1 person found this review helpful
Recommended
0.0 hrs last two weeks / 6.1 hrs on record
Posted: 4 Apr @ 5:09am
Updated: 4 Apr @ 5:10am

Summary
Sentient Steel is this little indie gem that’s polished to shine, packed with details, and most importantly, it’s a whole lot of fun. If you're into platformers with a 2.5D aesthetic, give this one a shot. Trust me, you’ll be thanking me later ;)

Deep Dive:
From the get-go, "Sentient Steel" sucks you into a vibe that feels like you're playing a classic Dreamcast / PS2 platformer, but with a modern twist. It's like a blast from the past but with fresh paint and a new engine. The menus, the game’s look when you’re picking your level, the tunes...it all just feels right.

The tutorial doesn’t bore you to death; instead, it smoothly ropes you into the gameplay, which is pretty neat, especially if you're playing with someone who's not a platformer pro. You’ve got options to make life easier, like seeing enemies’ health or getting on-screen hints, making the game super accessible and customizable to everyone’s taste.

Gameplay and controls are spot-on for a platformer, though the no vertical shooting thing has me wondering if it’s some quirky design choice? Anyway, the modifiers and upgrades are key (and a blast to use) for getting through certain stages, and the way you refill them pretty much tells you to keep those machines running, lol. Seeing your score at the end of a level, whether you made it through unscathed, etc., feels pretty cool when you wrap up a level.

Repetition can be a drag in many platformers, but Sentient Steel strikes a nice balance. It keeps the aesthetic consistent but switches up the environment and throws in different machines here and there, keeping things interesting. Special shoutout to those moments when the camera angle switches up, bringing a fresh perspective and making you eager to see what’s next. Plus, I’m over 6 hours in and still finding little details and "mini-challenges" that either require some extra skill or modifiers to nail.

Conclusion:
"Sentient Steel" proves that with the right mix of passion and craftsmanship, a game can go beyond the "indie" label to deliver an engaging, challenging, and above all, fun experience. It’s a solid pick for anyone looking to relive the glory days of platformers with a bit of a modern twist.

Forgot to mention that I was playing a few days on a "potato" machine and runs fine considering that machine doesn't have a dedicated GPU!!
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