A Retro Love Letter to Judgement Day
I have been a fan of the Terminator franchise ever since the very early days, and despite seeing the first film when I was too young (and learning some interesting phrases as a result) I really enjoyed the first two films. The rest? Well, not so much, suffering as they did from the law of diminishing returns.
Still, a video game based on the second film sounds like a great idea, and as luck would have it, Bitmap Bureau and Reef Entertainment have come together to release Terminator 2D: NO FATE, which weaves an original narrative around the events of the second movie.
So, can this love letter to the arcade games of the 90’s be relevant in this day and age, or should we keep waiting? Well, faster than you can say Hasta la Vista, baby, I’ll tell you!
A Pixel-Perfect Nostalgia Trip
The design and presentation of Terminator 2D: NO FATE is firmly on the retro end of the scale, with an appealing pixel art look to not only the levels and characters we come across, but also the cutscenes in the story. The animation of our characters is pretty good, and very much of the time it is trying to replicate. With my modern goggles on, there does seem to be a few frames of animation missing from the way we move, but it is exactly as I remember the games being back in the day.
What you can be sure of is that from those you play as, Sarah Connor is Sarah Connor, right down to her various outfits, and the T-800 is most definitely the T-800. Oh yeah, and John Connor is annoying, exactly as I remember. The various set pieces of the film are carried out faithfully and look really good.
Sound is limited to that of gunfire, pretty much, and various explosions and sound effects as we go. I’ll be honest and say that not having any speech seems like a missed opportunity, as a drawled “I’ll be Back” would have made my inner nerd very happy. Still, the continue screen features the famous thumbs up from the molten metal bit, so that was nice to see. All in all, the presentation works really well.
Run-and-Gun Across the Timeline
So, how about the gameplay, I hear you ask? Well, basic is the way I would describe it; think Contra from the early days and you won’t be a million miles away. Whichever character we play has a similar move set, and the majority of what we have to do is shoot in multiple directions (well, the traditional directions: left, right, up and diagonal in both directions) while running about.
We have a handy slide move, and can also jump: all the usual things that you would find in a platform shooty game. However, the controls have a certain amount of imprecision built in, which makes Terminator 2D: NO FATE quite a lot harder. Let me explain.
The Battle Against Finicky Controls
As we wander around the levels, there are certain places that open up the opportunity to either jump up or drop down through the platforms. So far, so normal, right? Well, jumping up is quite difficult to get to happen the first time, as you need to jump and press directly up at the same time. Even one degree off that vertical will see you jump in place and stay put. The same comes when trying to drop down – the button input is, as usual, down and jump at the same time, but this input also makes you do a slide type move to get under low obstacles. So, in the later stages (especially the one where we have to chase John and keep him safe) one false button press will see John run ahead and the T-1000 shank him again and again. The controls could do with a rethink, to be blunt, and they make the game harder than it needs to be.
And don’t even get me started on trying to fire downwards! Jumping and pressing down and shoot at the same time? Nightmare.
There are various other scenarios we have to take part in, with the truck chase on the Harley and the helicopter chase particular highlights. The way that the key scenes are played out works really well: Sarah’s escape from the hospital, and the T-800 saying “Come with me if you want to live” had my son looking at me in an odd way, as I did my best Arnie impression in the living room. If only the game had said it for me!
The story found in the film is interwoven with new bits set in the future, with an older John Connor sending people and machines back to help his mother and his younger self. The future levels are quite a bit trickier, with the Terminators and their various boss characters being quite difficult to stop. There’s even a nod to the first film as we play a naked T-800 in a bar, looking for clothes, boots and a motorcycle: this is a nice touch. There is a real pull to finish the levels you are on to see what is coming next!
An Action-Packed Tribute for Fans of the Franchise
So, the conclusion then. Terminator 2D: NO FATE is a good game, with lots of nods to the lore, all of which will go down well with fans of the franchise. Equally, it’s welcoming enough for those who aren’t invested in the universe. The levels are short and action packed, and with multiple endings to go for, alongside the multiple difficulty levels, there is a lot to keep you coming back.
A lack of any multiplayer is a shame, as a bit of couch co-op would be bang in the era, but you can’t have everything. Apart from the issues with the controls, Terminator 2D: NO FATE is a good old crack at the subject material.
Important Links
Terminator 2D: No Fate Rewrites Judgment Day In Pixel-Powered Style – https://www.thexboxhub.com/terminator-2d-no-fate-rewrites-judgment-day-in-pixel-powered-style/
Hasta La Vista, Baby! Terminator 2D: NO FATE is Coming to Console and PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/hasta-la-vista-baby-terminator-2d-no-fate-is-coming-to-console-and-pc/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/terminator-2d-no-fate/9PMT5QL5J54M/0010
