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UNDER DEFEAT

In conclusion, Under Defeat is a very enjoyable shooter, albeit not one that I’d say would blow your socks off, outside of that godly soundtrack. From multiple gameplay styles, some excellent music, top-notch response times and a very fun scoring curve, this is definitely another solid addition to your lineup of switch shooters, and the bonus remixed arranged soundtracks along with the new widescreen mode do add some extra variety to the experience to not make it just a one and done ordeal. This one’s just really darn fun to scorechase in, and I definitely see myself revisiting those Arcade leaderboards over and over in the months to come, especially with how silky smooth this port feels as a whole.
UNDER DEFEAT Game Cover
94%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay
Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, atmosphere
98% User Score Based on 57 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

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Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCXboxWindows
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UNDER DEFEAT Game Cover

About UNDER DEFEAT

UNDER DEFEAT is a single player and multiplayer arcade platformer game. It was developed by CITY CONNECTION and was released on February 6, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

The definitive edition of G.rev's military vertical scrolling shooter, UNDER DEFEAT, has arrived.

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UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
UNDER DEFEAT screenshot
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Reviews

98%Audience ScoreBased on 57 reviews
music15 positive mentions
stability2 negative mentions
  • Highly responsive and smooth gameplay with very low input lag, especially notable on the Steam Deck and modern PCs.
  • Unique helicopter pivot and shooting mechanic combined with multiple modes and helicopters adding strong replay value.
  • Excellent variety of soundtracks including a highly praised boosted OST, contributing significantly to atmosphere and player immersion.
  • Lack of native 4:3 arcade mode and portrait screen support can be disappointing for traditional shmup players.
  • Visuals remain largely unchanged from older versions with no texture upscaling or graphical overhaul, appearing dated to some players.
  • Some UI issues like text overlapping and some projectiles/obstacles not clearly visible can negatively affect gameplay experience.

  • music

    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    60% positive mentions, 28% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions

    The music in this game is widely praised, featuring multiple excellent soundtracks including an upbeat new order and a standout boosted remix that complements the gameplay intensity. The soundtrack is often described as one of the greatest, enhancing the overall experience with memorable, fast-paced, and varied compositions. Players appreciate the variety of music options, with both traditional and remixed tracks adding depth and replay value.

    • “It's the legendary Dreamcast helicopter shmup featuring one of the greatest soundtracks of all time.”
    • “Under Defeat brings high octane bullet hell action, with one of the best soundtracks out there.”
    • “From multiple gameplay styles, some excellent music, top-notch response times and a very fun scoring curve, this is definitely another solid addition to your lineup of Switch shooters, and the bonus remixed arranged soundtracks along with the new widescreen mode do add some extra variety to the experience to not make it just a one and done ordeal.”
    • “I will make one suggestion: don't bother with the original soundtrack.”
    • “Sounds like generic club music.”
    • “The boosted soundtrack is for the lulz.”

  • gameplay

    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    40% positive mentions, 40% neutral mentions, 20% negative mentions

    The gameplay features polished classic shmup mechanics with a unique helicopter rotation system that enhances screen coverage and engagement. It offers fast-paced, fun, and challenging action with excellent responsiveness and satisfying explosions, making it accessible for newcomers while still rewarding experienced players. Additional modes and remixed soundtracks add variety, keeping the gameplay fresh and enjoyable.

    • “The core gameplay mechanics take some getting used to, but are quite fun nonetheless.”
    • “The rotation mechanic is also a very small but neat addition that is very helpful for getting good coverage of the screen.”
    • “It has excellent, fast paced gameplay with nice, sober graphics and excellent music. The explosions are very satisfying and it has a semi-realistic setting with cool mechanical designs. This is a great game to recommend for newcomers to shmups, as it's refined and not overwhelmingly difficult.”
    • “The right hand stick doesn't shoot in a 360 degree manner -- it doesn't even shoot in a 180 degree manner -- it still follows the original game's mechanic of shooting at about 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, and 1 o'clock from your ship front.”
    • “A minor mechanic, but ground units can be blocked by environment objects, requiring you to reposition to hit them.”
    • “Play-wise, Under Defeat has a mechanic where your helicopter pivots between left, center, and right dependent on a button press.”

  • graphics

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    43% positive mentions, 28% neutral mentions, 29% negative mentions

    The graphics feature a grounded, military-inspired aesthetic with muted grey and green tones, offering a distinctive contrast to typical vibrant sci-fi shoot 'em ups. Visual effects like explosions and smoke remain impressive, complemented by crisp controls and a widescreen mode that refreshes the experience. While the visuals may feel somewhat dated, they effectively support the fast-paced gameplay and overall atmosphere.

    • “That game already seemed a little more grounded in terms of artwork compared to your average shoot 'em up, and here they really take that to the extreme—pretty much every element, friend or foe, seems inspired by modern military equipment, and the backgrounds are very grey and green toned, which is certainly a change of pace from the usual brightly colored sci-fi worlds of shoot 'em ups.”
    • “The visuals still hold up nicely, especially the smoke and 'shockwave' effects of bigger explosions. There's also a new 16x9 widescreen mode called 'new order' that changes things up a bit in terms of enemies and visuals.”
    • “It has excellent, fast-paced gameplay with nice, sober graphics (dated, but nice) and excellent music.”
    • “- don't have to deal with native PS3 input lag (doubly so for PS3 emulation, which was also buggy and graphically didn't emulate properly)”
    • “That game already seemed a little more grounded in terms of artwork compared to your average shump, and here they really take that to the extreme -- pretty much every element friend or foe seems inspired by modern military equipment and the backgrounds are very grey and green toned, which is certainly a change of pace from the usual brightly colored sci-fi worlds of shoot 'em ups.”

  • stability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Users report that the game demonstrates stable performance without native PS3 input lag, especially compared to PS3 emulation, which was buggy and had graphical issues. The brief freeze before player death appears intentional to highlight the cause of defeat.

  • atmosphere

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The atmosphere is notably enhanced by a unique horizontal design that creates an immersive and cohesive experience. This fusion contributes to a distinctive and engaging environment within the game.

  • replayability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game offers strong replayability, featuring a variety of different game modes that keep the experience fresh and engaging.

    • “Great shmup with a variety of different game modes and good replay value”

  • story

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The story is considered strange and somewhat confusing, leaving players unsure of its intended message or purpose.

  • optimization

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The optimization of the game is problematic, as users experience performance issues even on high-end hardware setups, indicating that the problems are not related to their system specifications.

  • humor

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor is well-received, particularly noted for its hilariously bad German radio messages that add a unique and entertaining touch.

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Critic Reviews

70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

UNDER DEFEAT is a arcade platformer game. Common tags for UNDER DEFEAT include 3D, female protagonist, bullet hell, war, military and others.

UNDER DEFEAT is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Windows and others.

UNDER DEFEAT was released on February 6, 2025.

UNDER DEFEAT was developed by CITY CONNECTION.

UNDER DEFEAT has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked UNDER DEFEAT for its music but disliked it for its stability.

UNDER DEFEAT is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION, DoDonPachi Resurrection, Deathsmiles, Radiant Silvergun, STRIKERS 1945 and others.