STEEL STRIDER

About

"STEEL STRIDER is a run & gun game paying homage to classics like Turrican and Super Contra. Players control a member of the secretive ARGO EXPRESS organization, using mouse or dual analogue stick controls to wield an arsenal of weapons against galactic threats. With its high-energy action and engaging sci-fi storyline, STEEL STRIDER offers an immersive and thrilling experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+16

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 72 reviews

graphics10 positive mentions

music4 negative mentions

Steel Strider features a variety of weapons and allows players to collect and upgrade them throughout the game, enhancing combat options.
The game includes a save feature and unlimited retries, making it more forgiving and accessible for players.
Despite its flaws, many players find the gameplay enjoyable and reminiscent of classic 2D shooters, with fun boss fights and unique level designs.

The controls are often criticized for being janky and unresponsive, particularly with gamepad support, making the game difficult to play.
Graphics and sound design are considered subpar, with many reviewers noting that they feel cheap and outdated.
The game suffers from a lack of variety in combat and enemy design, leading to repetitive gameplay experiences.

graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
27%
27%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the old-school aesthetic and fine sprite work, while others criticize the overall quality as cheap and lacking in resolution options. Although certain elements, like boss designs, are noted as memorable, many players feel that the graphics do not stand out compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, the visuals are seen as decent but not exceptional, with a sense of nostalgia that may not appeal to everyone.
- “The bosses are mostly memorable in terms of design, if not capability, and Astro Port does not disappoint on the scale end of things with their usual art style.”
- “The graphics are nice, once again utilizing fine sprite work instead of lazy pixel art like it's become a habit in indie games.”
- “The graphics look really cool, much like the first.”
- “The graphics, sound, and music aren't great and look a little cheap to me.”
- “Poor mech customization, poor graphics and sound, slow-paced and repetitive gameplay, lack of ideas and easter eggs make this game worth playing once, when you have nothing to do (or play).”
- “Graphics resolution options are very poor; there are only 2 resolution types: 640x480 and 1024x768, which resizes your desktop when selected.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's story is lengthy but often criticized for being uninspired and overly reliant on text briefings, which can scroll too quickly for players to fully engage with. While it aims to be a spiritual successor to classic 16-bit titles, the narrative lacks a compelling hook and fails to create a truly immersive experience. Overall, players may find the storytelling less engaging compared to the games it draws inspiration from.
- “The game promises to be a spiritual successor to 16-bit games such as Front Mission: Gun Hazard, Metall Warriors, Cybernator, Ex-Ranza, etc.”
- “And it won't be only about text briefings; this game has story-related texts between missions.”
- “Word of advice for all those coming in fresh: if you truly want to experience the storyline and evolution of the game, go in this order: Supercharged Robot Vulkiser, Armed Seven, Wolflame, Gigantic Army, Satazius, then this.”
- “The story is as inane as ever, and outside of ostensibly being part of a 'delivery' company, there's no special hook to this one.”
- “The story is still a wall of text that scrolls a bit too quickly (though you can control the speed somewhat).”
- “Not a very involving story; the lack of proper intermissions doesn't help.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
28%
17%
The gameplay of Steel Strider is reminiscent of classic titles like Contra, featuring jet pack mechanics and melee attacks, but suffers from slow pacing, repetitive elements, and limited customization options. While some players appreciate the fluid movement, memorable boss designs, and effective ammo mechanics, others criticize the removal of key features that enhanced previous games. Overall, the gameplay is described as fun and engaging, particularly for fans of old-school styles, though it may not stand out in terms of graphics or innovation.
- “It's got good variety for this type of game, has a good pace and fluid movement, leaves on an exciting last battle, makes use of its ammo mechanics well, has memorable boss designs and is dirt cheap on sale.”
- “Astro Port has never done me wrong so far... and this game is right there with all the others in terms of amazing, fast-paced fun gameplay!”
- “I've seen better graphics, the gameplay is good and the control is tight.”
- “Poor mech customization, poor graphics and sound, slow-paced and repetitive gameplay, lack of ideas and easter eggs make this game worth playing once, when you have nothing to do (or play).”
- “Steel Strider is somewhat like Contra with gameplay but with a jet pack and a melee attack.”
- “Slow-paced and repetitive gameplay detracts from the overall experience.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find the soundtrack catchy and enjoyable, particularly the boss music, others criticize it as lacking variety and identity, describing it as "extremely bad techno." Overall, the music is seen as a functional aspect of the game that enhances the experience, despite some opinions on its quality.
- “Fun bite-sized platformer-shooter: jammin' soundtrack, good level design, excellent boss design, and solid combat rounds out the package.”
- “There's about 7-10 tracks of music in the game, but they're really catchy.”
- “I've often left the game open just to listen to some of the boss music (in case you're wondering why I have so much playtime).”
- “The graphics, sound, and music aren't great and look a little cheap to me.”
- “Music is extremely bad techno with no identity or variety.”
- “I never considered the game's music to be its strong point, either, but in either case, it does the trick.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game is widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with multiple users stating that it offers no incentive to play again after the initial experience.
- “The game has no replay value.”
- “The game lacks any incentive to play again.”
- “There is little to no reason to revisit this game after completing it.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, allowing players to switch effortlessly between controller and mouse-and-keyboard setups due to its intuitive controls.
- “Optimized right off the bat: I went from controller to mouse and keyboard seamlessly, as the controls are exceptionally intuitive.”