What a mess! The city is on fire, cyborg terrorists are causing mayhem, and mutant spiders comprised of decapitated heads are running amok. This sounds like a job for Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison. The creators of Prey, Duke Nukem 3D, and Max Payne, 3D Realms, have partnered up with Voidpoint and given birth to the fiery, action packed, game, Ion Fury. This retro-styled, first-person shooter will draw you in with it’s badass herorine, dramatic storyline, and all the nostalgic love from those arcade game days and old sci-fi, action movies.
Don’t let the pixelated design fool you into thinking this is going to be a simple or easy. With the option to choose your difficulty level, the only thing you should have to worry about is if you have the moxie to take back Neo D.C from Dr. Heskel and his many cronies. You won’t be just battling against some technically-enhanced humans, but also motion-sensored machine guns, deadly spider-like creatures, and even an ED-209 look-alike.
The map and layout of your levels are intricate and filled with many alternative paths. Use this to you advantage to sneak up on enemies by dropping through ceiling grates and crawling through vents. The environment is also filled with minute details and objects that you can interact with. Actions such as shooting bottles and trashcans, or just turning the lights on and off brings a whole level of immersion to the game that will keep you entertained for hours. Some of these side interactions can grant you bonus health, armor, and even lead you to secret rooms and tunnels filled with goodies. Don’t be afraid to dive into pools of blue water, open desks and lockers, or break into stores, as there are hidden treasures all throughout.
Although you start off with a stun baton and Shelly’s go-to weapon, a triple-barreled revolver, aka Loverboy, you can soon acquire and use grenade launchers, ion bows, and even bowl bombs to your enemies. No need to worry about accidentally causing any civilian casualties either because everyone and everything will be shooting at you. Shoot back, go on a rampage and get creative, you’re Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison and everything about you is hardcore.
Ion Fury is an all-around fun and enjoyable game. There are a few areas that are trickier than others, but without a little challenge, where would the feeling of success come from when you finally find your answers. Explosions, rocking weapons, and taking down bad guys, what more can you ask for? Be the hero that Neo D.C deserves and treat yourself to a thrilling adventure.
Pros: Amazing attention to detail in the environment, can auto-save, and thoroughly fun.
Cons: Puzzles may be a bit hard at first and because of the pixelated style, it’s easy to miss certain clues or items.
SCORE: 8.7/10
Check Out the Ion Fury Trailer:
Ion Fury launches out of Steam Early Access onto PC August 15, with Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One coming later.
For more information, please explore the official websites for 3D Realms, Ion Fury, and 1C Entertainment.
Steam Review
Video games have always been a huge influence in my life and have definitely shaped me to who I am today . Some of my best memories growing up were the many adventures and stories I was able to experience and become immersed in. If my hands aren't either covered in clay, typing, editing, creating, or helping shoving food in my mouth, they would either be gripped to a controller, tapping away at the screen of my phone, or clicking away on my PC. I am always up for trying something new because why live just one life when you can live many.
More Stories
GIRLS’ FRONTLINE 2: EXILIUM Gameplay Summary Guide
Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland War DLC and Expansion for ARK: Extinction Ascended Now Available
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Review for PlayStation 5