30XX
- February 16, 2021
- Batterystaple Games
- 9h median play time
30XX is an action platforming roguelike that provides incredible depth in its content that is fun, addicting, and will always keep you coming back for more!
Get on Steam"30XX" is a platformer game with crisp controls and fluid movement, blending the style of classics like Mega Man X with the replayability of modern Roguelikes. Featuring single-player and local co-op modes for up to 2 players, explore a lush, verdant world and fight to save what remains. With distinct characters, beautiful spritework, and an outstanding soundtrack, "30XX" offers a hilarious and grinding experience full of beautiful replayability. Join the Discord community to stay updated on the game's development.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Beautiful pixel art and vibrant graphics that enhance the gameplay experience.
- Tight and responsive controls that capture the essence of the Mega Man X series.
- Engaging roguelike elements with a variety of power-ups and character abilities that keep each run fresh.
- Some levels can feel cluttered and chaotic, making it difficult to track projectiles and hazards.
- Balancing issues with certain bosses and mini-bosses, leading to frustrating encounters.
- Ambiguous descriptions for power-ups and abilities can lead to confusion during gameplay.
- music308 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in 30xx has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and engaging soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. Composed by Cityfires, the music is described as a significant improvement over its predecessor, 20xx, featuring a variety of catchy tracks that fit the game's retro aesthetic and dynamic levels. However, some players noted that certain tracks can feel repetitive or less memorable compared to classic Mega Man soundtracks, suggesting a desire for more distinct musical themes. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features of the game, contributing to its fun and nostalgic appeal.
“The music is amazing, even better than in 20xx, and that's saying something.”
“Cityfires continues to bring the heat and the progressive soundtrack adds so much to each stage.”
“The music is phenomenal to the point where I will never grow tired of it.”
“Unfortunately, the OST doesn't match up to 20xx either as it's very forgettable.”
“The only negative is by default the music is way too low!”
“The music for this game is quite okay and never really a problem, but it's also not very memorable.”
- gameplay305 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay in 30xx is a blend of classic Mega Man X mechanics and roguelite elements, offering a fast-paced, challenging experience with a variety of unique level designs and character abilities. While many players appreciate the fluid controls and engaging mechanics, some criticize the occasional lack of clarity in level design and the introduction of new mechanics that can feel overwhelming or poorly explained. Overall, the game is praised for its replayability and depth, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.
“We are hundreds of hours in and still finding new game mechanics and play styles.”
“Gameplay feels great just like its inspiration with good variety between the characters and even different runs on the same character.”
“The gameplay is as solid as ever, with tight, precise controls, and plenty of incentives to keep on doing runs.”
“Gameplay and movement feels stiff and weirdly laggy.”
“On top of the chunk generation hating you in every possible fashion, the level mechanics and gimmicks that are initially inviting and innovative become mandatory, frequently leading to situations where you're not even sure how to interact with said gimmick to proceed, all while being pelted by non-stop projectiles and damage beams and other 'non-enemy' hazards that you therefore can't eliminate, only pray to avoid.”
“Sadly the game has a major pacing problem, where new mechanics are introduced one after another with little to no explanation of how they work before they kill you.”
- graphics237 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of 30xx have received mixed reviews, with many praising the significant upgrade from the previous game's flash-like visuals to a more polished pixel art style reminiscent of classic Mega Man titles. While some players appreciate the vibrant and detailed graphics, others feel that the pixel art is overused in the genre and can lead to visual clutter, making gameplay challenging. Overall, the new art direction is seen as a step forward, though opinions vary on its execution and impact on gameplay clarity.
“The graphics are a big step up, the controls feel a bit tighter, and there's already a lot more variety in the levels than its predecessor.”
“The pixel art style looks gorgeous compared to 20xx's cartoony design.”
“Controlling the player character is a delight since movement is very smooth and precise, while the visuals are simply stunning, easily among the best sprite work I've seen this year.”
“The fact that the game's art style exhausts me doesn't help the situation either.”
“The graphics are unreal.”
“The graphics weren't great, sure, but the gameplay was everything I could have hoped for.”
- story93 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in 30xx has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its depth and multiverse concept, while others criticize it for being poorly explained and lacking emotional engagement. Many feel that the narrative is convoluted and inconsistent, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and RNG elements, leading to a sense of frustration rather than fulfillment. Overall, while there are interesting plot points and lore to uncover, the execution leaves much to be desired, with calls for improvement in storytelling and character development in future updates.
“30xx's story doesn't end once you beat the boss; there is a plot that pushes you to repeat the game, play with certain side goals, new limits, and new conditions.”
“The story is really great and the lore you can find in-game is not just some byproduct or flavor; it's actually something you need to pay attention to if you intend on progressing.”
“The addition of a story and story objectives to unlock overclock chips and new scenes was very welcome.”
“There's not even a full explanation as to why the final ultimate omnicide superweapon serpent exists other than a brief plot blurb, which leads me to believe that it was probably something they put a lot of thought into only to hastily ruin the idea in order to shoehorn this dumb skinship into the story.”
“There are no cutscenes, the dialogues are poor, the overall premise makes very little sense, there’s zero emotional investment in barely introduced characters, while the story expects me to feel emotional at some point.”
“The story leaves something to be desired; you can tell the people behind it were passionate about it, but it feels cliché and there's a strange contrast with it trying to be edgy and serious while at the same time having really meme-like writing.”
- replayability58 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, enhanced by its roguelike elements, randomly generated levels, and diverse character abilities, ensuring that each playthrough feels unique. Players appreciate the variety of challenges, hidden secrets, and post-game content, although some express concerns about grindy aspects in later levels. Overall, it is highly regarded as a spiritual successor to the Mega Man series, offering endless fun and replay value for both solo and co-op play.
“And to make things even better, it has nearly endless replayability.”
“The replayability of this is amazing and many hidden secrets to uncover from lore, story, and cosmetics.”
“Endlessly replayable, fast, precise, and fun sidescrolling action wrapped with a roguelite bow.”
“This game should be replayable even if you beat the boss, not a grindfest for a single level.”
“Those hoping to jump into the series, I'd recommend playing 20xx first as it offers vastly much more replay value than 30xx currently offers.”
“While 20xx was an awesome take that put the mmx formula in a roguelike/replayable format, 30xx throws the kitchen sink into the mix.”
- stability30 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game currently suffers from significant stability issues, particularly in multiplayer mode, where players report numerous glitches, bugs, and visual clutter that can hinder gameplay. While some improvements have been made since earlier versions, many users recommend waiting for further patches before diving in, as the experience can be frustrating due to the ongoing issues. Despite these problems, players still find the game enjoyable and fun overall.
“I'd love to recommend the game, however there are still various glitches and bugs, mostly prevalent in co-op mode.”
“My only real gripe with the game is there are still some significant glitches regarding multiplayer mode, where some enemy attacks either show up differently or not at all.”
“At this point multiplayer is super super buggy.”
- humor17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a self-aware and playful tone, often poking fun at player behavior and game mechanics, such as unexpected respawns and clever text responses to player attempts to "cheese" levels. While many players appreciate the lightheartedness and variety of comedic elements, some feel that the humor detracts from the game's potential seriousness, with certain meme references feeling out of place. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable even for those who typically don't favor roguelikes.
“Humor is spot on, knows exactly what it is.”
“Hilariously, the still alive player can force the dead one to respawn for fun times if they aren't at the controls.”
“Now you think you're smarter than the dev and try to climb a wall you're not supposed to just to 'cheese' the level in a 'Mario Maker' fashion, but then at some point the dev has built in an invisible wall and gives you some funny text because he was expecting the player to try something like that.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a mixed experience, with some players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly due to frustrating jumping sections and poor level design. Others appreciate the grind as a necessary part of the roguelike experience, enjoying the challenge and the accompanying music, though they acknowledge that it can be time-consuming. Overall, while some players find grinding to detract from the fun, others embrace it as part of the gameplay loop.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“Overall, a mixture of stiff movement, jerky combat, and tedious jumping sections with occasionally poor level design made this a bad experience for me.”
“I do not feel like making that journey to the end again knowing how long and grindy it is, which defeats the purpose of these types of games.”
“In its current state, 30xx is entirely about its roguelike qualities: doing runs and grinding for mediocre unlocks—like the ability to play community-designed level chunks (which are usually poorly designed)—and if that's all there is to it, then I'd much rather play a classic Mega Man X title; they at least have a goal that's not 'play me forever.'”
- character development7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The character development in 30xx has received high praise for its impressive art style and design, surpassing its predecessor, 20xx. Reviewers highlight the strong character designs, particularly the main antagonist, and note the abundance of upgrades and mechanics that enhance gameplay. Overall, the character elements are considered foundational to the game's appeal, contributing to its strong aesthetic and immersive experience.
“I used to be a big fan of 20xx and now 30xx is even better in terms of character design, levels, and new mechanics.”
“The updated art style and character design are great.”
“These character design elements are the roots of this game and those roots are very, very strong.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
“I was disappointed by how little the characters evolve throughout the game.”
“The character arcs are predictable and fail to engage the player emotionally.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed feedback. While some players report smooth performance and no crashes, others express frustration with long-standing issues that remain unaddressed, particularly in local co-op and matchmaking scenarios. This has led to a divide in player experience, with some enjoying the game after initial struggles, while others feel it still requires significant improvements.
“It's never crashed on me and runs smoothly.”
“This was the last hurrah for the game, the big 1.0 release, but it seems like it didn't amount to much... Batterystaple, I love you, but this ain't it. There's still a lot to fix, and you guys need to get your heads straight and start focusing on fixing long-standing issues (both performance and gameplay-wise).”
“The problems that happened are the ones that always happen to me when I play other games with the same proposition and that are not in beta anymore, like Dragon Ball FighterZ, Brawlhalla, and other matchmaking games that present too much stuttering and lag.”
“I wound up refunding after 2 hours because the local co-op is not optimized for platforming, but then after giving it some more time solo and practice, I wound up absolutely loving it!”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting a lack of engaging cutscenes, poor dialogue, and a confusing premise that fails to foster any emotional investment in the characters. Players feel disconnected from the story, which undermines its attempts to evoke emotions, leading to a desire to return to more fulfilling gaming experiences.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is negatively impacted by the ability to use the camera to see underneath the level, which detracts from the immersive experience.
“You can also use the camera to easily see underneath the level, which definitely takes away from the atmosphere.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with the monetization strategy, labeling it as a straightforward cash grab that detracts from the overall experience.
“Coming from 20xx and finding that developers have created a simple cash grab.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, prioritizing profits over player experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
Critic Reviews
30XX (Switch) Review
It’s pretty clear to me that 30XX is gameplay-forward over anything else. This isn’t a bad thing, but setting your expectations as such will prevent you from thinking that you’ll become invested in 30XX’s protagonists, antagonists, and everyone in between. Instead, you should expect a casual yet fun roguelite platformer that can be picked up and returned to at any time without needing to remember your progress, any side missions, and/or any other progression-based mechanics. I’ve quite enjoyed seeing 30XX progress through Early Access; I’ve enjoyed its official release on the Switch, too. I’m quite excited to take 30XX with me when traveling and returning to it when I need a good platforming roguelite fix if I need to wind down after a long day at work. I just hope that someday the Switch version will get the map maker in some capacity.
85%30XX Review – Just XX More Runs
30XX quickly shifts into top gear to provide a memorable, addictive roguelike experience that might just earn a titular number of runs.
80%30XX Review
Although it can be a bit uneven, 30XX is ultimately an enjoyable take on action platforming with a roguelite twist. The high difficulty, extreme replayability, and gorgeous visuals all come together to make for an action platformer you won’t want to miss out on. Beyond this, Mega Mode makes this one a solid recommendation even for those who don’t usually like roguelites, as it strips out most of the randomness and presents a more old-school challenge. For any fans of Mega Man, retro action platformers, or roguelikes, 30XX covers all those bases and then some, and deserves a spot in your Switch library.
80%
