Retro Revolution and Ratalaika Games have recently released a new game that falls squarely into the retro platformer category. Metagirl is an old school side scrolling platformer on next generation consoles.
The story is fairly simple, a scientist has been kidnapped because he has refused to keep making weapons for the villain. You play as Meta – a cyborg girl, who must rescue her creator and free her sisters from the evil villain. As you progress, you will earn new powers that can be used to beat the higher levels. But it doesn’t take much to actually beat the game.
Gameplay is simple. Work your way through the 2-D side scrolling levels till you reach the boss and defeat it. On your way you will encounter enemies to shoot and some interesting jumps. Collect gears along the way to either power up your weapons or revive yourself near where you die. Just be careful, gears are not as plentiful as you might think.
Graphics are a complete throw back. When the opening cut scene starts, you will think you are playing a game on a Super Nintendo. Once the game begins the music will transport you back in time as well. The soundtrack is upbeat and will keep you moving and shooting enemies.
Unfortunately, the game is incredibly short. It will take you less than 30 minutes to 100% the title, as all you must do is watch the tutorial and play through 1 full level. There are a few death achievements, but the 30 minutes takes those into account, as there are checkpoints to make it easier. The main wawy to get replayability from this title is if you are into speed running games. This game lends itself well to players looking to run the game as fast as possible.
Metagal is out now on XB1, PS4, Switch and of course Steam. With a price tag of around $5, it won’t break the bank and allow you to add an easy 1k Gamerscore to your total. It is a fun game to remind you of platformers of old, even if there isn’t much substance.
