@@HerecomestheCalavera It's a general parody of awkward, low-quality videos made by novice RUclipsrs. It's not based on anything specific that I'm aware of.
This is true, but the formula is always being improved too! Game feel and general video game QOL have come a long way in keeping these games feeling fresh. We are blessed to have many games now that are both modern and nostalgic.
Yup just shows how much better modern games are these days. Take the best from the old run n guns, spruce it up with oodles of parallax and other special effects and you've a game with no glitches or slowdown. Magical!
Gave me horrendous flashbacks of installing a 14 pin PSX MOD chip (purchased on IRC from a guy in Hong Kong) as my first time with a soldering iron. Funny thin is - it looked like hell but played those CD-R burned games like a champ!
I miss the Game Sack Dynamic Duo, should do a Joe and Dave special Game Sack episode before the end of 2024. Joe is doing great solo and still keeping up that energy for us
You're right: Joe needs a second person doing the show with him because he doesn't have enough personality on his own. He should get someone. Obviously not Dave, but someone.
@@thewingedavenger1007 sure that's also acceptable. Joe is doing fantastic solo but if another host joins in it would make the energy of the show much more greater. I enjoyed the previous episode with a special guest host and it was the best episode so far. IMHO
Just beat Iron Meat! It was great! Pretty much agree with everything you said about the game. The game is short, but all classic styled run n' gun games are short, the challenge is to get better at the game until you can beat the entire thing in a single sitting. Bring on the Contra-like run n' gun games, I can't get enough of them!
I’ve been looking forward to this one ever since the demo, and it feels like everyone else in the indie scene has too. Pleased to see it getting such a great response.
To me this looks like a good contra like game. I even saw the little red/blue orbs from the original game. Very much something for people who enjoyed the old contra games.
@@victorbranco7928 Well, yeah. However, Alien Wars had a brighter pallet, less grittiness and less frantic pace overall. Hard Corps kind of had its own vibe, with s a more gritty look, feel and frantic action. To me, this game looks to capture that specific vibe.
I remember the “controller jerk” being a thing that EVERYONE used to do on their first few times when they used to come over to play my NES, or if my parents tried to play a game. That was my first “pro-gamer” thought, when I could watch them and think “hah! Newb!” 😂 EDIT: I DEFINITELY used to do it too…dragging my controller through the air and upwards trying to make Mario jump higher.
I hope someday someone will make a crazy game like Neo Contra. I love the over the top nonsense situations in that game, like one of the levels have you furn on the spinning blades of a helicopter while enemies come from all directions. That end bit was suuuper creepy! It felt like it's a setup for a horror movie.
@Game Sack, hey Joe! When are you doing another console modding episode with Bill. The Console Modding 2 video till this day is still one of my favourite. Bill is such a cool guy
I'd love to, but people probably wouldn't watch. The majority of folks would actually get mad because I'm covering a subject that they don't care about. The audience is very fickle.
@@GameSack I enjoy seeing content I didn’t know I would care about. The diversity is what brings me here. That and your end skits :) Haters will hate but I’m a fan for sure :)
I don't know the details of how Iron Meat was coded, but I can virtually guarantee you that the zoom-out effect *does* use a special hardware function. It's just that the special hardware is the GPU included in pretty much all modern systems. Virtually nothing has its graphics done in software these days; even purely 2D games use the same GPU functions used to display textured polygons to show their sprites. EDIT: Just got to the part of the video where you said it was made in Unity so yeah; it's using the GPU. Technically you can't make a 2D game in Unity; you can just fake it using a bunch of textured polygons that always face the camera.
Music made by Darkman007. Same guy who made music for another Contra inspired game Super cyborg. This game also have various little reference that is famous for slavic gamers. For example, Chopper in form of crocodile is reference how this model of chopper was unofgicially named "crocodile"
This compared to blazing chrome , I think I prefer blazing chrome . I havnt seen such a good retro inspired game tho since Vengful Moonrider ! Tho a ninja gaiden / megaman clone in comparison to a contra like game , iron meat looks really awesome . I just picked up the retro inspired beat em up Fight’N Rage ! Just might be one of the best beat ‘em ups I have ever played dare I say . Got it both on ps5 and switch
I really enjoy this game, but I am surprised you didnt mention more negatives: - In some stages, there are some genuine problems with readability of the action, and enemies/projectiles blending into the backgrounds. The airship stage in particular but there are others. - When you jump forward, you dont continue moving forward like you do with Contra. This makes jumping forward and shooting directly below you a massive problem. - It's very expensive for what it is $25CDN for a game that is about 1 hour in a playthrough is very steep. Despite this I still enjoyed it
Really fun stuff here. I just wish there were more power ups per level. Often times, there's a power up, ill die 10 seconds levels and won't get another one for the rest of the level.
Looks awesome. My one question that never seems to get answered when any person or outfit reviews a 2-4 player co-op game... Is it easier to beat the game co-op or does the game Increase the difficulty since there's twice as many players? Call Dave.
Awesome review, Joe. I've had my eye on this for at least a year or two when the game was slowly being presented to gthe public. I'm loving the look and feel of it, and the weapons look rather effective. Been loving Game Sack since 2018 and it's still my favorite gaming channel along with Console Wars. Thanks again, Joe, and hope you're doing well!! Happy Autumn!!!!
This looks so sick. I like the weapon pop ups in the bottom left when you pick them up- very Demolition Man on the Genesis. The aesthetic is probably the coolest I've seen in a retro side scroller since Hard Corps.
I loved Turrican on the C64, Amiga and PC and I'm still waiting for Turrican 4. Iron Meat looks good, but I would choose chip tunes instead ^^ Fator 5, give me Turrican 4 with music from Chris Hülsbeck
The game looks like a good time, thanks for the recommend! In turn I'll recommend Valfaris for the Switch. Anyone played that one? It looks to be a similar type of fun to this, with minor differences like weapon upgrades being permanent and purchased with xp, also a checkpoint system instead of lives. But it's a rip roarin heavy metal gory scifi run n gun. Check it out!
It started to piss me off with SO many parallels to Contra, but it seems like the game is good enough on its own to warrant that much throwback and still be unique.
Gotta say, I’m not too chuffed with Screenwave’s management of AVGN but as Retroware their games are usually solid. I enjoyed Prison City enough to beat it on the highest difficulty. The AVGN games weren’t terrible either.
The scaling is not done in software the sprites and background layers are textures, scaling/zooming is done by telling the GPU to draw a texture at something other than 1:1. This is how all modern systems handle 2D playfield elements unless you go out of your way to use software to draw pixels, but nobody does that because it's more work and much slower than using API calls for drawing 2D orthogonic textures with the GPU so why would you do that?
Game looks great! That intro music was horrible though, how could you do this to us Joe?! Unsubbed..
Yeah I'm thinking that I should set the musician on fire. :)
@@GameSackaha, I love it
@@GameSackI unsubbed but then I resubbed so that I can unsub again. How dare you
I mildly enjoyed it 😬
@@zg-it if you liked it, hit the like button. If you hated it hit the like button 3 times
Missed opportunity from the developers to call the Difficulty levels: "Well Done" (Easy) "Medium-Rare" (Normal) "Raw" (Hard)
Perhaps but blood already did basically that back in the 90s so it would just be a retread
*cue Civvie-11 clip* "IT'S FACKING RAW!"
@@Hellwyck Gordon Ramsey Skin set NOW!!!
@@jknifgijdfui It would not be a retread, it would be a "homage" (wink, wink.)
the washing machine in the background is the attention to detail that keeps us coming back for more sack
one of the best endings. that hum and fan noise.. nice touch.
I'll be sending you my Sega Saturn so you can mod it to play PS5 games. $5 enclosed.
Awkward Joe is hilarious!
Is it a parody of something?
@@HerecomestheCalavera It's a general parody of awkward, low-quality videos made by novice RUclipsrs.
It's not based on anything specific that I'm aware of.
*I love how Retro style games are still Rocking! You can't beat a Proven formula*
This is true, but the formula is always being improved too! Game feel and general video game QOL have come a long way in keeping these games feeling fresh. We are blessed to have many games now that are both modern and nostalgic.
@@scrub_jay innovation is always key to thriving
Yup just shows how much better modern games are these days. Take the best from the old run n guns, spruce it up with oodles of parallax and other special effects and you've a game with no glitches or slowdown. Magical!
For me, its the washing machine loudly going off in the background
Hilarious
As someone who does game system repairs & mods, i can confirm that board you repaired was..wait...GREENDOG!!!!!!
Joe's professionalism is reaching meta levels with the end sketch being authentically professionally unprofessional
The amateur video ending skits are my favorite. The washing machine or dryer in the background is the icing on the cake, lol.
I've got your Iron Meat right here.
What's your hourly rate?
I was about to write a very similar comment lmao
I'm gonna use that line.
Wish me luck.
@@IntegerOfDoom Good luck!
hahahahaha !
Hey Joe, thank you for all your work. This is by far my best parasocial relationship I ever had.
Tell Dave that I still miss him!
Yes! O Joe, my lord! I too am a parasite!
@@tr3vk4mIs that like a paraprofessional?
I LOVE the CRT shader they went with. Yeah, it's dimmer than we might like, but it captures the "magazine screenshot" aesthetic.
If you look closely you can even see some ghosting which I've personally never seen in an in-game shader.
Way better than Capcom's cheap shaders in their compilations.
I see you filmed the skit in Mexico
The ending skit this time gave me horrendous flashbacks to repairing my old Mega Drive controller, which ended up duct taped back together in the end
haha my poor controlers often have „accidents“
Gave me horrendous flashbacks of installing a 14 pin PSX MOD chip (purchased on IRC from a guy in Hong Kong) as my first time with a soldering iron. Funny thin is - it looked like hell but played those CD-R burned games like a champ!
The washing machine running killed me 😂😂!!
Gamesack = best RUclips channel
Tru
Its like a cross between Contra and Midnight Resistance. I guess that's where it got it's name from.
Back in my days, we called the Spread Shot Tomatoes, i refuse to call it differently.
amazing ending skit, all it's missing is the first person breathing into the screen while holding the camera bit.
Thanks for the bonus video Joe, really appreciate it🖖
[12:30] Does this mean you can do the 4K upgrade to my Vectrex?
Yeah he'd definitely try that.
Wow great audio in this episode, headphones required!
Really liking it so far, picked up during the Steam winter sale. I am going to run this in my homemade arcade cabinet.
Joes dig on Riggs at the end is epic lol
I miss the Game Sack Dynamic Duo, should do a Joe and Dave special Game Sack episode before the end of 2024. Joe is doing great solo and still keeping up that energy for us
He left 5 years ago, I'm pretty sure joe would like people to stop bringing Dave up every damn video
no, please keep my pal alone, he's better off by himself. love him
@@kraftypk7283 oh sorry, my opinion sure offended people. I've been watching these guys for a long time. I'm just used to seeing the two
You're right: Joe needs a second person doing the show with him because he doesn't have enough personality on his own. He should get someone. Obviously not Dave, but someone.
@@thewingedavenger1007 sure that's also acceptable. Joe is doing fantastic solo but if another host joins in it would make the energy of the show much more greater. I enjoyed the previous episode with a special guest host and it was the best episode so far. IMHO
Just beat Iron Meat! It was great! Pretty much agree with everything you said about the game. The game is short, but all classic styled run n' gun games are short, the challenge is to get better at the game until you can beat the entire thing in a single sitting. Bring on the Contra-like run n' gun games, I can't get enough of them!
A bonus Game Sack video. & It's a video game review!
part of my appreciation for the content is that opening theme song . please don’t change it 😢
i kind of dig it, could be a little better tho
I’ve been looking forward to this one ever since the demo, and it feels like everyone else in the indie scene has too. Pleased to see it getting such a great response.
Oh gosh I felt like I was watching a horror film at the end haha. Always love the comedy sketches you put at the end!
To me this looks like a good contra like game. I even saw the little red/blue orbs from the original game. Very much something for people who enjoyed the old contra games.
Really needed this one tonight, thanks Joe!
It’s like super turrican combined with Contra 3
It plays a lot like Contra 3, the two weapons style and the lock in place with the shoulder buttom.
It looks more gritty and frantic, like Hard Corps. In fact, the graphics have that "how mind mind remembers Hard Corps" looking vibe.
@@Prizrak-hv6qkHard Corps was heavily inspired by the dark, gritty, gruesome, post apocalyptic Contra 3 aesthetics to begin with.
@@victorbranco7928 Well, yeah. However, Alien Wars had a brighter pallet, less grittiness and less frantic pace overall. Hard Corps kind of had its own vibe, with s a more gritty look, feel and frantic action. To me, this game looks to capture that specific vibe.
I first came across this years ago from a different channel. It's good to see it end up as enjoyable.
Reminded me of the love and care the Huntdown devs had for their game
I remember the “controller jerk” being a thing that EVERYONE used to do on their first few times when they used to come over to play my NES, or if my parents tried to play a game. That was my first “pro-gamer” thought, when I could watch them and think “hah! Newb!” 😂
EDIT: I DEFINITELY used to do it too…dragging my controller through the air and upwards trying to make Mario jump higher.
I still catch myself leaning forwards every now and then when I'm trying to make a tight jump.
Welcome to GameSack digital basement, let's get right to it!
I hope someday someone will make a crazy game like Neo Contra. I love the over the top nonsense situations in that game, like one of the levels have you furn on the spinning blades of a helicopter while enemies come from all directions.
That end bit was suuuper creepy! It felt like it's a setup for a horror movie.
I just ordered my physical copy yesterday !Hope this review goes well!!!
Every time I get up in the morning and this channel's still going the world is a better place.
Joe has been doing this for decades. He’ll probably retire doing it too. I doubt he’ll just stop lol
Joe never showed any signs that he's quitting YT, though.
Your video outro was hilarious. I swear you've seen someone like that before, hence the character inspiration. Funny as-f. LOLOL!
@Game Sack, hey Joe! When are you doing another console modding episode with Bill. The Console Modding 2 video till this day is still one of my favourite. Bill is such a cool guy
Iron Meat looks awesome. Putting in my preorder asap. Thanks for showing us Joe.
Looks like Contra vs midnight resistance vs metal slug vs turrican. Looks brilliant!!!
Got a little jiggy with the new intro 🕺
A new intro song interpretation! The old one grew on me it's delay sound was so weird timing shifted and made it really special.
The game looks pretty good, I'll be getting it soon. Wasn't expecting an episode this week, so pleasantly surprised.
Looks fantastic, I’ll definitely check this one out
It’s the video of a modder that definitely has someone chained up in the basement.
Yeah, Dave!
I think he's the one that's chained up in the basement.
Any thoughts on doing featured episodes based on game musicians? Like a collection of games with music from Jake Kaufman (virt)?
We need a Tommy tallarico episode too
I'd love to, but people probably wouldn't watch. The majority of folks would actually get mad because I'm covering a subject that they don't care about. The audience is very fickle.
@@GameSack I enjoy seeing content I didn’t know I would care about. The diversity is what brings me here. That and your end skits :)
Haters will hate but I’m a fan for sure :)
@@iphwne +1 to everything you've said
@@GameSack I want to see an episode on game music, if anyone gets mad at that they can Iron my Meat
I don't know the details of how Iron Meat was coded, but I can virtually guarantee you that the zoom-out effect *does* use a special hardware function. It's just that the special hardware is the GPU included in pretty much all modern systems. Virtually nothing has its graphics done in software these days; even purely 2D games use the same GPU functions used to display textured polygons to show their sprites.
EDIT: Just got to the part of the video where you said it was made in Unity so yeah; it's using the GPU. Technically you can't make a 2D game in Unity; you can just fake it using a bunch of textured polygons that always face the camera.
Well I mean if you wanna get down to the nitty gritty it's all done in hardware if it's being displayed on the screen.
Sadly the boy forgot to tell his contact! Now my stuff remains broken :(
Music made by Darkman007. Same guy who made music for another Contra inspired game Super cyborg. This game also have various little reference that is famous for slavic gamers.
For example, Chopper in form of crocodile is reference how this model of chopper was unofgicially named "crocodile"
It's so cool how timeless Contra on the NES is
This game reminds me a lot of The Mummy Demastered. Can't wait to give it a go. Thanks for the review.
The SACK!!!
This compared to blazing chrome , I think I prefer blazing chrome . I havnt seen such a good retro inspired game tho since Vengful Moonrider ! Tho a ninja gaiden / megaman clone in comparison to a contra like game , iron meat looks really awesome . I just picked up the retro inspired beat em up Fight’N Rage ! Just might be one of the best beat ‘em ups I have ever played dare I say . Got it both on ps5 and switch
About the final skit: "Macho Nacho's Early Days" :p
I really enjoy this game, but I am surprised you didnt mention more negatives:
- In some stages, there are some genuine problems with readability of the action, and enemies/projectiles blending into the backgrounds. The airship stage in particular but there are others.
- When you jump forward, you dont continue moving forward like you do with Contra. This makes jumping forward and shooting directly below you a massive problem.
- It's very expensive for what it is $25CDN for a game that is about 1 hour in a playthrough is very steep.
Despite this I still enjoyed it
How does this channel not have more subs?!?!
Great video as always!
The impression of @voultar at the end was spot on!
Just bought the re release steel case version for switch today. Also only 4,000 copies sold today and it was gone in 1 hour
Loving the Joe "the modder" content. Got some real Hannibal vibes goin on! 🎉😂
Also just bought me some Iron Meat!
I am totally bringing my gameboy to you for a new screen!
Bit at the end i noticed the duster can. Thought he was gonna go for it lol
I used to hate the end sketches, but they've grown on me. lol
I like the new Gradius sounding intro.
I'm at a party but still watching gamesack
Holy shit that afterburner poster is amazing
Really fun stuff here. I just wish there were more power ups per level. Often times, there's a power up, ill die 10 seconds levels and won't get another one for the rest of the level.
Looks awesome. My one question that never seems to get answered when any person or outfit reviews a 2-4 player co-op game...
Is it easier to beat the game co-op or does the game Increase the difficulty since there's twice as many players?
Call Dave.
That ending skit was unnerving.
This looks like an older 80's game that I think the characters has angel wings or something like that. What's the name of that game, I forgot???
Wings of Wor. Also known as Guynog. :)
Maybe Legendary Wings from Capcom? It's top dow scroll shooter that transforms into side scrool shooter later in some sections
Iron Meat.... Just a shame they didn't have the balls to call 'easy' mode VEGAN mode 🤣
Love the art style. Detailed, clear and good colors.
why would you change the theme?? that theme was 1 of the best
I pre ordered the physical for this yesterday. Thanks for the review.
Gross! Partnered with Slobwave. Glad you wised up and severed that connection.
They still sell his crap and he rides their wee wees on twitter
@@GamerGirls-ri1vs Can you please provide evidence of wee-wee riding? I'd like to see it.
looks great! added to my wishlist :) thanks for the video!
You're not fooling me, Joe. That soldering iron isn't even plugged in!
I love indie games like this when they drop. They are much more fun to play than AAA games.
Looks like Valfaris with Contra Hard Corps gameplay.
Sleepy Sack ASMR preview at the end haha
Awesome review, Joe. I've had my eye on this for at least a year or two when the game was slowly being presented to gthe public. I'm loving the look and feel of it, and the weapons look rather effective. Been loving Game Sack since 2018 and it's still my favorite gaming channel along with Console Wars. Thanks again, Joe, and hope you're doing well!! Happy Autumn!!!!
The switch version is sold out and there won’t be a reprint. There’s a few ps5 copies available
The best Contra game since Contra.
This looks so sick. I like the weapon pop ups in the bottom left when you pick them up- very Demolition Man on the Genesis. The aesthetic is probably the coolest I've seen in a retro side scroller since Hard Corps.
I loved Turrican on the C64, Amiga and PC and I'm still waiting for Turrican 4.
Iron Meat looks good, but I would choose chip tunes instead ^^
Fator 5, give me Turrican 4 with music from Chris Hülsbeck
The game looks like a good time, thanks for the recommend!
In turn I'll recommend Valfaris for the Switch. Anyone played that one? It looks to be a similar type of fun to this, with minor differences like weapon upgrades being permanent and purchased with xp, also a checkpoint system instead of lives. But it's a rip roarin heavy metal gory scifi run n gun. Check it out!
Great recommendation. Valfaris was awesome. I'd also recommend Blazing Chrome.
Joe has some balls to admit he was partnered with Screenwave in the past. 😂
It seems ok but i got the feeling that is not in the level of lets say Blazing Chrome for instance.
The Switch port looks amazing 🙏🏽
Ok, you sold me on this. I'm gonna keep that tab open to check in when "soon" is on the physical release.
It started to piss me off with SO many parallels to Contra, but it seems like the game is good enough on its own to warrant that much throwback and still be unique.
It looks very appealing tbh
Gotta say, I’m not too chuffed with Screenwave’s management of AVGN but as Retroware their games are usually solid. I enjoyed Prison City enough to beat it on the highest difficulty. The AVGN games weren’t terrible either.
So it's Contra...
This definitely convinced me to look for the OST
The scaling is not done in software the sprites and background layers are textures, scaling/zooming is done by telling the GPU to draw a texture at something other than 1:1. This is how all modern systems handle 2D playfield elements unless you go out of your way to use software to draw pixels, but nobody does that because it's more work and much slower than using API calls for drawing 2D orthogonic textures with the GPU so why would you do that?
I think the game looks OK - but dont care enough to own it on physical and will buy it on sale.