OTXO is a top-down twin-stick shooter that blends fast action with roguelike elements, and does it just well enough to set itself apart in a crowded market.
Hotline Miami set the standard for twin-stick rogue-like shooters, and since that fateful release, there have been many wannabes. Some proved their metal, like the criminally underrated Hong Kong Massacre, while others were disappointments.
OTXO Video Review
Game Information
Release Date:Â March 28, 2024 (Console) April 20 (PC)
Developer:Â Lateralis Heavy Industries
Publisher:Â Super Rare Games Limited
Availability:Â PS5, PS4 (PSN) Nintendo Switch (eShop)
OTXO does not disappoint with its fast and satisfying violent John-Wick-inspired shootouts and replayable rogue-like structure.
The game begins with your character travelling with his lady on the train. He finds a mask and, like any normal person would do in public, decides to slap it on his face. Not a good idea. Did this guy not watch The Mask?
The unnamed hero wakes up on a beach. This reminded me of Inception, and the similarities don’t end with the beach. Just like Leo, you’re trying to get back to your loved one and you’ll have to travel through the levels to get there, though here it’s levels within a nightmare of a mansion rather than levels within a dream. If you manage to fight your way to the middle of the building, you’ll find your beloved, provided you don’t die. But you will. Lots. And that’s the point, as with any rogue-like.
Once you’ve done the short tutorial that teaches you how to kick – the go-to method for busting down doors – and how to shoot, roll, and use OTXO’s version of bullet-time, it’s your job to run and gun through the mansion, taking down anybody and anything that gets in your way.
There are a range of enemies and boss fights to overcome, and if you take advantage of the only advantage you’re guaranteed to have with each run – bullet time – you’ll get there eventually.
Helping you on your quest for success are a couple of characters that serve to unlock perks that can help you in your mission. After every few levels, you’ll enter the bar where you can buy powerup drinks from the barman, and invest your coins collected through bloodshed for new perks. It’s a neat and tidy system that doesn’t overcomplicate things and gives you a reason to keep coming back, even after you’ve died for the 50th time. Maybe the next round of drinks will be the perfect mixture?
Levels are broken up into rooms and areas that you can access with a swift kick, and enemies can be taken out with a wide variety of weapons, with more being unlocked through the course of play. Running through a level, tapping bullet time into action, dodge-rolling a flurry of bullets and then spraying your own lead is very satisfying. Though, I will say that the controls took a little time to get used to, and even now, I still rarely use the roll action, instead preferring to rely on bullet time to get me out of the worst situations.
My biggest hurdle with the controls was in aiming with the right stick. This game was first developed for PC where playing with a mouse means high accuracy in a way that’s difficult to replicate with a gamepad. For a while, I struggled but eventually got acclimated. If you’ve played other games of this ilk a lot, then you’ll probably be fine, but for me, it was a minor hindrance.
Another downer is in the game’s graphics. They’re not bad by any means and the stylized retro look works really well in tandem with the thumping soundtrack. My issue was that I would sometimes get caught on objects in the game world, not realizing they were solid, causing me to fiddle the stick and readjust as quickly as I could. It did lead to a couple of cheap deaths, which was annoying and left a sour aftertaste on what was otherwise one of my best runs.
If you’ve got a taste for fast action, OTXO is a decent enough game that I can easily recommend it. It’s challenging, replayable, and stylish in its execution and executions.
Review Disclaimer: This review was carried out using a copy of the game provided by the publisher. For more information, please read our Review Policy.
Primary version tested: PS5
OTXO PS5 Review
Summary - Very Good
OTXO doesn’t bring much new to the genre, but it’s a safe bet with fun gameplay, stylish art direction, and a thumping soundtrack that beats life into the game with every playthrough.
