Iron Meat

About

Iron Meat is a single player and multiplayer survival platformer game with horror and violence themes. It was developed by Retroware and was released on September 25, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In Iron Meat, players must take down the all-consuming Meat biomass in a fast-paced, run-and-gun shooter spread across nine levels of intense action. Look forward to challenging multi-phase boss fights, with increased difficulty options for experienced players. Join forces with a friend in 2-player couch co-op mode for double the firepower and double the carnage.

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98%

Audience ScoreBased on 347 reviews

music91 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Iron Meat is a fantastic homage to classic run-and-gun games like Contra, featuring tight controls, great pixel art, and an adrenaline-pumping soundtrack.
The game offers a generous number of lives and a fair difficulty curve, making it accessible for newcomers while still providing a challenge for veterans.
With a variety of unlockable skins and engaging boss fights, Iron Meat encourages replayability and keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.

The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 1-2 hours, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some players have noted visibility issues with certain enemies and hazards blending into the background, leading to frustrating deaths.
While the game is fun, it lacks additional gameplay modes or challenges that could enhance replayability beyond unlocking skins.

music
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
37%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and fitting soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the option to choose between modern metal tracks and retro chip-tune versions, both of which complement the game's chaotic action and aesthetic. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature, making the game worth purchasing for music enthusiasts alone.
- “The soundtrack slaps, so it's worth buying the game just for the soundtrack.”
- “The music is so good that it's worth the price of admission on its own.”
- “The soundtrack, full of energetic synth-metal tracks, keeps the intensity high and complements the chaotic on-screen action.”
- “But the music doesn't always seem to match the action.”
- “The retro versions are the same as the original songs, but feel way out of place since they're 8-bit music on a game that looks 16-bit.”
- “The only change I'd recommend for the music is to turn it down slightly.”
gameplay
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
59%
4%
The gameplay is heavily inspired by classic run-and-gun titles like Contra, featuring tight controls, responsive mechanics, and a nostalgic retro aesthetic. While it offers engaging level design and a variety of enemies, some players noted its brevity and lack of alternative gameplay formats, leading to potential repetitiveness. Overall, the game is praised for its fun, challenging experience, though it may not provide extensive replayability or depth beyond its core mechanics.
- “This game is a hidden gem--super fun and well-crafted gameplay and level design.”
- “The gameplay is tight and responsive, offering challenging levels packed with relentless foes and epic boss battles.”
- “The gameplay is buttery smooth, and the level design is both cool and varied, keeping things fresh at every turn.”
- “Probably done to pad gameplay in this, the age of whiners, but after a while it does make the stage feel repetitive, seeing the same enemies and gimmicks as many times as you do during your interminable march to the right of the screen.”
- “- low replayability and little content for the game's price (you can beat it three times, on easy/normal/hard difficulties and that's it. no secret levels, no challenges, no different characters, no gameplay twists... you can play again of course, but you will repeat the same levels with enemies spawning at the same exact places)”
- “But don't expect something as gameplay-deep or complex as the Contras and contra-likes of old.”
graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
37%
5%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant pixel art style, which effectively captures a gritty and grotesque aesthetic reminiscent of classic run-and-gun titles. Many reviewers highlighted the detailed animations, diverse enemy designs, and the overall visual presentation as standout features, complemented by a fitting and energetic soundtrack. However, some noted that while the visuals are impressive, they can feel somewhat repetitive at times.
- “The retro pixel art style is vibrant and full of detail, perfectly capturing the gritty atmosphere of a world overrun by grotesque, biomechanical enemies.”
- “The graphics are pixelated goodness, the soundtrack is awesome, and the monsters are diverse and plentiful enough.”
- “Amazing graphics, awesome familiar control, gore, a fantastic soundtrack.”
- “The graphics are colorful and bloody.”
- “I hated the art style they went with.”
- “It definitely doesn't fail to deliver on being a great contra-like run and gun experience, with gross and chunky pixel graphics and an absolutely shredding soundtrack.”
story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
64%
12%
The game's story is generally well-received, characterized as simple yet engaging, with a good flow between levels and effective visual storytelling. While some players feel the narrative is not essential, many appreciate its humor and the way it complements the gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as a solid foundation that enhances the experience, leaving players eager for potential sequels or additional content.
- “The story is pretty cool, with a good flow between levels.”
- “Throw in some of the best pixel art I've ever seen, a surprisingly cool environmental story that never overrides the gameplay, and the most banging metal soundtrack I've ever heard, and you have one of my new favorite games of all time!”
- “The story is narrated via short cutscenes and that's the kind of story I enjoy in this genre, simple and right to the point; also the animated intro is remarkably stylish.”
- “What story?”
- “There is a story here, but it really is not necessary.”
- “You are not going to be buying a 50-hour story-driven game.”
replayability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
45%
13%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the variety offered by unlockable skins, difficulty levels, and a mutator system, others find the overall content limited, with some expressing disappointment over the lack of additional challenges or gameplay twists. Despite its short length, the smooth gameplay and nostalgic elements contribute to a decent replay value, particularly for fans of the genre. However, some reviewers note that the replayability primarily hinges on cosmetic unlocks rather than substantial gameplay variations.
- “A fair bit of replayability due to the mutator system.”
- “Everything from the gory feeling, concept, story, music, controls, and even replayability is top-notch.”
- “The game is also very replayable, with a deeper cosmetic system than I'd expect of the genre.”
- “There's really no replayability other than unlocking skins.”
- “Low replayability and little content for the game's price; you can beat it three times on easy, normal, and hard difficulties, and that's it. No secret levels, no challenges, no different characters, no gameplay twists... you can play again, of course, but you will repeat the same levels with enemies spawning in the exact same places.”
- “Too bad that there are basically no extras besides other characters (which are just alternate skins) and achievements; no challenges or anything that would have improved its replayability.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat daunting, particularly when it comes to leveling up for skins, though modifiers have made it easier. While some describe it as a bit grindy, others suggest that it requires significant time and effort, with the primary replayability stemming from the pursuit of unique character skins.
- “The level grinding for the skins can be daunting; however, this has been made easier through the modifiers.”
- “You'll need a second life, maybe some macros, and a will to live for grinding.”
- “The only real replayability is grinding for different skins for your character, which you can mix and match various parts and create something unique, which is kind of cool.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a vibrant retro pixel art style that effectively conveys a gritty world filled with grotesque, biomechanical enemies. Players appreciate the engaging soundtrack and detailed graphics, which enhance the overall experience of this fun run-and-gun shooter. The combination of character customization and unlockables further enriches the nostalgic ambiance.
- “The retro pixel art style is vibrant and full of detail, perfectly capturing the gritty atmosphere of a world overrun by grotesque, biomechanical enemies.”
- “Very fun Contra-style retro shooter with unlockables, character customization, great retro graphics, great retro music, and great retro atmosphere.”
- “Great run and gun game; cool soundtrack, atmosphere, and boss battles.”
- “The retro atmosphere feels more like a gimmick than an immersive experience.”
- “While the game attempts to create a nostalgic vibe, it ultimately falls flat and lacks depth.”
- “The atmosphere is inconsistent, making it hard to get lost in the game world.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by over-the-top, absurd enemies and levels, reminiscent of classic body-horror aesthetics. Players appreciate the nostalgic and comedic elements, including funny character skins and visual storytelling that evoke a campy, Army of Darkness-style humor. Overall, the blend of challenge and replayability enhances the comedic experience.
- “Over-the-top insane and funny enemies and levels.”
- “The different skins are kind of funny, and the body horror is nostalgic.”
- “There are tons of visual storytelling scenes with an Army of Darkness-style sense of humor.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The game is generally well-optimized, running smoothly with minimal bugs, but users express a desire for more resolution options, including windowed mode, to enhance performance on lower-end systems and improve game capturing.
- “There are minimal to no bugs, and it could potentially run smoothly on any computer.”
- “My only gripe is that the game appears to be locked in 1080p fullscreen, which I understand, but I would like the option to play it at a slightly smaller resolution and in windowed mode for better game capturing and performance on low-end computers.”
- “My only gripe is that the game appears to be locked in 1080p fullscreen, which I understand, but I want the option to play it at a slightly smaller resolution and in windowed mode for better game capturing and performance on low-end computers.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the reviews highlight impressive artistic direction and design elements, they do not specifically address character development, suggesting that this aspect may not be a focal point in the game.