OTXO, from developer Lateralis Heavy Industries, goes old school with top-down, twin-stick shooter gameplay that also features roguelike elements. You play as a random guy who washes up on the beach of some dream or afterlife. You don’t know anything about how you got there but soon find yourself in a constant fight using guns and kicks. It can be purchased now on Steam.
It’s pretty straightforward as well, get through each room without dying. If you fail then it’s back to the start to begin a new run. You must try to beat all 150 levels that appear in a random order so no two runs are alike. The overall mechanics of OTXO are reminiscent of other modern top-down pixel shooters such as Hotline Miami.
After each run, you can look at upgrades and customise your set-up to tackle the next run. This adds a large chunk of replayability crucial for an arcade-style game. There is also a combo meter that increases the payouts of each kill so you must start to learn this from the get-go. The quicker you can rack up combos, the quicker you will be able to buy the upgrades.
There is also a bullet-time mechanic that lets you move quickly to avoid fire and get you out of trouble. The controls work well but there were a few niggles getting used to the aim that had a high sensitivity. But once you get going the blasting, there is a real feel-good factor about the completely manic and fast-paced nature and each room clearance feels like a mini-victory.
OTXO also features an interesting art style consisting of mainly monochrome visuals with a huge dollop of red splattered across. It certainly is unique but it can make it difficult to identify weapons, pick-ups and switches at times. The soundtrack is excellent though and matches the gameplay superbly. There are also some excellent sound effects with every shotgun blast and machine gun chug sounding meaty.
Overall, OTXO is a fine action game and will appeal to those who love fast-paced arcade gameplay that requires practice to master. Those looking for a deeper experience may not find enough story or RPG elements but the action and soundtrack are worth the entry price.
