Circuit Breakers

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Circuit Breakers is a co-op arcade shooter game set in a robot-infested world. Players must work together to defeat waves of enemies and bosses, using a variety of weapons and abilities. With fast-paced action and retro-inspired graphics, Circuit Breakers offers a challenging and engaging experience for up to 4 players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Reviews

43%

Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Fast-paced and challenging twin-stick shooter with a variety of characters and unique weapon mechanics.
Great local multiplayer experience that encourages cooperative play and adds to the fun.
Visually appealing with retro art style and engaging gameplay that keeps players focused and entertained.

Repetitive levels and lack of variety in enemies lead to boredom over extended play sessions.
Core mechanics, particularly the energy system, can feel broken and detract from the shooting experience.
Limited controller aiming and frustrating menu navigation can hinder the overall gameplay experience.

gameplay
15 mentions
20 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by strong keyboard and mouse support, engaging bullet hell mechanics, and memorable boss encounters, offering a mix of fun and replayability. However, players criticize the core mechanics, particularly the kiting aspect and weapon switching, which detracts from the shooting experience. While the game features varied and enjoyable environments, the overall gameplay experience is marred by these fundamental issues.
- “The bullet hell aspect is in both how gameplay is as the difficulty ramps up, and you’re constantly upgrading your weapons on the fly temporarily by piling up your energy meter; and in the memorable screen-filling bosses that appear in every 10th room.”
- “If you enable the beta 4.0 branch in Steam, the keyboard/mouse twin-stick shooter gameplay is great fun with some innovative bits and a great deal of replayability.”
- “Its rooms are delightfully varied and enjoyable, yet successful in not distracting the player from gameplay.”
- “Dumb mechanic for a twin stick shooter.”
- “Core mechanic of kiting endlessly instead of shooting is still fundamentally broken.”
- “Which means you have a shooting game where the core mechanic is all about not shooting.”
grinding
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with grinding in the game, citing tedious waiting and repetitive levels that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the chaotic enemy encounters reminiscent of classic shooters, many feel that the grinding mechanics hinder enjoyment, making gameplay feel like a slog rather than an engaging challenge.
- “As you just wait, and wait, and wait for the challenge, grinding away at trying to get everything the game arbitrarily locks away.”
- “[Levels are uninspired and repeat often. Starting over from level one after dying is extremely tedious. One-player mode is a boring slog.]”
- “I really enjoyed being swarmed by a vast amount of humangrinding robots, reminded me a tiny bit of the first Painkiller in terms of 'more, more, wtf more enemies!' Really refreshing.”
replayability
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its diverse starting characters, each with unique weapon specialties, and unpredictable enemy swarm patterns that enhance the gameplay experience. While the limited controller aiming and clumsy keyboard navigation may detract slightly from the experience, enabling the beta version improves the twin-stick shooter mechanics, further increasing replay value. Overall, players can expect a dynamic and engaging experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Brilliant, very replayable overhead twin-stick arena shooter akin to a turbo-supercharged version of Smash TV with much more varied arenas, with some Robotron 2084 and bullet hell shooter DNA mixed in.”
- “High degree of replayability due to its starting set of 5 different characters, each with a specific weapon specialty: machine gun, shotgun, chaingun, missile launcher, and laser (long-beam type, not pew-pew).”
- “Much replayability because enemy robot swarms come out of lots of different entry doors, and it’s never a predictable mix, in my opinion.”
graphics
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are noted for their retro style and fantastic sprite design, showcasing an impressive art style. However, some users feel that the overall presentation serves more as a proof-of-concept rather than a fully realized gaming experience.
- “The retro sound and visuals create an awesome art style, and the sprites look fantastic.”
- “Sadly, what we have is another proof-of-concept with snappy graphics that didn't actually amount to a complete game.”
- “Not so much gameplay-wise as much as graphics-wise and sound.”
music
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is often perceived as forgettable and generic, resembling royalty-free tracks, yet it stands out due to its retro art style and unique presentation, distinguishing it from other games with more recognizable soundtracks.
- “Circuit Breaker's music and retro art sets it apart from the clutter of games with recognizable tunes and indiscernible drawings.”
- “The music may as well be royalty free; I would forget it in no time.”
- “Circuit Breaker's music and retro art set it apart from the clutter of games with recognizable tunes and indistinct drawings.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting significant bugs and issues, particularly with the energium system, leading to a bland overall experience.
- “The energium system is still broken, and the game is completely bland and buggy.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined my gaming experience.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for providing hilarious moments during co-op couch play, making it an enjoyable experience despite some areas needing improvement. Players express a strong desire for more content, highlighting the game's comedic appeal.
- “Hilarious co-op couch play is guaranteed! Even though this little gem still needs some polishing, it obviously manages one thing perfectly: I simply want more.”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, with witty dialogue and funny scenarios that keep you laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create humor; it never fails to catch me off guard and make me chuckle.”