Metal Suits: Counter-Attack – Pure 2D Action Chaos

Five minutes into the opening stage of Metal Suits: Counter-attack, I knew I was playing something special. While 2D action games come in all shapes and sizes nowadays, I still find myself surprised by the creative systems developers introduce to differentiate their adventures. Metal Suits: Counter-attack leans into pure chaos that consistently evolves across each stage. Today, I’m going to work you through what makes this game stand out and why you should have it on your radar.

While I don’t think any 2D action game needs a significant amount of story, Metal Suits: Counter-attack sets up the action quickly after our hero, Kevin, is introduced, enjoying the end of his long life of saving the universe. However, that peace is interrupted when his enemy, the Golida, blows up his retirement space facility. He is then reborn as a cyborg and sets out for revenge across the Helios System. The narrative doesn’t take itself too seriously, and after the general plot setup, it doesn’t get in the way too much.

Still, the developers have included a lore bible that contains in-depth information on characters, each level, and even the enemies. It’s more than I expected from an action game, but it really sells the revenge plot and adds substance to the quest. I appreciate when developers go the extra mile in this way. It adds a layer of quality and care to the final product that shows these aren’t just generic enemy designs and levels.

However, 2D action is the name of the game here, and as I mentioned before, Metal Suits: Counter-attack is pure chaos. The general gameflow takes some getting used to, but not because it’s tough to control. On his own, Kevin’s defenses aren’t the most impressive. Sure, he has a blaster and a basic melee attack, but the real destruction is brought by the various suits littered around the levels that give Kevin access to more powerful weapons.

Each suit operates on a timer that functions as both an ammo and durability system. Once depleted, Kevin reverts to his basic form, drastically increasing the challenge. Luckily, new suits will spawn after a short time, ensuring you’re never completely stranded—but the moment-to-moment decision-making keeps the gameplay consistently unpredictable. This system works in the game’s favor, pushing you to experiment rather than cling to a single favorite. With ten different suits available, you’ll always be shifting between combat styles, whether that means wielding a gatling gun, throwing shuriken, or blasting through enemies with explosive firepower. When a suit runs out, the tension spikes, forcing you to slow down and navigate carefully since Kevin’s unarmored state means one hit will send you back to the last checkpoint.

That tension, though, is also what makes Metal Suits so cathartic. Ammo crates and extra lives are tucked away in destructible walls, rewarding players who explore rather than rush ahead. The game offers plenty of checkpoints, ensuring that deaths don’t feel like a complete reset, but running out of lives does mean restarting the level. It’s a fair balance that keeps the difficulty engaging without feeling punishing, reinforcing the game’s commitment to fast, strategic action.

Stages are built to encourage exploration, with large, branching paths leading to secret areas, hidden collectibles, and destructible pathways that change how you navigate the world. There’s a real sense of discovery here, whether you’re blasting through walls to find alternate routes or stumbling upon rare suit upgrades that completely change how you approach combat. The game doesn’t hold your hand, but it rewards curiosity in a way that makes every level feel worth digging into.

The early bosses didn’t impress me, but I ate my words shortly after Chapter 4’s boss. These encounters are a spectacle, with a large HP pool that seems daunting as you chip away at their health while dodging a relentless barrage of missiles and attacks. If I had one bit of feedback, it would be to give the bosses an attack that forces the player to put some distance between themselves and the boss—it’s possible to cheese some fights by finding safe pixels and melee attacking without much resistance. However, this becomes much harder in the later levels that push your understanding of the suits and your maneuverability.

This is also the best time to utilize the suit’s special ability. Each suit has a special attack that can do wonders for crowd control, but during boss fights, they become a necessity. Getting to clear the screen with an enormous beam blast or throwing dozens of shurikens is continually satisfying, but knowing when to use these abilities can be the difference between a clean victory or getting overwhelmed. The constant push and pull of aggression and survival keep these fights engaging, even when they feel overwhelming at first. Each major encounter is a test of how well you’ve mastered your current suit, forcing you to balance aggressive offense with split-second dodges. Some enemies overwhelm you with sheer numbers, while others introduce elaborate attack patterns that feel more like puzzles than straightforward battles. It keeps things unpredictable, ensuring that no two encounters play out exactly the same way.

By the time I had spent hours blasting through enemies, switching between suits, and barely scraping by some of the later levels, Metal Suits: Counter-attack had completely won me over. The mix of chaotic action, strategic suit management, and stage design that keeps you constantly thinking made it an experience I didn’t want to put down.

There’s a thrill in adapting to whatever suit you find, making the most of its strengths before it runs out, and scrambling to stay alive when you’re down to Kevin’s base form. The game keeps you engaged in a way that feels both rewarding and exhausting, in the best way possible.

If you’re looking for a 2D action game that keeps you guessing, forces you to adapt, and never lets you get too comfortable, Metal Suits: Counter-attack is absolutely worth your time. This is an easy recommendation if you’re looking for an action game that knows how to keep you on your toes—this one should be on your radar.

METAL SUITS: Counter-attack is available now on PC via Steam.