ATOMINE

ATOMINE delivers a solid albeit somehow mundane interpretation of the twin-stick shooter that will still satisfy those with cravings for something new within the realm of the genre but will probably not convert any newcomers to the format. We still give it a recommendation despite feeling that while polished, its premise might have allowed for a more extravagant visual experience. Hack away humble little program, hack away.

Taken as a whole, ATOMINE largely succeeds at what it is trying to accomplish; the game simply wants to be a solid twin-stick shooter with rogue-like elements and it fulfills that goal precisely. Of course, this means the game never really rises to greatness and is unlikely to be all that appealing to those looking for a more innovative or compelling experience. Regardless, if you have a love for this type of game, or at least a momentary lust, then ATOMINE should be a perfectly suitable way to fulfill those desires.

Atomine is a gripping indie twin-stick shooter with plenty of level variation and unlockables to satisfy its players. Although it can often feel unfair, the gameplay is genuinely captivating and inspires players to become the ultimate hacking machine.

ATOMINE is a twin-stick shooter for the Nintendo Switch and as it may suggest, it does not venture into any new paths for the console. While its plot is original, its gameplay is less so but it's competent, nevertheless. With a minimalist visual component and a good variety of weapons and enemies, ATOMINE has enough to keep the player's attention for a while, until the overall feeling of repetitiveness takes over.

An update correcting the songs with loud noise, increasing the speed of the first character and decreasing the life of the enemies would be very welcome.

I find myself having a hard time recommending Atomine to anyone but those looking for a repetitive game and feel like the different ways in which you shoot the enemies isn’t enough to sate your interest in a twin-stick shooter. I understand there are those who appreciate the feedback loop of going through a run, seeing how far you can go, and then trying to do better in your next run, but that alone wasn’t enough to keep me engaged in this one.