Steel Rats by Tate Multimedia put on a hell of a show with their tail-whipping combat of a game.
At first I struggled to get a grasp of Steel Rats. There is a lot going on, and the controls weren’t too friendly. Naturally the game will introduce you to a lot of maneuvers and controls over time, but jumping into ‘later’ levels to showcase what the game had to offer was a lot to handle. Steel Rats has four unique characters with varying abilities. When a character dies, the next one replaces them. This is essentially how Steel Rats offers multiple lives while exposing players to different characters and playstyles.
My first playthrough was horrendous. The level structure includes ramps and forks turning the game from 2D to 2.5D. Since motorcycles are fast, choosing a ramp or path to take has to be made equally as fast. Any delay choosing a path can result in being stuck on the same path or running into corners.
By my second playthrough, I was tail-whipping junk and zig-zagging through train tracks avoiding oncoming trains, bunny hopping over ledges and taking advantage of the front-wheel saw weapon mechanic while destroying objects, it was amazing! There was something that clicked, and every move had a poetic flow to it which made me feel like a true member of the Steel Rats biker gang.
Gameplay & Interview
Release Date: Q4 2018 on Steam, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Developer: Tate Multimedia
Official Site: http://steelratsgame.com/
