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Iron Meat

97%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
grinding
97% User Score Based on 487 reviews

Platforms

NSNintendo SwitchPCPCP4Playstation 4P5Playstation 5SDSteam DeckWinWindowsXOXbox OneXSXXbox Series X|SEGEpic GamesPlaPlayStationXboxXbox
Buy Nowfrom $9.25
Buy NowGet on Steam€19.50Buy NowGet on itch.io Store$19.99

About

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.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot
Iron Meat screenshot

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 487 reviews
music149 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Iron Meat is a thrilling throwback to classic run-and-gun games like Contra, delivering fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action with a fantastic soundtrack.
  • The game features vibrant pixel art, smooth animations, and well-crafted level designs that keep the gameplay engaging and enjoyable.
  • Players can enjoy a variety of weapons, unlockable skins, and challenging boss fights, making it a highly replayable experience for fans of the genre.
  • The game is relatively short, with a completion time of around 1-2 hours, which may leave some players wanting more content.
  • Some players have reported issues with enemy spawning mechanics that can lead to frustrating moments, particularly in harder difficulty settings.
  • The lack of online co-op and limited weapon variety may detract from the overall experience for some players.
  • music
    227 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and engaging soundtrack that perfectly complements the fast-paced action and retro aesthetic. The heavy metal and chiptune tracks are described as adrenaline-pumping and memorable, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Additionally, players appreciate the option to switch between modern and retro versions of the soundtrack, further enriching the nostalgic feel of the game.

    • “The soundtrack is equally impressive, featuring catchy chiptune tunes that perfectly complement the frantic action.”
    • “The music is also soooooo good, where it has a nice metal and rock tone throughout the game where you just want to blast it through your headphones!”
    • “A special shoutout must go to the soundtrack, a pounding metal score that fits perfectly with the game’s aesthetic.”
    • “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
    117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Iron Meat is a nostalgic homage to classic run-and-gun titles like Contra, featuring tight controls, responsive mechanics, and a satisfying shooting experience. While the game offers a fun and challenging experience with engaging boss fights and a vibrant art style, some players noted its brevity and a few imbalanced mechanics that detract from the overall impression. Overall, it successfully combines retro aesthetics with modern gameplay elements, making it appealing to fans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay is tight and responsive, offering challenging levels packed with relentless foes and epic boss battles.”
    • “Gameplay is fun, challenging, and addicting with a kickass soundtrack.”
    • “The gameplay is buttery smooth, and the level design is both cool and varied, keeping things fresh at every turn.”
    • “The game has great potential, but suffers from imbalance and inadequate toxic mechanics.”
    • “My only problem with it is its short gameplay length.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics
    84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are widely praised for their vibrant pixel art and smooth animations, effectively capturing a retro aesthetic reminiscent of 16-bit gaming. Reviewers highlight the detailed and gory visuals, diverse monster designs, and a cohesive art style that enhances the overall experience. The combination of excellent graphics, engaging soundtracks, and responsive controls contributes to a visually stunning and immersive gameplay environment.

    • “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.”
    • “It goes so hard: the graphics, the art design, the sound, the music, the story and progression.. it's just so good!”
    • “I hated the art style they went with.”
    • “The graphics are colorful and bloody.”
    • “It offers intense action and a distinct, gory aesthetic where human and machine are fused with grotesque 'meat' creatures.”
  • story
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Iron Meat" is described as simple yet engaging, effectively narrated through short cutscenes that complement the gameplay without overshadowing it. Players appreciate the interesting plot and character dynamics, particularly the humor and visual storytelling, while expressing a desire for additional content and expansions to explore the narrative further. Overall, the story enhances the game's experience, though it is not the primary focus, allowing for a fun and challenging gameplay environment.

    • “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.”
    • “Anyways, this game is awesome for a number of reasons: the plot is interesting, the bosses are very cool and multilayered, and the music is slamming!”
    • “There is a story here, but it really is not necessary.”
    • “You are not going to be buying a 50-hour story-driven game.”
    • “The only thing that I wish and hope for is that we get more content for the game, either in the form of 'another story' where something else happens with the meat or one of the bosses, or some kind of additional co-op mode or something.”
  • replayability
    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers a mix of replayability through unlockable skins and varying difficulty levels, appealing to players who enjoy cosmetic customization and challenge. However, some reviewers note that the overall replay value is limited, with a lack of additional content such as secret levels or gameplay twists, making it feel repetitive after a few playthroughs. While many appreciate the nostalgic charm and challenge, opinions vary on whether the replayability justifies the game's price.

    • “A brilliant and lovingly made Contra clone that has loads of challenge to it, and thanks to loads of unlockable skins, plenty of replay value.”
    • “This game embodies the spirit of Contra, excelling at its pacing and replayability.”
    • “I know at the time of this writing I only have about four hours into the game and while it doesn't take long to get through it (about an hour with my first playthrough), I feel like this game has a ton of replayability, especially with the amount of unlockable cosmetics this game has to offer.”
    • “You may not be as forgiving as I am, so you may find the price a bit too high for a single hour of entertainment with little replay value.”
    • “Too bad that there are basically no extras besides other characters (that from what I understand are just alternate skins) and achievements; no challenges or anything that would have improved its replayability.”
    • “- 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).”
  • atmosphere
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a vibrant retro pixel art style that effectively conveys a gritty atmosphere filled with grotesque, biomechanical enemies. Players appreciate the detailed graphics, engaging soundtrack, and overall immersive experience, making it a standout in the run-and-gun genre.

    • “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 n gun game; cool soundtrack, atmosphere, and boss battles.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by a nostalgic body-horror aesthetic and a comedic style reminiscent of "Army of Darkness," complemented by amusing character skins and engaging visual storytelling. Players appreciate the blend of challenge and replayability, which enhances the overall experience.

    • “There are tons of visual storytelling scenes with an Army of Darkness style sense of humor.”
    • “The different skins are kind of funny, and the body-horror is nostalgic.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its excellent optimization, with minimal to no bugs reported, allowing it to run smoothly on a wide range of computer systems.

    • “There are minimal to no bugs, and it could potentially run smoothly on any computer.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight that while the game excels in tight controls, power-ups, and artistic direction, there is little mention of character development, suggesting it may not be a focal point of the experience.

  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players note that grinding primarily revolves around collecting various skins for character customization, allowing for unique combinations. This aspect of grinding is seen as a key element of replayability, adding a fun twist to the experience.

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