Red Laser Z

The music and graphics make me feel like a kid again. The dialogue and campaign are also reminiscent of my 1990s childhood, but with a magnitude of sass that could only be applied by a true game lover of present day.

What a wonderful game! It is a mix of Zillio and Wolfstein 3D. Akai Kōdan Zillion (an anime based on Sega's game) is a game in which you used a light gun similar to the LIght Phaser from Master System (similar to the NES's Zapper) to kill space invaders. Wolfstein 3D is... Wolfstein 3D! The game mixes both elements. But wait, there is more!
The Creator played a lot of Master System based on the references to Sega's games, including but not limited to Shinobi, Out Run, Phantasy Star (what is Odin/Tyron doing in the station?!), Fantasy Star, Alex Kid... I created a bond with the game as soon as I saw the references!
The chiptunes are awesome too. It sounds like an 8-bit game!
I did not finish the game yet, but I hope there will be a 2nd one in the future!

Pretty fun, easy to pick up and play. Only gripe i have with it is how easy it is to accidentally destroy something, gotta be accurate.

Anyone who thinks that Red Laser Z is just a nostalgic attempt to pay homage to FPSs like Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake is mistaken, there is a lot of personality in it. Maybe the mechanics and aesthetics don't have something that catches your attention (although both are very well done and, believe me, this game's hitbox is insanely precise, it's perfect!), but the brilliance of this game is in its history, its narrative, and its good humor. The main plot is tied up to make you curious from the first to the last stage, and it does this very well, the elements adjacent to it are permeated with political comments that are not hidden in a false discourse that there is no politics in games. And these comments are made in an interesting way and very related to the main events. Always with good humor and profundity, the entire narrative stands out from the simple plots that we usually see that only take the character from point A to B to justify the gameplay. In Red Laser Z we have deep questions, worthy of reflection and some exciting science fiction concepts. Here you will find an excellent game, both in gameplay, which is very fun and fluid, and in the mechanical parts, but mainly in its story and narrative.

When you search for hidden gem video game in a dictionary, a picture of Red LaserZ shows up.. very Nintendo Wii like.

Retro shooter where you need to watch where you’re shooting.
You play as a mercenary tasked with assisting a space station from invading ants. The game is divided into ten chapters, each named after a different part of the station. Because the station is a large cube, you must go through each floor in order, although the game saves when each floor or chapter is completed.
The game is played in the same way as any other shooter. Simply shoot at enemies while you dash and jump around. You just have one laser weapon, but it has a very interesting concept. The gun is so strong that it can take out everything in the room with a single shot, including humans.
There are only a few kinds of enemies. They aren't very smart because you can wait behind the door and they will continue to walk to their demise. I enjoy that accuracy is important and that the game does not cheat. Because some adversaries have a shield with only one tiny portion sticking out, firing at the rectangle will hit the target. Another cool feature is the cover that lets you kill a target before they have a chance to spot you.
During your rescue attempt, you will encounter hostages and people trapped in various quarters across the station. They can easily catch a bullet and disintegrate in a pile of ash if you're not careful. Each has something to say and will offer a helpful tip or just some comments on the current situation. Despite the alien invasion, the overall atmosphere is light, and there are jokes aplenty.
The other stuff in the room is important, too. Chest, drawers, and many other things can be interacted with. This is important because they might hide health or ammo. Since everything is random, you never know what and where you’ll find something. Other stuff, such as computers and painting, don’t give you anything but some more info about the world or a funny bit of text that rarely repeats. The only thing you can blow up are generic boxes.
Because stages use a limited number of assets, they all look the same. However, there are many inventive methods to make them stand out. As with all old shooters, there are secrets hidden behind phony walls. They're easy to recognize because their hue is somewhat different from the rest of the walls. Secrets conceal valuable video game stuff that is not permitted on the station.
The reason you don't want to destroy everything is because of a penalty system. Each demolished office or deceased scientist contributes to the total number of points. The goal is to stay under 40. If you go over, your head will explode and the game will be over.
While destroying an object isn't terrible, murdering a scientist adds 10 points, which can swiftly end the game. The only problem is the small rectangle and the fact that some secrets are hidden behind objects that you usually don’t want to destroy. The game says it’s ok to destroy objects with green rectangle, but that doesn’t include closets.
You can save your progress at cloning stations. The restriction is that you may only do this five times every chapter. It’s recommended to create a clone at every chance you get. But this only counts for the current game, so you will lose all progress if you quit a chapter before finishing it.
Killed enemies nets you worthiness points, which is just another name for money. This is spent in a shop that appears on a frequent basis throughout a stage. While purchasing ammo and health isn't necessary because they may be found everywhere, it is possible to also reduce penalty points. However, it is far better to save money until you can acquire one of the two other lasers, particularly the yellow one that punches through shields.
Everything carries over to the next chapter. This also includes penalties you earned in the previous floor. Stages can be replayed only when you finish it, but once you move on to the next, you’re stuck with your performance. Doing a perfect job matters only if you care about achievements. The hardest are the ones for finishing a stage with perfect accuracy, no penalty points and for finding all secrets – all stats have to be reached in the same game. There is a free play that lets you choose any stage you want, but this doesn’t unlock achievements.

I remember the first time I played Wolf3d. I played for hours. Seeking secrets and working through levels, it was a great time.
Red Laser Z reminds me of those days, but with crisp textures, characters to interact with, more game-play elements and a simple "just sit down and play" design. I've played it many time trying to see how far I can get without dying. (I was also a beta tester for this game and it became a great challenge. I have many more hours in the game than my steam-time-played number shows.)
I've really enjoyed it and for anyone looking to relive those days, this will definitely scratch that itch.