Speed Limit

There's something to be said about a short and simple setup that gets us into the action as quickly as possible. That's what we get with Speed Limit, a game that wastes no time turning a random, unsuspecting train passenger into the hero of one of the most intense action games you'll play this year. It's the kind of game that may start out as a side-scrolling run 'n gun shoot 'em up, but eventually tosses you into everything from a car to a motorcycle to a fighter jet. It's an over-the-top and often unpredictable roller coaster ride that is drenched in so much old school charm that you won't even care that the trailer gives away all the best parts.

This is the story of something truly extraordinary happening to an ordinary guy. Things get turned upside-down when a crazy man on a train drops a gun into our unsuspecting hero's lap, immediately turning him into the city's most-wanted fugitive. He's forced to run for his life and survive an obstacle course so insane and outlandish that even Ethan Hunt might consider this mission to actually be impossible.

This harrowing story is spread across ten punishingly difficult stages that all feel like individual mini-games. We start out running and gunning through a train full of cops with itchy trigger fingers, which is soon followed by a race through the city streets in a car, an intense motorcycle chase at night and an exciting bit where our unnamed hero pilots a decked-out helicopter. Speed Limit is great about not only ratcheting up the scale with every new level, but also the stakes. If you think the man is in way over his head on that train car, just wait until you get a load of the final boss.

And did I mention that the game is incredibly tough? Not that I'm complaining, since the extreme difficulty is baked right into the alure of Speed Limit. If you're hoping to complete all of the stages on your first try, then think again. This game is going to humble even the best players. The frenetic pace and constantly changing obstacles mean that you're going to die. A lot. Probably hundreds of times. Memorizing and learning from your mistakes is just as (if not more) important than simply playing well, and the game rewards your hard work and dedication by upping the ante with each passing level. In other words, Speed Limit is not for the easily frustrated.

Thankfully, the developers throw us a rope in the form of checkpoints. What seems impossible at first quickly becomes doable when you realize that you only need to perfect one section at a time. When you inevitably die from a misjudged jump or stray bullet, the game will immediately rewind to the last checkpoint and let you try it again. This helps, it really does, but you can't use it as a crutch. The checkpoints aren't as close together as you might expect, so you'll be replaying and memorizing large chunks of the level before moving on to the next thing. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Speed Limit is still a punishing game, even with checkpoints.

Maybe it's because I'm from the old school, but I like this kind of challenge. Yes, there are sections that are going to make you mad, but I had fun the whole way through. The gameplay is simple yet effective, the variety in levels is incredible and I love the pixel look of the adventure. All this works on me. Speed Limit does an excellent job of honoring the classic 8- and 16-bit games of our childhood, while simultaneously giving us something that feels brand new and of its time.

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That said, I have two complaints about the game. The first is the end boss, which not only requires you to memorize a lot of different attacks, but also needs you to be a little lucky. I spent close to half of my play time trying to beat the final baddie. Part of the problem is the vehicle you're in control of and the camera perspective, but you can also point to the enemy bullets getting lost in the background and the game crashing on me. The rest the levels were stable and presented no problems, but I counted five different crashes while fighting the final boss. This really leaves the player on a sour note at the worst possible time.

Oddly enough, the other problem I have with Speed Limit is that it ultimately doesn't go far enough. Yes, it does an excellent job ratcheting up the intensity with each new level, but it also left me wanting more. It feels like the game ends right before it crosses the line from being outlandish to just plain ludicrous. Given how silly the whole thing is, I wanted them to push the envelope even more. But they don't, which left me dreaming of a longer and more outrageous version of Speed Limit.

Of course, none of this matters in the moment. When you're playing the game, you're running, jumping, driving, flying and speeding through one incredible action scene after another. It's like all of the Fast & Furious movies crammed into one over-the-top pixel package that keeps getting more and more outlandish by the level. In fact, Speed Limit is better than Fast & Furious, because nobody ever talks about the importance of family. Actually, now that I think about it, they don't talk at all. Even better.