IndieGo #35: Metal Suits and X-Out

METAL SUITS: Counter-attack

At present, a sequel to Broforce hasn’t been announced. But fortunately, Incheon-based Egggtart delivers the next best thing with the Steam release of METAL SUITS: Counter-attack. Much like Free Live’s delightfully chaotic run-and-gun, SUITS send you through a succession of horizontally-scrolling stages that are overflowing with explosives. Instead of controlling different bros who each have their own signature ability, SUITS’ cybernetic protagonist Kevin dons different armors.

Much of the fun stems from the deliberate lack of balance. One moment you might have to fend off aliens with a powered-up punch or a light saber. The next, METAL SUITs might provide you with a powerful ranged weapon, like a guitar with deadly electrical arcs that home in on foes or a teddy bear costume that’s accompanied by bombs. Beyond each armor augmenting your health bar, there’s a wealth of assistive bonus items hidden in destructible blocks.

While METAL SUITS’ nine boss battles are clichéd and enraging (a recent patch helped alleviate, but didn’t eradicate the latter issue), the run-up to each encounter is wonderfully hectic as you use environmental objects to blast, skewer, and otherwise slaughter adversaries. And while the first planet in the Helios system channels the mayhem of Broforce, subsequent spheres inject just a bit of puzzling, as you spin dials to make door-opening electrical connections and bounce high atop springy mushrooms.

Pleasingly, METAL SUITS: Counter-attack absolutely shines on portable PCs like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, extending solid sixty frame-per-second-performance even when there’s a chain reaction of screen-shaking explosions. Hopefully, Eggtart can temper the game’s sporadic difficulty spikes and prohibits clusters of enemies from bunching up.

Rating: 77 / 100

X-Out: Resurfaced

In 1989, Area 88 (known as U.N. Squadron outside of Japan) provided a bit of customization before players flew into hostile, horizontally-scrolling airspaces. At the start of the game, players were given funds to outfit their military jets with extra artillery, which proved invaluable against armadas of flying enemies and hard-hitting bosses. That idea was expanded by the 1991 Commodore 64 release of X-Out (pronounced “Cross Out”). Here, eighteen-year old Heiko Schröder let players loose, customizing a fleet of submarines with different primary weapons, secondary arms, automatic missiles, and even auxiliary satellites that shadowed your vehicle. Recent remake, X-Out: Resurfaced retains this component, presenting a selection of three pre-built subs at the start of the game. Or you can build your own flotilla from four different kinds of ships.

Opt for the humongous Shark and you’ll deplete your bankroll with a powerful warship with space for ten different supplemental arms. Alternatively, you can select the smaller Trilobite. It only allows a trio of expansions, but you can stockpile multiple ships. Given that a single collision with the environment or a boss can kill you instantly, having some backup subs is a sensible strategy. Overall, the military marketplace adds longevity as you try out different approaches.

As soon as you finish shopping, you’re sent right into X-Out’s eight, enemy-filled stages. While many shooters deliver the sensation of being a formidable war machine, Resurfaced channels the tension of a being on a nerve-wracking bombing run. From the floating mines on the surface, regiments of fast-moving opponents that race through narrow passageways, to the army of cannons that line every surface, adversity is ever-present.

On the upside, X-Out: Resurfaced does provide some measured assistance. Persevere and you’ll gradually unlock trainers (‘90s parlance for ‘cheats’) that will do things like diminish collision damage or allow you to practice a specific level. Beyond upgraded visuals, Chris Hülsbeck contributes six new tracks, while Mirror Mode offers an inverted trek for seasoned X-Perts.

Rating: 71 / 100