OTXO Reviews
OTXO comes alive when you hit the Zen-like moment of blowing apart enemies, dodging out of fire, booting in doors and stressfully defeating that encroaching foe with your last round of the magazine. It suffers from some repetitive procedural design and relies a little too much on its slo-mo mechanic to get by, but its as close to a Crank movie you’re ever likely to get, and what a time that is.
OTXO is a fast-paced top-down shooter seemingly inspired by Hotline Miami. However, this game is a rogue-like, meaning upon death, I had to begin all the way from the very beginning. Did these two elements combine to create something meaningful? Find out in this Rapid Review.
OTXO is fast-paced and endlessly replayable. Even once you’re finished with the main story, you can hop into a harder difficulty and find yourself fighting for survival all over again. The way the game contextualizes powers, weapons, and even the cycle of multiple deaths makes for a game you won’t put down quickly and will never forget. Despite it being an amalgamation of opposing genres, it epitomizes style and makes you eager to master it so you can push further in just one more run.
While it may appear as a Hotline Miami clone, OTXO does enough things to set itself apart. Satisfying gunplay, an assortment of random upgrades and an alluring art design combined with great music makes it worth playing. However, since Steam is filled with some standout indie games, $13.49 seems a bit too steep for a standard Roguelite. If you feel like that is the case, wait for a sale on this one.
All told, OTXO is quicker than a muzzle flash, offering rapid-fire twin-stick action that is seriously intense. Wrapped in a cool monochrome package and splashed heavily with the blood of your enemies, what it lacks in visual clarity it more than makes up for with an impressive sense of style. The gameplay isn’t built for lasting impressions though; with no long-game to speak of, it’s strictly a ‘how far can you get this time’ affair that harkens back to the arcade shooters of the 80s and 90s. Best enjoyed as a run or two in between more meaty experiences, OTXO is perfect for the Nintendo Switch or the Steam Deck, where you can wile away short commutes with a hail of bullets before slipping your machine back in its holster, ready to let rip again at a moments notice.