October 23, 2021

If You Can't Take the Heat, Get Off the Battlefield! Mission 1985 (Steam) Review

This post may contain affiliate links from places like Amazon and Green Man Gaming — and we may earn a small commission when you click these links. All earnings will go to keeping this website as minimally ad-free as possible. Learn more here.

If You Can't Take the Heat, Get Off the Battlefield! Mission 1985 (Steam) Review

By Joel | October 23, 2021
Consulog Studios hopes to capture the proverbial lightning in a bottle with Mission1985, a tribute to the run and gun games of the past.

Mission 1985 is a fun, all-out fighting machine that wastes no time getting down to business. It’s not big on wasted dialogue or too many attempts at humor, instead, it portrays itself as a throwback to the arcade games of the ‘80s and '90s with results that look and feel both new and fresh.

There’s nothing pretentious or whimsical here as we so often see in titles that parody old-school games. I would suspect, that most players, will scoff at the idea of bringing back games from three decades ago, then turn around and complain that today's games don't have the addictiveness of the former.

To them, I say it’s easy to mimic or mock something old, but it’s much harder to ask why games, such as Ikari Warriors or Commando, have endured the test of time. Indie developer, Consulog Game Studios, hopes to capture the proverbial lightning in a bottle and then try to catch it again with Mission1985, a tribute to the run and gun games of the past.

Battle Scars

The game starts with a literal bang in which you try to fight your way level after level through enemy territory. You do this as only you know-how, with guns, grenades, flame-throwers, and anything else you can get your battle-scarred hands on.

Gameplay is viewed from an overhead perspective which allows you 360 degrees of freedom to look and move around, which is important because enemies will come at you from all sides. The opening sequence starts with a quick staging area, after that, be prepared to keep your thumb glued to the trigger button as waves of enemies waste little time coming after you with bullets, tanks, and grenades.

Along the way, you'll have to contend with traps, deadly pits, lava, and a host of enemies set on taking you out. You can rescue prisoners which adds additional lives to your health bar, but since the game can be quite challenging, I recommend you start off with the maximum number of lives possible.

To break up the monotony, the developers have included several Space Harrier-type missions in which you take control of a targeting reticule and blast enemies from a semi-3D perspective. It's a simple but, relatively easy way, to add depth to the game.

I Salute You, Soldier

Graphical imagery has grown brutal and complex in many of today's action games, and yet there is a simple elegance in the way Mission 1985 is presented. The characters here are more defined and less pixelated than its arcade cousins and the color palette makes more use of a robust and deeper artistic scheme and stirs in more luminous shades, giving the entire landscape a more subtle, but visually appealing retro look.

With arcade-inspired visuals, responsive controls, and a thumping soundtrack, Mission 1985 is in fact, what we all want from any action game: excitement, tension, and simplicity. Many games claim to be immersive but Mission 1985 genuinely is.

The tension is there and the chaotic action onscreen gives us very little chance to catch our breath. Mission 1985 keeps you at the edge of your seat, due mainly, because there is no way to anticipate how many levels you can survive or how much you can endure. And just when you've cleared one tough level, another more challenging one emerges, and that challenge, in my opinion, is what makes it so fun to play.


March 25, 2023
Walking Simulators: Are They Truly Games or Something Else?

Walking simulators are a relatively new kind of game. But when done right, they offer experiences that can be incredibly immersive and emotionally stimulating

Read More
March 24, 2023
Arcade Game, Pizza Possum, Available to Wishlist On Steam

Pizza Possum, a new sneaky arcade game where you stuff your face with delicious food, is unveiled by Cosy Computer and Raw Fury.

Read More
March 23, 2023
Point and Click Adventure Game, Universe For Sale, Coming to Steam

Carefully Craft Worlds in this Sci-fi Narrative Focusing on the Human Existence and What it Means to Know Oneself

Read More

POPULAR POSTS

January 12, 2021
Hotshot Racing (Steam) Review

A retro-inspired racing game that tries to capture the thrill and excitement of Daytona and Virtua Racing, but fails in its execution.

October 18, 2022
Is It Worth It? The Pros and Cons of Gamepass

Whether or not Gamepass is worth it really depends on how often you play video games and what kinds of games you like to play.

October 9, 2022
At Last, a Crazy Taxi Game Set in the Future! Mile High Taxi - Early Impressions

I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for a Crazy Taxi game set in the future ever since I first played the original back in the day.

March 8, 2023
Video Game Stores That Were Havens for Gamers, But No Longer Exist

Discover the history of these beloved video game stores that have sadly been lost to time and learn why these places were so unique to gamers.

December 14, 2021
Look at What 30 Years Can Do - ClockWork Aquario Finally Gets a Release

Record breaking game releases today in North America

envelope
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram