Action Fist

Action Fist is heavily influenced by the 16-bit platform shooters Gunstar Heroes, Contra III and Metal Slug. Veterans of the genre should know what to expect -- clumsy vehicular segments even make an appearance! The game doesn't innovate but it's a very polished experience; the graphics are absolutely lovely and the music is fitting (if a little forgettable). It's certainly a good time -- especially in co-op -- but a couple design flaws hold it back from being a must-play.

The game's main mechanic is that your gun fires one of three colors -- if the color of your fire matches the enemy you hit you'll do extra damage. You only have access to two colors at any given moment, so there is a slight tactical edge to it. However, the game doesn't explain it too well and it never seemed to 'click' with me. It's also awkward to have to switch guns with the "C" key, I'd recommend swapping it out with "A" in the options menu.

Your character shuffles along at a slow speed; while he can perform double/walljumps, controlling him doesn't feel quite right. The pacing for the stages isn't at the same frantic level that the genre's best tout.

My biggest concern is how the game handles difficulty. Unlike, say, the Contra series, you can withstand more than one hit. This seems like a shoddy workaround for taking unavoidable damage; at least in Gunstar Heroes you have maneuverability and a guard move. You'll die frequently, even in Normal mode, which is exacerbated by losing your power-ups every time you perish. Your infinite lives and regular checkpoints are another workaround for that but it cheapens the experience to always have that safety net present. Contrariwise (no pun intended), once you learn the layout of the levels and maintain your upgrades the game gets infinitely easier.

Don't get me wrong, most of these issues go away once you're blasting shit with a friend. There are little touches and nifty graphical tricks that impress from time to time, and I also have to give props to the boss battles. The dry writing interspersed between levels is chuckle-worthy as well. Good times abound, but it's short of being a masterpiece.