Cold Shell
- February 28, 2023
- Brutal muse
Get on SteamIn "Cold Shell", play as a war veteran struggling in a post-war occupied city with limited resources and augmentations. Experience her journey from a grocery store job to confronting gangs and corporate skirmishes, as she hopes for a better future. The game is a gripping tale of survival and resistance in a society marred by conflict and oppression.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features an engaging cyberpunk setting with a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Combat is satisfying and has a high skill ceiling, rewarding players who invest time in mastering the mechanics.
- The game offers a nostalgic feel reminiscent of Hotline Miami, with enjoyable gameplay and a variety of bosses.
- The final boss fight is frustrating and poorly designed, ignoring most combat features and relying on insta-kill attacks.
- Gameplay can become repetitive, with some players finding the missions and combat lacking in variety.
- There are minor bugs and performance issues, particularly with the full-screen mode and camera shake during gameplay.
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story consists of straightforward main missions primarily focused on combat against generic enemies, complemented by optional side missions that offer a greater challenge. Players can customize their stats between missions and replay earlier tasks for upgrades, providing a flexible approach to progression. Overall, while the storyline missions are not particularly complex, the side missions add depth for those seeking a more demanding experience.
“The storyline missions in the game are generally not difficult, but there are side missions that can challenge those who seek it.”
“You get assigned short missions that mostly involve taking down some generic punks, then you return to your room where you have options to customize your stats if available, followed by a text box briefing you on the next mission.”
“You get assigned short missions which mostly involve killing some generic punks, returning to your room with options to customize your stats if available, and then you get a text box briefing you on the next mission.”
“The storyline missions in the game are generally not difficult, but there are side missions that can challenge those who need it.”
“You can even back out and replay older missions for money to buy upgrades if you are having trouble.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its catchy, Genesis-inspired sound, enhancing the overall experience. However, players note that the limited variety, with only two to three tracks repeating, can become monotonous over time. Despite this, the soundtrack is generally well-received and adds to the gameplay's appeal.
“From the gameplay itself to the bangin' soundtrack you'll be listening to as you press the button restart.”
“Music is so good.”
“The music is pretty neat and sounds very Genesis-like; however, you will hear the same two to three tracks repeat.”
“From the gameplay itself to the banging soundtrack, you'll be listening to as you press the restart button.”
“The music is so much better.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay is engaging for fans of top-down beat'em ups, though it may feel dull to others. The controls are user-friendly yet offer a high skill ceiling, rewarding players who invest time in mastering the mechanics. The experience is further enhanced by an energetic soundtrack that accompanies the action.
“The controls are easy to understand but have a high skill ceiling, making the game rewarding to anyone willing to put in the time to get good at the mechanics.”
“From the gameplay itself to the bangin' soundtrack you'll be listening to as you press the button to restart.”
“Gameplay can also feel a little dull unless you are really into these top-down style beat 'em ups.”
“From the gameplay itself to the banging soundtrack you'll be listening to as you press the button to restart.”
“Gameplay can also feel a little dull unless you are really into these top-down style beat 'em ups.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players are highly impressed with the main character's design, noting that the art style significantly enhances their engagement with the game, even for those who typically do not enjoy this genre. The character design serves as a strong motivator for continued play.
“I bought this game solely for the main character design, and it did not disappoint in that regard.”
“Normally, I am not into these types of games, but the art style and character design have persuaded me to continue.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect, noting that it feels ineffective as the combat relies heavily on shield usage and results in insta-kill attacks, rendering most learned combat features irrelevant. Additionally, the cluttered battlefield obscures important indicators, further diminishing the impact of grinding for stats.
“The fight ignores 90% of the combat features you learn to use, revolves entirely around using the shield, every attack is basically an insta-kill, it clutters the battlefield so you can't see the markers for its insta-kill attacks, and no amount of grinding for stats actually affects the fight.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's art style and character design have received positive feedback, with players noting that these elements are compelling enough to engage even those who typically do not enjoy this genre.
“Normally I am not into these types of games, but the art style and character design have persuaded me to continue.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players express uncertainty regarding the game's replayability, noting that while it is engaging, they may not return to play it again for an extended period. This suggests that while the game offers a compelling experience, its long-term replay value remains in question.
“I am unsure about the replay value because I am unlikely to come back for a month or so to play through again, so I'll find out then. But overall, it is an engaging game throughout.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players have noted that the game's performance suffers in busy areas, indicating a need for better optimization to enhance the overall experience.
“My only issue is the performance; the game could use some optimization in the busy areas.”
