The underlying formula beneath 30XX is pretty obvious: take your classic Mega Man platforming, add in modern roguelike sensibilities, and – voila – you’ve got 30XX.
That’s probably a reductionist approach to 30XX, but at the same time, it’s hard to think of any other way to think about the game. I mean, not only is it readily apparent from almost the moment you start the game, it’s almost literally how the game describes itself on its Steam store page. While there are certainly times where developers themselves are completely wrong about how their games play, this isn’t one of those times. With 30XX, what you see is exactly what you get. That was clear two years ago when Stan covered the game in Early Access, and it’s still clear today.
It’s hard to be upset about that given that 30XX nails that formula so well. You want arm cannons to shoot aliens and robots? You have that here. You want tough-as-nails levels that force you to constantly be at your best? Also present here.
The twist, of course, is that 30XX isn’t just a Mega Man clone, it’s a roguelike Mega Man clone. That means you can’t just memorize levels: you need to get skilled with the game’s mechanics, getting your timing down pat and learning exactly when to attack everything. It’s undeniably challenging, but it also feels pretty darn good when you finish off any one of the nine bosses here. (And, happily, if you can’t do it all in one life, you’re able to tweak the difficulty settings to make the game a little less punishing.)
To top it all off, 30XX also features a Maker Mode, which means that if you ever wished you could build your own Mega Man level, you have the chance to do so here with some pretty solid tools.
In other words, what Stan wrote as a prediction a few years ago has fully come to pass now that 30XX is in full release. It’s an enjoyably challenging platformer that’s sure to scratch any Mega Man or roguelike itches you have. Factor in Maker Mode, and you’ve got a recipe for a platformer that’s a huge – and hugely fun – time sink.
Batterystaple Games provided us with a 30XX code for review purposes.
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