Shooting, driving, flying and dying (repeatedly) are just a few of the things players will do in Speed Limit, a brand new indie game that tries to bust apart game genres by combining them all into one brutally hard thrill ride. Developed by Gamechuck and published by Chorus Worldwide Games, Speed Limit attempts to create a high octane nonstop Hollywood action movie inside of a pixel-art video game -- and by all indications, it has succeeded.
Gamechuck uses three words to describe Speed Limit: "Hard, fast and addictive." One look at the announcement trailer makes it clear that these three ideas are present in every single set piece of Speed Limit. By taking inspiration from '90s action movies, John Wick and classic games of the past, the game is a mashup that hopes to serve the fans of fast-paced arcade action. But where it stands alone is in its unique genre-warping experience. Speed Limit is a side-scrolling action game, but it's also an action-driving game, a flying game and so much more.
Set during a rather disastrous train commute, it's protagonist is a nondescript, brown-haired pixel man in a T-shirt and jeans. Speed Limit starts off as a familiar side-scrolling shooter, though a difficult one. After a short mixup involving a gun, the player must face waves of enemies in a shootout throughout the train. However, it's right after this part where things get really interesting, as the player jumps from the train and into a convenient red convertible. Then, Speed Limit becomes a driving game.
From there on, players have to survive a sidescrolling pursuit, a topdown shooting race, a behind-the-back motorcycle chase and even a fighter jet dogfight. Speed Limit aims to take pretty much every action movie set piece, every trope put to film, and blast them at the player without relenting for even a moment. This change between genres and perspectives not only makes every single level feel like a surprise, but it's clearly a homage to classic arcade and console games of the past.
Make no mistakes, Speed Limit is a difficult game where the player dies just as easily as the enemies, and levels must be memorized and completed perfectly to proceed. But this type of gameplay is perfect for what the developers are trying to achieve. The heroes of action movies don't make mistakes when it counts, and neither can Speed Limit players. This type of gameplay instantly appeals to fans of the current resurgence in old-school style difficult games like Hotline Miami, Shovel Knight and Cyber Shadow.
Speed Limit's visuals keep up the trend of gorgeous pixel-art that is prevalent in indie gaming these days, with each type of gameplay both visually distinct and inspired by classic gaming. The side-scrolling gun battles are reminiscent of games like Flashback, albeit turned up to 10 in the action department. Other levels instantly evoke other classic '80s and '90s arcade games, like the topdown car sections, which bring to mind a mix of Namco's Lucky & Wild and Sega's classic Outrun. Furthermore, the jet fighter sections are straight out of another Sega classic, Afterburner, while the isometric action is reminiscent of the helicopter action game Desert Strike.
The combination of style, visuals, varied gameplay and clear love of classic gaming makes Speed Limit a game that will appeal not only to hardcore arcade action enthusiasts, but also to fans of old-school gaming and retro style. By seamlessly changing styles and gameplay on the fly, Speed Limit keeps players constantly guessing -- and (more than often) surprises each time. Both a love letter to action cinema and classic games, action fans should not miss out on Speed Limit when it releases this week on consoles and Steam.