Anyone familiar with how the digital stores on Xbox, PlayStation and Switch work, will know of Ratalaika Games as the bringer of cheap and cheerful little indie titles – some hit, some miss, but you can be sure that you won’t be paying anywhere near top dollar for a download. It’s all change then with Ratalaika’s latest, as Remote Life looks to deliver a more than competent shoot ’em up experience.
A far cry from Ratalaika’s usual pocket money offerings, Remote Life comes in at around $18.99 / €17.99 / £14.99, ensuring that the game created by those at Next Game Level makes a mark at the higher end of the indie market.
Does it have what it takes to fit in up there? Well, there’s certainly hope as this inspirational shoot ’em up comes to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch, with the promise that it really will kick butt. It’s fully optimised for next-gen too.
Remote Life has been put together by just one man, as they have gone about trying to create a modern day shmup experience that has been inspired by the classics previously found on C64, SNES, Genesis and Amiga. That fits the bill for us.
It arrives on modern consoles with a host of ideas. You’ve got the promise of neat level design and insanely scary visuals as the alien world in which it is set looks to come alive. Atmosphere is hugely important here, as you join the life of one John Leone – an ambitious pilot who is ready to head deep into an alien hive and destroy it, from the inside out.
A ton of ammo will be required should success be found, with multiple foes, big bosses and more all present in Remote Life. Throw in no less than sixteen levels, a number of difficulties and special missions to keep things exciting and this could well warrant that higher than normal indie price.
Developer, Mario Malagrino, gives a poignant message, “For Remote Life I tried not to be inspired by any specific game. That ensures its uniqueness in this genre. I don’t think that producing clones of other games is a great challenge . This allowed me to have a free mindset, and you can see that especially in the weapon system that is quite unique for shmups. Another thing that you do not see usually is the autosave of level progress. This allows you to finish the game in a longer timeline, and does not force you to play ‘restless’ the entire day. There are so many other features on offer”.
In all, expect to find the following features present…
- Aggressive, smart and ceaseless enemy attacks
- Use your brain to select the right weapons – there are lots
- Fabulous auto save function
- Unlock other spaceships that are faster and better suited
- Special Missions
- Guns galore with their own attributes
- 16 levels with great final bosses
- Mid level bosses
- 4 difficulty levels
- OnScreen frame rate to impress
We’ll be running review of Remote Life on Xbox very soon but until then you will find the download you need over at the Xbox Store, PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop.
Game Description:
REMOTE LIFE is a 2D side-scrolling Shoot ‘Em Up (shmup). Experience a fast paced action game with striking aesthetics. The gorgeously animated 3D graphics are full of creepy monsters, ominous backgrounds, and menacing bosses. Featuring 16 different unique combat missions, get ready to fly through a vibrant and haunting alien world. This game is a full immersion in an unseen world.
