MT Force Aliens Uprising by RDM GameS

The narrative of MT Force Aliens Uprising follows the titular earth-defending agency. The MT Force is tasked with stopping creatures – the result of experiments by a mad scientist – attacking the city’s capital.

Overall the plot is by the numbers, and only really there to provide context for fighting your way from one stage to another. There are plenty of cutscenes, but don’t expect things to veer far from the norm, which involves going to different stages to kill alien creatures.

The main focus of the game is to create an old-school arcade cabinet experience. MT Force takes many design ques from Contra; one hit kills you, and enemies are plentiful. Avoiding enemy projectiles by jumping and shooting is crucial to survival. It can easily be finished in a little over an hour, which also adds to the arcade game feel.

Luckily the game feels smooth to play. Responsive controls allow for precise character movement on the ground and in the air. Weapons feel satisfying enough, although I wish there were more weapon types to play around with. Overall, though, the mechanics are solid and work well enough to make things engaging.

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Hell

I think my main gripes with the game revolve around design choices. Enemy projectiles move fast, making dodging them really challenging. And given how many enemies you face in each stage – and how many of them charge you at once – it can create some tough situations.

I also feel like the character hit detection isn’t precise. There were moments when I had a hard time telling the hit box of particular projectiles, especially when it came to the ones thrown out by bosses.

Pacing in these kinds of games is important, and thankfully, MT Force has a nice flow. The game is nonstop action, and there is never a dull moment or area that overstays its welcome. Stages themselves have different visual themes and varied enemy types, including alien creatures of all sizes and even zombies.

Totally Boss

At the end of each stage, there is a boss fight, and here is where MT Force shines. These fights have cool set pieces, and all feel unique. One boss detaches its big eyeballs, and you need to dodge them while shooting its head. Another fight had me stuck between a tank and a huge alien monster, both fighting against each other while occasionally attacking me. I was surprised to even see a SHMUP-style boss.

MT Force will also change up the camera angle to create cool set-piece moments. These boss fights were creative and by far my favorite part of the game.

Visually, MT Force has a dark, moody, horror aesthetic filled with grotesque creatures and atmospheric environments. It looks bleak, elevating the game’s narrative themes. This coincides with a metallic soundtrack that gets the blood flowing. It creates a morose but radical ’90s feeling.

The Verdict:

I think MT Force succeeds in its aforementioned goal of recreating that old-school arcade game difficulty, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a completely punishing experience. There is a Story mode with unlimited lives, while the Arcade mode is a true challenge with only three lives and two continues. You can also play this game via local two-player co-op, which makes the difficulty a little more manageable.

MT Force Aliens Uprising is an old-school arcade game with plenty of variety. It manages to replicate that Contra-style experience fairly well. And although it could use more polish here and there, it does a lot right, especially with its boss fights

MT Force Aliens Uprising is available via Steam.

Check out the official trailer for MT Force Aliens Uprising below: