Metavaxx

About

Metavaxx is a single player arcade shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by PUNKCAKE Délicieux and was released on August 10, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Metavaxx is a unique combination of minesweeper and shooter genres, where you develop vaccines by clearing infected cells or eliminating hidden virus agents. Your vaccine's progress depends on the number of healthy or infected cells left at the end of each level. With roguelike gameplay elements, chiptune music, and 25 body samples to cure, Metavaxx offers tight action, strategic thinking, and considerable replayability.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Metavaxx creatively blends minesweeper mechanics with twin-stick shooter elements, offering a unique and enjoyable gameplay experience.
The game supports multiple strategies for approaching levels, enhancing replay value and encouraging strategic thinking.
Its colorful graphics and atmospheric soundtrack contribute to an immersive experience, making it visually appealing.

The inability to mark cells by default can lead to frustration, as players may struggle to keep track of infected cells.
The camera movement is jittery, which can be disorienting and detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
Players may encounter situations requiring 50/50 guesses, which can be frustrating, especially in later levels.

gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
60%
12%
The gameplay offers a fresh twist on the classic minesweeper formula by incorporating irregular cell shapes and a shoot-em-up mechanic for trapped cells, which some players find engaging while others may struggle with the lack of cell marking options. The strategic element of navigating through body samples to identify infected cells adds depth, appealing to both puzzle enthusiasts and action gamers, though it may detract from the pure puzzle experience for some. The vibrant art style enhances the overall experience, making it visually appealing.
- “As someone who thoroughly enjoys Minesweeper, this is a fun and fresh new take on the classic game, not only switching up the formula by using irregular shapes for the cells (both literally and figuratively) but also incorporating a shoot-em-up mechanic for when you open a 'trapped cell'.”
- “The core gameplay involves navigating through various body samples to identify and deal with infected cells.”
- “This strategic layer adds depth to the gameplay and encourages players to think critically about their choices.”
- “I don't find it fun having to write down that info outside of the game to keep track of it or just try and remember it, and I can't think of any other minesweeper variant or derivative that doesn't let you mark cells by default. I don't think making it an item does anything to improve the gameplay.”
- “This aspect can be a drawback for those who enjoy the puzzle element more than the shooting mechanics.”
- “ can ruin gameplay”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's graphics feature a colorful and vibrant pixel art style that enhances the immersive experience, complemented by an atmospheric soundtrack. However, some players find it challenging to discern the interactions between game elements due to the art style. Overall, the visuals are praised for their appeal and contribution to the gameplay.
- “The game’s pixel graphics and atmospheric soundtrack contribute to an immersive experience.”
- “The colorful and vibrant art style is a standout feature, providing a visually appealing backdrop to the gameplay.”
- “The graphics and sounds are great.”
- “It's really hard to tell at times with this art style how many cells a given cell is touching.”
- “The game's pixel graphics can be confusing and detract from the overall experience.”
- “The art style lacks clarity, making it difficult to navigate the game effectively.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The music in the game, composed by Hans Zimmer, is highly praised for its immersive quality, complementing the pixel graphics and enhancing the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the unique visual presentation that adds to the auditory experience, likening it to a captivating display reminiscent of a microscope output.
- “Absolutely love all the music, and the faux-CRT with the blobby shapes makes it feel like I'm looking at a screen displaying a microscope output or something.”
- “The game’s pixel graphics and atmospheric soundtrack contribute to an immersive experience.”
- “Absolutely love all the music, and the faux-CRT with the blobby shapes makes it feel like I'm looking at a screen displaying a microscope output or something.”
- “ why music?”
- “ songs written by Hans Zimmer”
- “ why music?”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game's story is described as minimal, with some players noting it as "a little story," while others find it engaging and worth paying attention to, highlighting its cool elements. Overall, opinions vary significantly on the depth and impact of the narrative.
- “A cool story.”
- “What story?”
- “It has a little story.”
- “A story worth paying attention to.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is not directly addressed in the provided text, which focuses more on gameplay mechanics and visual clarity. Users express frustration with the art style's impact on gameplay, indicating that it detracts from their overall experience.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to be poorly optimized, even on high-end systems such as those equipped with an i9 10900k and dual RTX 3090 graphics cards. Users are experiencing performance issues despite having powerful hardware.
- “PC with i9 10900k + 2x RTX 3090 (poorly optimized game)”
- “PC with i9 10900k + 2x RTX 3090 (poorly optimized game)”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's procedural generation of levels provides a unique experience with each playthrough, greatly enhancing its replayability by consistently presenting new challenges.
- “The procedural generation of levels ensures that each playthrough offers a new challenge, significantly enhancing the game’s replay value.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's pixel graphics and atmospheric soundtrack work together to create a highly immersive experience, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
- “The game’s pixel graphics and atmospheric soundtrack contribute to an immersive experience.”