Here’s a really short review of Terminator 2D: No Fate. As with most games, I played it on Steam using my Framework laptop and an 8BitDo Ultimate controller. It’s worth noting that I had issues with the controller using the Linux native build, and ended up switching to the Proton version, which worked perfectly.

This is the kind of game I would have killed for if it were in an arcade cabinet in the back of a CiCi’s Pizza back when I was eight. I had fun playing it, and would recommend it for a fan of the series, but I have a hard time recommending it for $30 (digital) or especially $60 (physical). It feels like $10-15 worth of value. I suspect it will be a hit in future Steam sales.

The Outstanding Parts

  • The music is absolutely stunning, A+ soundtrack from beginning to end. It’s worth playing for that alone.
  • The references to specific moments in Terminator 2 are brilliant. You know the developers absolutely adore this movie (as do I).
  • The art design and animation are exactly right for this style of game.
  • It’s genuinely fun!

The Mediocre Parts

  • Most of the levels take place outside of what you see in the movie (although the situations are broadly alluded to or referenced in the movie)
  • There is no “mall” level or “shotgun being pulled out of a roses box” moment, which feels like a serious omission for a game that went out of its way to add additional content to pad the playtime.
  • The levels start to feel repetative pretty quickly.
  • Aside from the easiest mode, if you lose all your lives (“continues”) you have to start the entire story mode again from scratch and replay all the levels again up util the point you died.
  • The “alternate paths” still end up mostly following the same narrative, and don’t provide enough new content to be worth your while

The Bad Parts

  • The controls are really bad. Half the time I go to jump up to a ledge or fall down a floor, the movement just doesn’t register. It’s almost like it has to be a pixel perfect X-axis hit. I also can’t get the sliding mechanism to behave consistently.
  • Outdated game design elements, like “Continues” and countdown timers for how long you have to finish a level. I get that it wants to mimic the retro experience and the classic arcade style, but these kinds of things are just not pleasant in a world where they’re no longer included out of necessity.