Biolab Wars is a schlocky ode to 80's 8-bit shooter platformers, that initially seems like it only takes stylish inspiration from that era, but by the end has alas descended into committing some of it's worst game-play mechanics.

At first it's a relatively enjoyable romp, with the limited colour palette and grainy visuals of an 8-bit title, yet handling more smoothly than the game's it is aping. Up until stage 6 I found this to be a quite fun mega-mix of just about every set-piece you can think of from other games, and with a campy tone to the presentation that raised a chuckle.

This is a game where you can play as a dog in a robotic assault suit...it's not exactly serious.

Unfortunately by stage 6 they start introducing some horrible tendencies that drag it down from that enjoyable beginning. Imagine a level that has conveyor belts hanging in mid-air over pits of spikes, and with enemies flying around or shooting at you. Go that picture in your head? doesn't sound so bad does it? "hey! we want to ramp up the challenge, and all of this here shee-yit worked before in someone else's game, so why not ours?"

Welllllll........yeahhhh, but nooooo, cause you done gone fudged it up. The moment you land on a conveyor belt it all goes to poo-poo, and turns from being a responsive shooter into a "why the heck is this suddenly so clunky and frustrating". You have literally a nano-second to respond before getting flung off, and that's if it responds at all. This part of the game feels awful, and actually plays like an 80's 8-bit game, rather than just looking like one, which isn't a good thing.

By now I'm about half an hour in? forty minutes or so? Whatever, I'm done with it. Fun at first, but it sucks by this point, as I don't like the stilted game-play of old shooters. Whilst it initially felt somewhat different, with more fluid movement and mostly free of bad design choices, it dropped the ball here.

I guess if you have the patience then this is well worth the cheap cost. It does play quite nicely, both game-play wise and technically. But for me it slipped from "inspired by, but without the worst sh*t" to "full on re-producing the worst sh*t" and so throws away any good will.

Looks like a Contra experience in the screenshots, but everything is too "not enough". The resemblance is just on the very surface and just enough to make some screen shots that will sell the game. Not expensive but I rather regret paying for this.

the pixel art is nice but i really cant recommend Biolab wars unless it's for a young kid or someone who's really bad at platformers. the game is really easy. i only ever died do to falling into pits for different reasons not counting a death to the 7th and last levels cannon beem. let me list how i ended up in pits: jumping off rope lines not giving me enough distance, one part i guess i was hitting the rock roof, enemy knock back, and not being able to tell what was forground or background. all the characters play the same and the default gun can only ever fire forward when ducking, jumping or standing (think megaman). they do have nads, 2 hovering pets (1 shoots forward and the other at a downward angle) and 3 guns with limited ammo. the 3 guns are: a 3 was split shot, a stronger forward shot, and a stronger forward shot that also shoots up. cute game but not much substance.

p.s. the girl's ninja mask makes her sprite look like she has an orange mustache.

This game tries to be an old school run and gun but fails horribly due to the terrible level design. However this issue isn't a kind that gives frustration, it makes the game super easy,bland and boring. Literally every level is just couple of enemy types placed around randomly. There is no thought behind enemy placements at all,they are just there and creator doesn't do anything interesting with them. Boss fights are quite bland as well. They have one or two specific attacks and keep repeating those. I especially find the chicken boss's laser attack quite lame. It always shoots at the exact same place. Had like 100 mins in the game and already got all achievements. Achievements like "kill all enemies" is not fun nor anything skillful. Also you want people to beat the game with each character even though they all work exactly same? That's not good. So overall game has serious design issues and offer nothing interesting. Just a bland run and gun game.

This is not Contra. This is Journey to Silius.

It's almost there. It's hard to describe but it just narrowly misses the mark. Looks plays and sounds very much like an NES title but it's just off. It's on the easy side and a bit dull I'm afraid. Even for two dollars and functional it's just too bland to recommend.