Skip to main content

Unit 4

While Unit 4 has some really neat ideas, it barely misses the mark and will probably only attract nostalgia from diehard retro fans. In its current state, all the polish in the world wouldn't address the key issues I have with this title. To put it simply, this game's co-op isn't a big enough change from the retro titles it draws inspiration from.
Unit 4 Game Cover
41%Game Brain Score
graphics, humor
gameplay, music
30% User Score Based on 43 reviews
Critic Score 66%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
Unit 4 Game Cover

About

Unit 4 is a single player and multiplayer platformer game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Gamera Interactive and was released on May 24, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and negative reviews from players.

Fast paced platforming action, cooperative gameplay up to 4 players, an elite squad of agents with amazing skills, space travels, exploration, unique missions, fancy characters, incredible fights with huge bosses, trade, minigames and much more!

Skip User Reviews

30%
Audience ScoreBased on 43 reviews
graphics5 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions

  • Fun and challenging platformer with a unique character-switching mechanic that adds depth to gameplay.
  • Visually appealing with nice retro-style graphics and varied level design that keeps the experience fresh.
  • Supports 4-player local co-op, enhancing the enjoyment when playing with friends.
  • Clunky and unresponsive controls that make gameplay frustrating, especially when switching between characters.
  • Frequent bugs and issues, such as characters getting stuck or hitboxes not functioning properly, detract from the overall experience.
  • The game can feel overly punishing with its difficulty, often requiring players to restart entire levels instead of checkpoints.
  • gameplay
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this 2D platformer features a character-switching mechanic that incorporates various familiar abilities from the genre, but it suffers from poor implementation and a lack of polish, leading to frustrating controls and an unengaging experience. While the character mechanics are straightforward and the difficulty ramps up early, the overall execution feels disjointed and fails to build on established intuitive design principles. Despite some interesting ideas, the gameplay does not deliver a satisfying experience, leaving players wanting more refinement and cohesion.

    • “The 4 character mechanics seem well-designed and straightforward.”
    • “The character-switching mechanic is nice, and between all of them, the four protagonists of Unit 4 represent all the gimmicks we've seen in indie platformers in the last 10 years: from the classic double jump and triangle jump, to a Wario Land-like dash, to the ever-present grappling hook, to the ability of de-materializing yourself to pass through obstacles and float gently while falling down.”
    • “For it to be enjoyed to its fullest, it is a matter of mastering the fun character switching mechanic with a sleight of hand to make the most of this fast-paced platformer.”
    • “I do not recommend this game at all; often you see games mashing mechanics together to one-up each other, but this is the first case I've seen of a game that actively deletes all the lessons of intuitive game design that previous games have built up.”
    • “Doesn't control nicely and the game feels really unpolished, like a bunch of well-established mechanics of the genre slapped together with some pixel art for appeal.”
    • “The character mechanics need some serious work, especially the character with the double jump.”
  • graphics
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the sharp retro style and animations that evoke nostalgia, while others criticize the low-quality pixel art and poor scaling issues. Despite the appealing art direction, many players feel that the visuals do not compensate for the game's lackluster mechanics and overall execution. Overall, the graphics are seen as a blend of charming retro aesthetics and modern touches, but they ultimately fall short for some players.

    • “The world and graphics are really nice/retro style.”
    • “The game is nice to look at, I like the art style, I think I might even like the characters and their animation to an extent.”
    • “Despite the game sporting an old school appearance, the graphics are very sharp, and the developer did a fantastic job of making the game appear to be modern while sporting an 8-bit look.”
    • “Apart from the hideous retro 2D pixel graphics (this was released in 2017 but the devs didn't have a 3D graphics card? Or they made it badly on purpose?), the game is console ported so it's immediately inferior to most PC games.”
    • “Also, they did something weird with the graphics scaling so pixels change size as you look at them.”
    • “Very low quality sound effects, clunky controls, and uninspired graphics.”
  • music
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it mediocre and lacking in key areas, while others appreciate the chiptune elements. Overall, the sound design does not enhance the experience significantly, and many feel it detracts from the game's potential enjoyment.

    • “I like the visuals and the music, but the game mechanics are not well implemented, although the idea is interesting.”
    • “While it seems like a fun concept, it has some nice chiptune music.”
    • “Graphics/animations are nice, sound/music is pretty bad.”
    • “The music is mediocre, and it is missing completely from some key areas and menus.”
    • “Since I'm not a big fan of this niche, the game almost lost me during the bland 'VR' tutorial (would have rather learned the mechanics in the more vibrant world where there's music and background art, etc.).”
  • story
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is presented through a series of levels that players progress through, starting with the first actual mission.

    • “The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent flow.”
    • “Character development is shallow, making it hard to connect with anyone.”
    • “The plot twists are predictable and fail to engage the player.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its infectious humor and creative level design, which enhance the fun of its old-school platforming style. However, the challenge of navigating increasingly difficult areas with limited lives can temper the overall enjoyment.

    • “Its infectious humor and varied platforming challenges make for a good time, but the fun is tempered by the challenge of making it through areas of increasing difficulty with only one life available; some sections will require numerous repeats from checkpoints.”
    • “Nice use of different character abilities, fun old-school style platforming, good sense of humor.”
Skip Critic Reviews

66%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy Unit 4

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Unit 4

Games Like Unit 4

Steel Rats Image
Xeodrifter Image
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams Image
MindSeize Image
Capsized Image
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Unit 4 is a platformer game with science fiction theme.

Unit 4 is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 4 and others.

Unit 4 was released on May 24, 2017.

Unit 4 was developed by Gamera Interactive.

Unit 4 has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its gameplay.

Unit 4 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Steel Rats, Xeodrifter, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, MindSeize, Capsized and others.