Clash Force
- October 25, 2017
- Kevin Dressel
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Clash Force" is a retro-style run-and-gun shooter game featuring the heroic trio of Voom, Scorpido, and Echid. Your mission is to stop the Evil Crackman and his minions across various stages, from forest bases to the Flying Fortress. With multiple weapon upgrades, difficulty levels, and an auto-save feature, this game offers a challenging and enjoyable experience for both beginners and 80s game experts.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic NES titles, with vibrant graphics and catchy music.
- Gameplay is straightforward and fun, with tight controls and a gradual increase in difficulty that keeps it engaging.
- Unlimited lives and quick respawns make it accessible for players of all skill levels, allowing for a more relaxed gaming experience.
- Level design is overly simplistic, often consisting of straight paths with little variation or creativity.
- The lack of an auto-fire option and limited shooting directions can lead to frustrating gameplay, requiring constant button mashing.
- Some levels, particularly the later ones, can feel unfairly difficult due to cheap enemy placements and unclear attack patterns.
- gameplay27 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as simplistic and reminiscent of classic 2D platformers, primarily involving basic mechanics like jumping and shooting, often compared to titles like Contra. While some players appreciate the tight controls and nostalgic feel, many criticize it for being repetitive and lacking innovation, with little differentiation between characters. Overall, the experience is described as a mixed bag, with some enjoying the retro charm and challenge, while others find it bland and uninspired.
“Quality of life retro shooter platformer with tight controls, satisfying gameplay, and a bumpin soundtrack.”
“Shockingly authentic retro game with extremely challenging gameplay mechanics.”
“Clash Force offers pretty much the kind of quick, arcade-style gameplay experience you'd expect from a 'no-bullshit' shooting platformer.”
“The gameplay is extremely basic, just left, right, jump, shoot left and right.”
“Back then, it was fun, but when the possibility was drawn by the game designer, why stick around with primitive gameplay when you could polish it and make a new one rather than simply copying it?”
“Gameplay itself is tired and dead 2D platforming with an emphasis on shooting/bullet hell gameplay aspects.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many reviewers appreciating the vibrant, retro-inspired pixel art reminiscent of classic NES and Game Gear titles. While the visuals are praised for their colorful palette and appealing design, some players noted a lack of modern graphical options and polish in level design. Overall, the graphics are seen as a highlight, particularly for fans of retro aesthetics, though they may not elevate the gameplay experience significantly.
“The visuals are very colorful and nice to look at; they are like a mixture of NES and Game Gear.”
“The graphics look great (which is why I initially wanted to try this), and the music is pretty good.”
“The visuals actually look really good in motion, thanks to a combination of strong palette choices, parallax scrolling, and stylistic lighting effects.”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“The graphics remind me a bit of 8-bit NES with a more appealing color palette.”
- music21 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it catchy and enjoyable, while others describe it as forgettable or lacking the intended 80s charm. Many appreciate the soundtrack's quality and its ability to complement the game's graphics and gameplay, though a few note issues with looping and a lack of retro authenticity. Overall, while the music is generally considered decent, it does not consistently stand out as a highlight of the experience.
“The music is nice and catchy.”
“Quality of life retro shooter platformer with tight controls, satisfying gameplay, and a bumpin soundtrack.”
“Fantastic soundtrack, too.”
“It's decent, but I didn't get the 80s charm that it attempts to replicate; the music is forgettable, and the only time you might enjoy it is by putting the game on its highest difficulty, but even so, the simplicity makes this game too tedious.”
“Music is loud and just okay; screen and stage transitions are abrupt and jarring, and some enemies are not well designed.”
“Musics are alright, although since they do not sound like they're coming from an old console, it feels a little out of place.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's story emphasizes resilience and the unpredictability of life, suggesting that perseverance can lead to unexpected outcomes. While the narrative is straightforward and simple, some players appreciate the lack of complexity, finding it sufficient for their experience.
“The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“The gameplay is simple, but the story is engaging.”
“The plot of the game is that you don't need to know the plot, and that's good enough for me.”
“Simple gameplay and story.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking in charm, with a forgettable soundtrack and simplistic mechanics that hinder enjoyment. The limited mapping restricts gameplay, making boss battles feel more laborious and frustrating rather than engaging.
“It's decent, but I didn't get the '80s charms that it attempts to replicate; the music is forgettable, and the only time you might have fun is by putting the game on its highest difficulty. Even so, the simplicity makes this game too tedious.”
“The standard mapping limits your airtime and therefore the number of shots you can fire at the boss during each jump, making the process of chipping away at the boss's health bar a more tedious and difficult task.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on personal preferences for neo-retro hardware and software. Therefore, no clear conclusions about monetization can be drawn from the provided text.
