Finally, Some Good F***ing Food: An Iron Meat Review

By Manuel

Players: 1-2
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

Retroware has released and/or announced several highly anticipated games recently (Can't wait for that Toxic Crusaders game!), including the amazing Prison City which dropped late last year. Their games can mostly be seen as throwbacks to classic console titles, and Iron Meat falls neatly into that category. Filled to the brim with gameplay elements made popular in the Contra series, it's available now on just about every major platform. We're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version today, and see if it's more than a simple homage to greatness. There's a lot to go over in this one, so let's dive right in!

In a plot that reminds me a bit of Doom, Iron Meat opens with a horrific scene that takes place on Earth's Moon. Xenobiologist Yuri Markov is conducting all sorts of strange experiments when he accidentally summons (or maybe awakens?) an entity known simply as "The Meat". The Meat is an all-consuming being, and it takes over the Moon Base in short order. It even assimilates Yuri Markov into itself, and launches its plan for total domination. Using a portal that I can only guess was designed for ease of access to the Moon Base, The Meat crosses over to Earth itself before they are even aware there's anything to be worried about. Thankfully reaction from the military is swift, but they are quickly overrun by the deformed creatures The Meat has unleashed. Two heroes emerge from the chaos and they begin to push back against The Meat, and are ready to take the fight all the way to The Moon if needed. That may not be the most inspired story, but it does a great job in keeping players invested. I'm totally down for the otherworldly nature of The  Meat, and I liked that the developers didn't go for the now-standard alien threat. Another thing worth pointing out is that there is a decent amount of environmental storytelling going on throughout the game. I don't mean to say that you'll be finding notes or audio logs that elaborate on the story, but there are small scenes showing the constant fighting that's going on between The Meat and Earth's defenders. You, and potentially a friend, are still the heroes of the story, but that's a nice touch of realism that you don't see all that often. Even though I think the story more than delivers, gameplay is where it's really at in these types of games. So, let's take a look at that next.

Calling Iron Meat a simple run-and-gun action game in the vein of Contra III might be doing it a bit of an injustice, but that's really the vibe that it's going for. You pick a character from an unlockable roster, with the two main ones looking like colorful space marines, and your goal is to clear nine levels without losing all of your lives. The amount of lives you get is determined by the difficulty you select, but you can also return to any stage you've already reached for what are essentially unlimited continues. Your character can run, jump, and shoot, and you're able to carry two different weapons at once. Your regular gun will work in a lot of cases, but you'll want to upgrade when possible. Weapons can be switched on the fly, and collecting two of the same will create a more powerful version of that gun. There is no life bar here, so one hit means death. While you do instantly respawn after each death, you also lose your currently equipped weapon. You do get to keep whatever weapon you had in the secondary slot though, so you can always switch to that and continue on your way. Each level is full of enemies to take out or avoid, and the action always comes to a head with a boss encounter. Completing any level grants you bonus points that go towards an overall level that is basically just used to unlock other playable characters. I call them "characters", but they're really just skins. They all play exactly the same, but they do offer up some variety. Part of me can't help but think that it might have been interesting to be able to choose between characters that have all sorts of unique abilities, but I can also understand why things were kept simple.

I may have compared the game to Contra III just a bit ago, but it actually plays a bit more like the first game in the series. The Contra III influences are definitely there though, and can be seen in the weapon system, the visual style, and even some of the levels themselves. With that said, the gameplay really is a lot more grounded, and not nearly as open as what's found in Contra III. The biggest thing that I noticed immediately is that you don't have a double jump. Admittedly there aren't any moments where you truly need it, but it feels weird to not have it in a game like this. There are also no special levels to speak of, so don't expect to find top-down missions, speeder bike chases, or stages where you have to hang onto something flying above you for dear life. Iron Meat keeps things simple, and you'll find that your feet are always firmly planted on the ground. This isn't a drawback by any means, as the gameplay is more than strong enough on its own without gimmicks. It can be a bit disappointing seeing hints of these levels here and there, but at least the core gameplay is polished to near perfection. You get to go through a mission on a living train, fight against an apartment building come to life, and even fight a Meat-infested helicopter. How can you not love it? Hell, you can even shoot out the letters in the "Level Clear" sign. Maybe they're just saving the speeder bike stuff for the sequel!

Iron Meat has to be one of the best Contra-inspired games I've played in a while, and a lot of that is just based on its charm. There's humor to be found within all of its gory destruction, and the fact that you can play the entire game with a friend is just awesome beyond words. Nothing can match the delight of yelling at your friend to cover you as you go hard on the offensive in a boss battle, or yelling at them in a different way when they grab a weapon power-up that you wanted for yourself. Lots of games have multiplayer modes, but this really captures the magic of NES era couch co-op. Outside of multiplayer, the run-and-gun action is perfectly executed too. You're able to fire in all directions, as well as while jumping or ducking. You can even fire while stationary, this making most of the deaths you'll encounter no fault but your own. I do have to point out that I personally found most of the weapons to not be my style, and I ultimately avoided just about everything but the two that acted like more powerful machine guns. That isn't a knock against the game though, and it's totally more a reference to my particular playstyle. I'm sure that everyone will go down that route too, and find weapons that they'll favor over others as well. I almost didn't want to mention them, but the unlockable character skins are great too. There's a completely different vibe when you tackle the game as a cowboy or an alien, and that's something I can totally get behind. Oh, and there's the level design to praise too. I can honestly go on and on about them, but basically they all felt unique, and they all offered the right mix of challenge. There's honestly not many negatives I can think to mention, and that's definitely a good thing.

I'm not really the kind of person that likes pitting two different games against each other, but I want to address the lion in the room that is Contra: Operation Galuga. For that that haven't played it, Operation Galuga is the most recent Contra game developed by WayForward that acts as a remake of sorts to the first game. I reviewed it back when it released, and had mostly positive things to say about it. Even though that was the "real" Contra throwback, I must say that I haven't really picked it back up since I wrapped that review. Iron Meat on the other hand? I've played this to completion close to ten times now, far beyond what I needed for this review, and have even invited friends over specifically just to go through the game with me. I truly can't wait for it to be fully released so more of my friends can grab it, as we've had so many hours of fun already. This is not only a game that's great on its own merits, it perfectly encapsulates that elusive retro game feel in ways most games can only hope to do. All I can say is that I hope Retroware keeps up this level of quality in their future releases.

It's time to talk about Iron Meat's visuals, and this is yet another aspect of the game where I'm just going to gush about how great everything is. This is a title that goes for a 16-bit pixel style, and it's probably the single best example I've ever seen. The visuals are not only retro, but they're also beautifully gory in a way that only a retro game-playing, horror movie fan could appreciate. It probably goes without saying that I am that fan. Every bit of Iron Meat feels like it's a love letter to retro console stylings, but there's also plenty that keeps everything looking distinctly modern as well. It reminds me a lot of Retroware's other action platformer, Prison City, though I don't think they share any of the same development team. Enemy and hero designs all stand out, and there's plenty of body horror to be found in the former. I already mentioned the stages themselves being unique, but a lot of that is due to all the detail in them. There are even some stages where the camera gets closer or further away for dramatic effect, letting the player really get a feel for the sheer scope of the game. Then there's the bosses. Each boss is large and imposing, and might leave you with a nightmare or two if you're not ready for the insanity they bring to the table. Admittedly they look nothing like the art shown in the loading screens, but that's of no consequence since they're each done in very different styles. Speaking of different styles, I did have a minor gripe with the opening cutscene. Said opening is animated in a way that looks like a mix of 80s TV cartoons and mid-2000s web animation. The problem is that it doesn't really gel with anything else seen in the game. It's not bad by any means, it just stands out in a weird way. That's a rather small complaint though, and it's pretty much the only one I have. Oh, I guess I'd have liked a few stages to not take place indoors or at night, but I guess the game is going for a "One Night of Hell" type thing, so I guess I can forgive the developers for that.

There's definitely a trend forming in this review, and it revolves around my glowing love for Iron Meat. If there is a single part of the game that I feel is executed perfectly, it has to be the music and sound design. Iron Meat features a soundtrack that is full of 16-bit metal tunes, and each track gets you ready for all the action about to come your way. There are plenty of Doom vibes here too, and I meant that in the best way possible. I have to wonder if there are hidden IRL metal references here like those found in Doom, but I guess that's a rabbit hole I'll leave for another day. I don't know if I have a particular favorite track in the bunch, but I have to admit that I found myself humming along to some of the melodies more than once. Even that opening cutscene I low-key complained about in the last part is accompanied by a track that made me mostly forget that it didn't really fit in. It's not just the music either, as the sound effects are all great too. There's plenty of squishy meat noises to be had, and there an absolute cacophony of gunfire and explosions constantly surrounding the player. Everything is loud and in your face, but in a way that never overwhelms. It adds to the experience, and never feels any more chaotic than it needs to be. There is no voice acting in the game, but then again there's not really even any dialogue either. A one-liner or two here or there might've gone a long way as far as presentation goes, but it's totally fine without it. I honestly can't think of a single negative thing to add to this part of the review. I guess I can say that I wish there was more to the music, but that's not really far now, is it?

Prepare yourselves once again for another Operation Galuga comparison. That game, which is still great mind you, came with a price tag of $39.99. Even in my review at the time, I found that price point hard to justify. The game was great fun, but it didn't really capture the retro vibes it was going for, nor was it a complete and total modern overhaul. Compare that to Iron Meat's content, and its price point. Not only does Iron Meat check all the boxes that Operation Galuga attempted to, but it also does it at a very reasonable price of just $19.99. I have to admit that there are fewer game modes here, but the core experience is more than worth the price of admission alone. That's also not to say that there isn't a lot to do outside of the main game either. There are the unlockable skins I mentioned a few times before, and there are also in-game achievements to work towards. Players can also give things like challenge runs a try, or they can simply play the game on all of its difficulty settings. Honestly, just being able to play with friends at any time is more enough for me. I've already sunk plenty of hours into the game as it is, and I'm sure that's not going to change any time soon.

It's probably no surprise that I give Iron Meat the absolute highest of recommendations. It's one of the best run-and-gun shooters I've played this year, and one of the best I've played ever. It's a must buy for fans of the genre, and far more than that too. There's something here for retro game enthusiasts, those looking for a great couch co-op game, or even those who long for a modern take on the classic Contra formula. It's perfect for newcomers as well, as one can easily get the full experience even on the easiest difficulty setting. This is truly a game for everyone, and I suggest you stop reading now and grab it on whatever platform you can. Don't worry, you can thank me later. Now if you'll excuse me, I think it's time to face off against The Meat once again... See you in the next one!

Check Out Iron Meat on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/iron-meat-switch/

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Story: A
Gameplay: A+
Graphics: A+
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A

Overall: A+

Pros:
+ Not only is this a great run-and-gun shooter, but it also perfectly recreates the classic Contra-style experience.
+ Couch co-op is so much fun. Like unbelievably so.
+ The story has some neat Doom vibes, and The Meat is one of the coolest enemies you'll see in gaming.
+ Gameplay is spot on, and it's highly replayable even after you've finished the main game.
+ While the visuals might be a bit much for some players, the game itself is very accessible with the inclusion of an easy difficulty setting that still lets you experience the full game.
+ Graphics perfectly emulate the 16-bit pixel aesthetic, while also having many modern touches.
+ The soundtrack is full of awesome metal music, and the sound effects really hammer home the game's insane levels of action.
+ A serious steal at just $19.99. I hope that there's a sequel of some kind in the works!

Cons:
- I know it's a small point to make, but the lack of a double jump is kind of weird.
- The gory visuals, complete with plenty of body horror, might put off some players.
- The opening cutscene isn't bad by any means, but it looks like it belongs to a completely different game in terms of visual style.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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I need a drink after that one!

#IronMeat