Bartlow's Dread Machine Reviews
Bartlow's Dread Machine is a solid bullet-hell shooter with an excellent look that's held back by a few curious design decisions.
If only the developers took more time to tune in balance and camera, and made characters more distinguishable, than we could have a true indie gem. But even now the game is quite good.
Review in Russian | Read full review
A good game that needs some serious work. All the content is in and the gameplay is enjoyable, but it needs some serious polish to reach its potential.
Bartlow’s Dread Machine is very much a steampunk style twin stick shooter by Beep Games. This game boasts both a single player and Couch Co-Op modes.
Bartlow's Dread Machine is a fun time if you can overcome the quirks. The old-time setting works well in delivering some charm, and the shooting is solid. The idea of using rails for movement quickly becomes a novel way to play, and the variety keeps things fresh. Bartlow's Dread Machine is an enjoyable ride if you're a fan of the genre, and it's well worth checking out.
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Review in Slovak | Read full review
If you're a fan of twin-stick shooters and want to enjoy something different then playing Bartlow's Dread Machine is an absolute must.
Overall, Bartlow’s Dread Machine stands out as an arcade shooter. From the great graphics to the outstanding variety in levels and customisation. Bartlow’s Dread Machine incorporates all of this in a 20th-century feel that not only controls well but makes you feel like an agent of a bygone era. Despite pacing and movement issues, the game stands out amongst its rivals in the arcade shooter genre. It is adding a considerable amount of new to an already saturated genre of games.
The mechanical amusement element of the game has been beautifully and vividly recreated – it really does feel like the sort of thing one might find in a seaside pier arcade around 1910. You can see the mechanical rigging working on the characters and backdrops, and the characters and enemies are visibly made of tin, with holes and sparks appearing at they take damage.
A fun premise, solid mechanics and excellent presentation mean that Bartlow’s Dread Machine might be my favourite twin-stick shooter since Geometry Wars. Hopefully, it doesn’t get lost in the madness that is the end-year shuffle, as it more than holds its own and deserves an audience.