become more natural with practice. This is definitely the biggest thing gamers can relate to Bionic Commando, which is a positive.
5 Worst: Not Many Power-ups
The whip and the hooks are a blast to play around with. Unfortunately, there aren’t many power-ups to accompany the main gear. There are chests strewn throughout every level with only one of three things contained inside. There are hearts for healing. There is a shield power-up that grants a temporary defense boost.
Then there is the electric power-up which adds some electronic projectiles to Taro’s whip for a limited amount of time. A good retro game, or a modern indie one, lives and breathes on cool power-ups, and Steel Assault is just lacking. It could have used some sort of bike or mech suit too.
4 Best: Difficulty Options
There are no adjustable accessibility options in Steel Assault. On the plus side, there are good difficulty levels that work just as well. They can’t be changed on the fly, but that’s ok. There are four to start within the game with Very Easy being an almost literal cakewalk and Expert being as punishing as some of the toughest classics. These modes should cater to all types of gamers.
3 Worst: Very Short
The launch price for Steel Assault is $15, which is close to many indie games. Even at that cost, some gamers may be disappointed by the fact that the game can be beaten in about thirty minutes. That's on the easiest setting to give gamers a better idea of the base experience.
It will certainly take longer on the higher difficulties but even on Expert mode, that time might only stretch to a couple of hours. To paint a clearer picture, there are only five levels. It’s a good thirty minutes, but again, that may not be enough for everyone.
2 Best: Good Level Variety
The plus side to the five stages is that each of them is varied. The main five all take place in different types of levels from a ruined city to a vibrant jungle. The individual stages also change appearances.
The second level, the aforementioned jungle, starts off on a fine river adventure before eventually starting on fire. The indie developers did a lot to make these stages stick out. They are overall well designed from a gameplay perspective and from an art perspective.
1 Worst: No Tutorial Or Extras
If the game was thirty minutes but was packed with extras that would be one thing. There are no extras though. The only replay value for gamers then is testing out every difficulty just for self-satisfaction. Steel Assault doesn’t even have a leaderboard.
It’s another thing to caution some gamers away from the experience. Steel Assault could have benefited from typical retro game features such as an art gallery, a boss rush mode, or even a tutorial. Maybe these things can get patched in through future updates.
Steel Assault was released on September 28, 2021, and is available on PC and Switch.