STEEL STRIDER
- November 12, 2015
- ASTRO PORT
Get on Steam"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."
Reviews
- Steel Strider features a variety of weapons and enjoyable boss fights, providing a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
- The game includes a save feature and unlimited retries, making it more forgiving and accessible for players.
- The controls have improved compared to previous titles, allowing for a more responsive and agile gameplay experience.
- The graphics and sound design are considered subpar, with many reviewers noting a cheap appearance and lack of variety in the music.
- The aiming controls can be frustrating, with issues like the reticle moving on its own, making the game feel unplayable for some.
- The game suffers from a lack of unique level design and repetitive gameplay, leading to a feeling of blandness despite its potential.
- graphics11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the art style and sprite work as appealing and reminiscent of classic titles, while others criticize the overall quality as cheap and outdated, particularly in terms of resolution options. Although certain elements, like boss designs, are noted as memorable, the graphics are generally seen as lacking compared to other contemporary games.
“The bosses are mostly memorable in terms of design, and Astro Port does not disappoint on the scale end of things with their usual art style.”
“The graphics look really cool, much like the first.”
“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, 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.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is lengthy but often criticized for being uninspired and filled with excessive text, lacking engaging missions and area design. While it attempts to pay homage to classic 16-bit titles, it fails to deliver a compelling narrative, leaving players with a disjointed experience that feels more like a delivery service backdrop than a captivating plot. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a missed opportunity, with many reviewers suggesting that it detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
“The game promises to be a spiritual successor to 16-bit games such as Front Mission: Gun Hazard, Metall Warriors, Cybernator, Ex-Ranza, etc.”
“This game has story-related texts between missions, adding depth beyond just text briefings.”
“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.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Steel Strider is a mixed bag; while it offers fast-paced action reminiscent of classic titles like Contra, it suffers from repetitive mechanics, poor customization, and lackluster graphics. In contrast, Astro Port's games are praised for their tight controls, engaging gameplay, and effective use of ammo mechanics, providing a nostalgic yet exciting experience. Overall, players can expect a blend of enjoyable mechanics and some shortcomings, making it a decent choice for fans of the genre.
“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 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.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it catchy and enjoyable, particularly the boss tracks, others criticize it as lacking variety and identity, describing it as "extremely bad techno." Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a decent complement to the gameplay, but not a standout feature.
“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.”
“Soundtrack when?”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for lacking replay value, with users indicating that once completed, there is little incentive to play it again.
“The game has no replay value.”
“Once you finish the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
“After completing the story, I found no reason to revisit the game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, allowing for a seamless transition between controller and mouse-and-keyboard controls, thanks to its intuitive design.
“Optimized right off the bat: I went from controller to mouse and keyboard seamlessly, as the controls are exceptionally intuitive.”
“The game's optimization allows for smooth performance even on lower-end hardware, making it accessible to a wider audience.”
“I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, ensuring that loading times are minimal and the gameplay experience is fluid.”
