BioMech

I purchased this game as part of a bundle with a few other Metroidvania titles, and at the time, there weren't many reviews for it on Steam. After 5 hours, I've beaten it with 100% completion, and in all honesty, I can't really recommend it. I can tell the author clearly put some effort into this, and for a weekend playthrough, it scratched the Metroidvania itch to a certain degree, but there are too many little issues with it to put it up there with the best of the genre. Visuals: *Appealing at a quick glance, but the pixels aren't a consistent size between background objects and some of the sprites, which is a little off-putting *Comic panels are a bit grainy Bugs: *If you die before finding a checkpoint, the game just stalls because it's trying to send you to the last checkpoint, but since there *is* no last checkpoint, you have to quit manually *When you pause the game during a boss fight, enemy logic seems to keep going and sound effects keep playing, and it's possible to take damage while paused. *I once saw a bat move across the screen about 8 times as fast as it was supposed to, and it sort of warped rapidly around in a weird fashion. Perhaps there were too many enemies on the screen at once? *If you pause while saving your game, the pause screen can glitch out and start showing you as having all of the powerups, whether or not you've gotten them all. This can be undone by getting a new item, or through some means that I don't entirely understand (which might or might not involve pausing at the right time while saving the game). *Sometimes when you load the game, your character is frozen in place, and you have to pause and unpause in order to be able to move. *When you get the ground slam power up, it suddenly becomes impossible to shoot while crouching. Attempting to do so will attempt a power slam instead, but since you're on the ground, you'll just slide rapidly in the direction you were facing. If this takes you off of a ledge, you'll fall down and execute the power slam, but if you slide into a wall, you'll glitch right through it. If you have the bouncing fireball powerup, though, at least you can learn to deal with this. This is probably something that could be easily fixed by changing some IF...THEN statements around. Design issues: *The first boss is significantly harder than most of the others, due to having homing missiles that, at the beginning of the game, will kill you in one shot. Once you figure out how to dodge them, it's entirely doable, but in a world where there are thousands of other games on Steam vying for one's attention, leading off with a really tough boss fight doesn't leave a good first impression. *Spikes can kill you in one hit. I can't think of any other Metroidvanias where one-hit kills were a thing (aside from the stealth sections in Metroid Fusion, but those are sort of a different animal). *Some enemies shoot at you when you're within a certain distance of their horizontal firing range. Because of this, there are times where it's more or less impossible to get by without getting hit. *It's possible to get stuck in one area if you go there before getting the high jump. *Once you get the high jump, you end up passing a couple of items you still can't get to, which feels disempowering. Why not wait until *after* you've cleared a few out-of-reach ledges to do that sort of thing? *I think there was an error on the map screen—a spot in one of the areas on the east side where it says there's a north-south passage, but there doesn't seem to be. If you're a fan of Metroidvanias, you might still get some enjoyment out of this—there were some bright spots in the five hours I spent with it—but a bunch of little issues kept it from living up to its full potential.

Finding the first boss in 5 minutes and then spending the next 10 minutes retrying over and over because its one-shot homing missiles can't be properly tracked into the boss is not conducive to getting me to continue playing this game.

I was kind of enjoying this very retro metroidvania. Felt like a DOS game. Unfortunately it commits a sin that is one of my pet peeves; Unavoidable damage. The problem arises because enemies only fire their guns at you when you are within range. You are forced into this range multiple times, often resulting in being forced to take a bullet in the process. You can play through this problem, but it's annoying. There are plenty of other irks in the game as well. Sometimes the game doesn't recognise button inputs intuitively, like if you go to shoot then want to run to the left for instance, you won't move until you release the fire button and then depress and repress to go left. Weird things like that. Also, when I got the high jump upgrade, you'd think that would be pretty helpful right? Yes and No. It's cursed me into jumping higher which means now I bang my head against the ceiling of platforms that were previously trivial to get by. It's amateur rough edges like this that caused me to drop this game, a game I was only lukewarm enjoying at best in the first place.

BioMech is a compact, back-to-basics Metroidvania for genre purists. Despite some minor glitches and control issues, this is an underrated title that deserves a look. There are no objective markers or in-game dialogues; you're dropped into an enemy facility and left to find your way through it. This hands-off approach is the core of the game's appeal. The only assistance you get is an automap with a count of how many items remain in each area, though it's fairly easy to find them all. The standard ending is a bit strange and rather abrupt; you'll have to explore everywhere to move on to the true final boss and true ending. Progress is rapid, and I found it hard to put down when another previously inaccessible item or area was always just a few screens away. At about 4-5 hours for a full run, it's easily replayable for a quick Metroidvania fix. Downsides are mostly around controls. They're generally fine, but you move somewhat slowly and cannot perform long or shallow jumps; this is not a big deal on its own, aside from a few tricky jumps, but some enemies will fire as soon as you enter their horizontal line of sight. This can make it difficult to engage enemies from steep angles without taking damage, and some projectiles are awkward to avoid. Fortunately, this is less of an issue later in the game. (EDIT to developer response: you can technically perform smaller jumps, but the lowest possible jump height is still too high - about the height of the character, and more than that after finding the high jump.)

• Simple but neat gameplay, takes less than a moment to figure how things go. • Cool NES-esk art style, captures the retro vibe nicely. • A lot of space to explore, each room is unique. • Kick-ass soundtrack!

As a huge fan of the Metroid series, I had to give this one a try. Overall, it's a solid game and kept me hooked. My only issue [spoiler] The final boss was kind of a let down... I really didn't see it coming lol. Beat the boss, and straight to the end of the game. [/spoiler] Other than that, it's legit. Update: The ending I got wasn't the real ending. Still playing and still enjoying this game!

こういう系統のSTGアクションなメトロイドヴァニアは好きなのですが、ゲームバランスが非常に残念と感じます。 その為私は10分程度のプレイで一旦投げ出してしまいました。 ゲーム自体はファミコン世代ならば刺さりそうな見た目。 操作もシンプルで非常に分かりやすく、日本語非対応ですがプレイする上で言語が支障になる部分はありません。 ストーリー性のあるパートで何と言っているか分からないですが、アクションゲーする分には問題無いです。 私がオススメ出来ない、10分程度で投げ出したゲームバランスについてですが。 体力制である程度体力があるにも関わらず、ともかくすぐに死にやすい。 最初に遭遇する敵はしゃがみながらショットすれば被弾しない、と理解したのですが。 地形的にジャンプすると玉被弾を受けてしまう配置の敵や、被弾を避けるのが非常に困難な配置の敵も多いです。 序盤から全力で殺しに掛かるバランス調整に感じまして、ゲームとしてはあまり易しくないかなと。 特に最初に遭遇するボスは体力制にも関わらず、出してくる避けづらいミサイルを1回でも食らったら即死。 果たして体力制の意味とは。そして最初のボスでいきなりこのバランスですか……。 やられる度に最終セーブ地点へのリスポーンなので、同じ道を何度も何度も通るハメになるのも苦痛。 結局私が試した最初のボスの最適解は、ともかく連射で攻撃を打ち込んでミサイル被弾前に倒しきる。 これが作者の意図する最適解なのかは分かりません、しかしミサイルを避けながらは非常に鬼畜で無理でした。 ボスを撃破後スライディングを習得したので、新たなアクションを身に着けて探索範囲が広がっていくみたいですね。 こういう要素は面白く良い部分、と思えます。 しかし先へ進むも避けられないような敵からの被弾が非常に多く、ともかく死にやすい。 その度にリスポーンの繰り返しで「もういいや……」と言う気持ちになりました。 他プレイヤーのレビューを見ますとクリア報告もあるようですので、上手い人ならクリアも出来るのではないでしょうか。 私はアクションゲームはそこそこ自信のある方なのですが、それでもこのゲームは鬼畜難易度に感じました。

Este jogo é bem legal. Estiloso old School. Porém de dificuldade avançada p quem gosta de desafios . Vale a pena adquirir

BioMech, developed by ERMedia and published by Plug In Digital, is a 2D action-adventure game that immerses players in a meticulously crafted Metroidvania-style world. Released in 2019, the game offers a blend of exploration, combat, and character progression, combining the charm of retro-inspired pixel art with modern gameplay mechanics. It stands out for its tightly designed levels, rewarding exploration, and the way it integrates narrative into the environment, allowing players to uncover the story organically rather than through heavy-handed exposition. The game follows Tatiana Rocheva, a Russian soldier who, after being captured and subjected to brutal experimentation, receives cybernetic enhancements that grant her extraordinary abilities. Players take control of Tatiana as she navigates a secret research facility hidden deep within a Siberian forest, unraveling its dark secrets and confronting deadly threats. The narrative unfolds subtly, with environmental storytelling and sparse dialogue emphasizing immersion and allowing players to piece together the backstory at their own pace. This approach gives the game a haunting, atmospheric tone that reinforces the stakes of Tatiana’s journey. Exploration is at the heart of BioMech. The game world is composed of interconnected zones that encourage backtracking, careful observation, and the strategic use of newly acquired abilities to access previously unreachable areas. Upgrades and enhancements are scattered throughout the environment, offering both essential and optional rewards that incentivize thorough exploration. The game’s level design is deliberate and thoughtfully constructed, avoiding randomness and ensuring that every area feels intentional and meaningful. This careful design encourages players to engage deeply with the world, uncovering secrets and mastering its layout. Combat in BioMech is dynamic and precise, requiring players to balance timing, positioning, and ability usage. Tatiana’s cybernetic augmentations provide a versatile toolkit, from melee attacks to ranged weaponry, allowing for a range of combat strategies. Boss encounters serve as the game’s most intense moments, testing the player’s understanding of mechanics and reflexes. Each boss is designed to challenge players in a way that feels fair and rewarding, requiring observation, adaptability, and careful execution to overcome. The game’s presentation is striking, featuring a pixel art style that evokes classic 16-bit games while incorporating modern effects such as dynamic lighting and atmospheric layering. Each environment—from dense forested areas to industrial interiors—is rich in detail, creating a sense of depth and immersion. The soundtrack complements this visual design with a chiptune-inspired score that enhances tension and mood, reinforcing the game’s retro yet modern aesthetic. Replayability is enhanced through multiple endings, encouraging players to experiment with different approaches and fully explore the consequences of their actions. Unlike rogue-like titles, BioMech maintains a consistent world across playthroughs, allowing players to focus on mastering its mechanics and uncovering hidden areas without the unpredictability of procedural generation. This structure reinforces the game’s emphasis on exploration, skill, and strategy rather than chance. In summary, BioMech is a finely crafted Metroidvania experience that successfully merges classic gameplay elements with modern design sensibilities. Its atmospheric world, strategic combat, and carefully constructed levels provide a satisfying challenge for both genre veterans and newcomers alike. The game excels at rewarding exploration and thoughtful engagement, making it a compelling adventure through a dystopian world brimming with secrets, danger, and intrigue. Rating: 6/10

Irritating. Hard -- not challenging, just hard. This game wants to kill you, and I want to kill this game.