DreadStar: The Quest for Revenge
DreadStar: The Quest for Revenge
Dreadstar is a classic arcade-style, top-down shooter, bringing in a great classic taste of arcade gaming with a modern touch.
With having played very few arcade shoot‘em ups, I was very excited to get into this game. Most arcade games that I have interacted with while growing up had a general idea of a plot/story arc associated with them, but nothing to elaborate on.
*– [Real player with 130.5 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198329404521)*
---
Read More:
Best Shoot 'Em Up 2D Games.
---
Classic arcade-style shoot-em-up games are rather challenging and rely on pattern-learning and proper execution. _DreadStar: The Quest for Revenge_ follows in suit with a few short levels and varied bosses to keep the game feeling rather fresh at every point. Three different difficulty options are available for each stage, progressively unlocked. The game does give a bit more leniency from the traditional shoot-em-up game with its leveling-up system and purchasable ship-modifications that are sometimes needed to get the player over the hump.
*– [Real player with 13.8 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198445832924)*
---
![Skycadia](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1364710/header.jpg "")
## Skycadia
This is by far the most exciting thrill ride of a highscore leaderboard battling game I've played in many years.
At the start, you are set to begin unlocking the other pilots and weapons (3 of each). It may seem like a huge hurdle, but once you get your mind past the unlocks and just concentrate on the leaderboard, it becomes all or nothing.
Set in a retro 90's look with it's vibrant landscapes and scan lines, you feel right at home. (Well I do).
The chiptune music sets the scene for the 3 stages the game throws at you. First a light tune as the first wave of enemy ships spawn in, then a faster arrangement as the flying centipedes swoop around and finally the boss music kicks, and you know by then, things are gonna go down.
*– [Real player with 34.4 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197998186478)*
---
Read More:
Best Shoot 'Em Up 1990's Games.
---
"Pixelized, Fast paced, Action packed flight shoot em up'"
The more and more i played the more challenging the game got, keeping me at my toes with it's rouge-like enemy system, as soon as i had overcome a difficult enemy a new enemy would appear and kill me several more times.
The controls are simple and easy and the smoothness you can achieve once you've mastered the plane is awesome. I did have to toggle the inverted vertical controls, as flying felt much better that way.
The daylight cycle makes the game more interesting as the environment changes with the lighting. At night you can watch your bullets light up the clouds and environment as you blast enemies. and vice versa
*– [Real player with 11.8 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198289115193)*
---
![INSPACE 2980](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/760580/header.jpg "")
## INSPACE 2980
The game has menu problems that make it UNPLAYABLE at all past level 2\. Strangely, the demo did not have this problem. The developer has had a long time to fix the problem, but it appears he's promoting some other game now.
*– [Real player with 6.1 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198888609962)*
---
Read More:
Best Shoot 'Em Up Futuristic Games.
---
I really wanted to like this game because I love shooters like this, but it just feels unpolished and has too many little frustrations. Upgrades are uninspired and cost WAY too much to max out requiring a lot of grinding. It seems there are so many bonuses and upgrades that should obviously be included, but aren't for some reason. I can overlook little UI issues (Why does the audio volume range from -1% - 104%?), but it just gets repetitive and becomes a grind. I quit near the end once I got to a slow escort mission that would require a slow grind to upgrade my ship to finish.
*– [Real player with 4.3 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198391553084)*
---
![AST-Hero](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1258520/header.jpg "")
## AST-Hero
#### Support us by Wishlisting:
![](https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1258520/extras/add_to_wishlist.gif?t=1635972984)
AST-Hero is a top-down space-shooter, with unique graphics and sounds.
Everything was custom-handmade.
It offers a great player experience and is difficult to master although the game learning curve is easy.
AST-Hero is inspired by the 1979 hit Asteroids. It comes with a lot of new and interesting features and answers our main question:
_If asteroids would have been done in 2020, how would it look like?_
Are you ready to fight through 40 levels and defeat the mighty mothership?
Some of the features of the game:
* Gamepad compatible
* Fun to play
* Quick and reactive gameplay
* Easy learning curve
* 40 levels
* 5 difficulty levels
* A tutorial to help new players understand the gameplay
* Voice-overs during the tutorial and in the shop
* Subtitles during the tutorial
* Endless playing environment
* Mini-Bosses and End Boss
* Locked screen pre-boss mechanics
* Multiple weapons to choose from
* A shop to buy weapons and upgrades
* Special bonus weapons
* Amazing and tailored soundtracks
* Unique handmade design
* Handmade sound-effects
* Coded without libraries
---
![Dantes Bullet Inferno](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1239990/header.jpg "")
## Dantes Bullet Inferno
Little cute ship shooting thousands of incoming enemies in the depths of hell; whats not to like? :) input for gamepad can't be changed atm so controls for switching level collide with shooting. Other than that: solid time waste.
*– [Real player with 0.5 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198113749864)*
Spooky scary game from hell.
*– [Real player with 0.5 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198319692827)*
---
![Meteoroids 3D](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1553110/header.jpg "")
## Meteoroids 3D
**Asteroids: when the simplest is the most addictive.**
Eighties of the twentieth century. The golden age of 8-bit video games. We were leaving school, and we were going to spend our precious coins in the arcade machines.
One of the machines that personally caught my attention was Atari's Asteroids. How could something so simple be so addictive? How could they simulate the physics of that little white triangle on a black background in such a way?
Asteroids was as simple as it gets. A simple black background, a white triangle, and figures representing asteroids, which were destroyed as we shot white dots from our triangle, which was our ship. Imagination did the rest. And the inertia effects were really amazing for the time.
**A tribute to Asteroids: Meteoroids 3D.**
Meteoroids 3D doesn't pretend anything except two things: to be a tribute to Asteroids, and to allow the player to go back to destroying space rocks in an absurd and crazy way. To do this we have created a modern game, with weapons and scenarios in three dimensions, but with the simplicity of the game of the time.
Meteoroids 3D doesn't want to be better than Asteroids; that's impossible. What we want is to make a tribute. And that's all we want.
We have added some aspects, besides the famous UFO: a demon, and some enemy ships that launch rockets to destroy us. Main features are:
**Features.**
**_Note: we highly recommend using a pad (Xbox, Playstation or compatible) because you'll have more control flying the starship._**
1.- 24 levels, that follow the greek alphabet. Why the greek alphabet? It's cool.
2.- Seven weapons. You get new weapons while you get new levels. But you can activate all the weapons from the very first time if you wish.
3.- Energy weapons are far more effective, but consume a lot of energy. Be careful.
4.- Missiles. They follow the priority targets. If there are only meteors, they destroy the nearest. If there are enemies, they follow the most dangerous.
5.- Enemies. Asteroids had the UFO. Here you'll also get the Demon, the Mother Ship, and enemy fighters, that are very, very fast and dangerous.
6.- What if you don't want enemies and just want play the old way, destroying meteors? Deactivate enemies and that's it.
7.- Every time you start destroying meteors there is an incremental count that finishes after a time. Try to make your best records in the minimum time.
8.- There are two initial scenarios, more to come. But don't worry: the main goal is to finish meteors, not scenarios.
9.- You can see who's the best in the Steam statistics.
10.- First view is the best! We want third view! Well, choose how you want to play in the config menu.
11.- Fast game or a long challenge? You can modify the time for every level from 3 minutes to 15\. And you're going to suffer if you want to survive.
12.- Leaderboards and records for various items, including the record destroying meteors in 20 seconds.
Have an idea or something to say? This is a game to have fun. We'll hear you.
Last, but not least, we have added **a full physics option**: if the player wants can activate it, and then the ship will have the same inertia that the small ship of the old game had, so the control will be logically more complex. Those who do not want that degree of realism in physics can leave the simple mode activated.
For the rest, Meteoroids 3D is a simple, addictive game, with twenty-four levels, which wants to be a tribute to the games that gave us so many good times in the eighties, and especially Asteroids, which undoubtedly made me leave many, many coins inside.
We hope you enjoy Meteoroids 3D, but don't forget to play Asteroids in some emulator. It's still as addictive now as it was then. Thank you very much.
---
![Raptor: Call of the Shadows (1994 Classic Edition)](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/358360/header.jpg "")
## Raptor: Call of the Shadows (1994 Classic Edition)
EDIT: On a widescreen monitor, you may need to change DOSbox settings (edit RAPTOR.CONF in Notepad to change "aspect=false" to "aspect=true") to fix the aspect ratio. You may also need to disable Steam Overlay then, since the pop-up will get stuck in the margin.
This is a classic top-scrolling shooter from 1994, with an upgrade shop system being the main selling point. That is, your score is measured in credits which you can use to buy upgrades for your ship between levels. The graphics are pretty detailed for the time, similar to an Amiga or Atari ST game, especially the scrolling terrain. Sound effects are crunchy and satisfying, and the cheerful MIDI music is simple but effective. Keyboard, joystick, and mouse control schemes are available.
*– [Real player with 18.9 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197985734114)*
Raptor: Call of The Shadows Versions is an Awesome MS-DOS Game, I'm a Professional at this game & I grew up with this Old DOS Classic.
Your engine's turbines roar as you scream out of the sky. Startled troops look up just in time to see your wing cannons blaze. You feel the plane buck slightly as your missiles streak toward their targets. A flash in the distance tells you that they have done their job and so have you. MegaCorp pays well, for those good enough to survive. They call you into the shadows with dreams of wealth, and you answer, the only way you know how.
*– [Real player with 9.3 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198035643084)*
---
![Rogue Sentry](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1555770/header.jpg "")
## Rogue Sentry
Good, short and tough.
Plenty of secrets to find.
*– [Real player with 29.4 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198015099148)*
Check out this awesome retro shooter. Apparently most people have been completing it in 2-3 hours but I'm 3 hours in and only 1/2-2/3 through the game. Gameplay is simple but a little unusual (in a good way). Really have a lot of fun with it!
The best way I can describe this is as a "top down metroidvania" with bullet hell elements. Exploring is as fun as clearing rooms. Retro graphics are simplistic but well done. Challenging and very fun.
For more niche curation, follow me at: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/27440015-CSH-Picone/
*– [Real player with 5.6 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198038181840)*
---
![Super Retro Fighter](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1574750/header.jpg "")
## Super Retro Fighter
This review is not final as the game is still in Early Access (v 0.9.7 beta at the time of the review). It may change to a positive review, depending on future changes, rebalancing and additions and I do believe that it has the potential to become a very fun game.
Super Retro Fighter is an individual stages vertizontal shmup that is intentionally designed to be frustrating. So far, it only has one mode. While it's called Arcade Mode, it lets you select an individual stage to take on. You unlock one after another and gain upgrade points based on your performance that you can spend on extra ships, bombs and shot power. These will certainly aid you but the trial and error remains.
*– [Real player with 19.2 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198092137267)*
Really fun game. It has an 80's retro vibe to the music which is pretty awesome.
There is 3 ships to choose from and each one is unique for different guns to accomodate different playstyles.
Some stages that can get pretty frustrating but at least you can stage select to retry same stage as often as you want.
Also, there is a system to make your ship stronger , buy more lives, etc.
Controls: It feels responsive using a gamepad.
I use a Dual Shock 4 wired with USB cable and game recognizes at a PS4 controller.
*– [Real player with 14.8 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970377162)*
---
![Gun Rage](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/840020/header.jpg "")
## Gun Rage
Gameplay is fun and I like the grotesque-looking enemies you encounter in the game. Unfortunately the developer obviously did not proofread any of the dialogue during development because it is riddled with poor vocabulary. If you can ignore that glaring issue and are into side-scrolling shooters you will enjoy this one.
*– [Real player with 6.6 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198088183244)*
Pure atmosphere with a fast-and-loose play style, Gun Rage is proving to be a lot of fun so far. I haven't encountered any major design issues, and this game was obviously made with care and a specific vision in mind. I'm sure any possible issues will be addressed. Great art and soundtrack. An early thumbs-up from my quick dip into this tasty, violent, and gory syth-pocalypse.
*– [Real player with 2.6 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198120623709)*
---