Armored Gear

Armored Gear is a nostalgic, old-school action game that serves as a spiritual successor to the classic NES title Battle City. Set in a war-torn world, players command an advanced AI-powered tank named Armored Gear, tasked with missions ranging from destroying enemy bases and defending settlements to rescuing allies and thwarting terrorist threats. The game blends arcade-style tank combat with strategic elements, allowing players to upgrade their tank, engage in co-op gameplay for two players, and navigate fully destructible environments. With retro-inspired graphics, chiptune and industrial metal music, and a mix of fast-paced action and tactical challenges, Armored Gear revives the charm of its predecessor while adding modern twists.

Armored Gear: Review

Introduction

In an era dominated by photorealism and open-world epics, Armored Gear (2017) dares to be unapologetically retro—a love letter to Battle City, the 1985 NES tank-combat classic. Developed by Crystal Box Team and published by Enjoy Games, this indie title pitches itself as a “spiritual successor” to the pixelated battlegrounds of childhood memories. But does it capture the magic of its predecessor, or does it buckle under the weight of modern expectations? This review argues that Armored Gear is a flawed yet earnest homage, one that thrives in its nostalgic vision but falters in execution, leaving it a curious footnote in the annals of indie gaming.

Development History & Context

A Small Studio’s Ambition

Crystal Box Team, a developer with a portfolio of modest indie projects (Minimized, Super Trashforce), envisioned Armored Gear as a bridge between retro simplicity and modern design. Built using the 001 Game Creator engine, the game aimed to revitalize the top-down tank-combat genre for a contemporary audience. The studio’s pitch was clear: “Take the best of Battle City and extend [it] with new features.”

The 2017 Indie Landscape

Released on February 27, 2017, Armored Gear entered a market saturated with nostalgic reboots and pixel-art indies. Titles like Stardew Valley and Shovel Knight had already proven the commercial viability of retro-inspired games, but Crystal Box Team faced stiff competition. With a shoestring budget and limited marketing, Armored Gear struggled to stand out, eventually fading into obscurity amid technical shortcomings.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

A Paper-Thin Plot

The game’s narrative is minimalistic to a fault. Players control the Armored Gear, an experimental AI-powered tank tasked with “proving its power” across loosely connected missions. The story, delivered via bare-bones text prompts, revolves around clichéd military objectives: “free the city from invaders,” “save the president,” and “destroy the terrorist threat.”

Themes of Self-Modernization

Beneath its generic war story lies a subtle theme of autonomy. The Armored Gear’s AI “modernizes itself” through upgrades, mirroring the player’s progression. This metaphor for self-improvement is underdeveloped but adds a sliver of depth to an otherwise utilitarian premise.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Loop: Destruction and Progression

Armored Gear combines arcade-style shooting with light strategy elements. Missions vary from escort operations to base destruction, with players earning currency to upgrade their tank’s speed, firepower, and armor. The customization system, while rudimentary, allows for flexibility—e.g., prioritizing rapid-fire cannons for swarm enemies or heavy armor for boss encounters.

Co-Op: A Double-Edged Sword

The two-player local co-op mode is a standout feature, evoking the couch-combat camaraderie of Battle City. However, technical hiccups—such as screen-cluttering UI and inconsistent hit detection—mar the experience.

Flaws and Frustrations

Critics universally panned the game’s janky mechanics. Bugs ranged from texture clipping (walls phasing through tanks) to poorly translated English menus. One Steam review lamented, “No bugs have been fixed since release… this feels like a quick cash grab.” The learning curve is also steep, with missions often devolving into chaotic bullet hells that frustrate more than challenge.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Aesthetic Nostalgia

The game’s “old school graphics” mimic the NES era, with chunky sprites and environments destructible pixel by pixel. While charming, the art direction lacks polish—tank designs shift inconsistently between missions, and explosions feel underwhelming.

Soundtrack: Chiptune Grit

The audio shines brightest, blending chiptune melodies with industrial metal riffs. Tracks like “Nintendokore Assault” fuse 8-bit nostalgia with aggressive percussion, elevating otherwise repetitive battles.

Reception & Legacy

Mixed Reviews and Missed Potential

Armored Gear garnered a lukewarm 2.7/5 average on Steam, with players divided. Positive reviews praised its “simple and fun gameplay” and co-op mode, while detractors skewered its “ugly HUD” and lack of post-launch support. Critics ignored it entirely, and the game sold poorly, failing to chart on platforms like Metacritic or RAWG.

Influence on the Genre

While Armored Gear left no major legacy, its ambition to modernize Battle City laid groundwork for later titles. Games like Tiny Metal (2017) and Iron Harvest (2020) would explore similar tank-combat mechanics with greater polish.

Conclusion

Armored Gear is a paradox: a game that understands its retro roots but stumbles in translating them for modern audiences. Its heart is in the right place—co-op chaos, customizable tanks, and a killer soundtrack—but plagued by technical woes and half-baked execution. For hardcore fans of Battle City, it offers fleeting nostalgia; for others, it’s a reminder that even the most earnest homages need more than good intentions. In the pantheon of indie retro revivals, Armored Gear is a fascinating misfire—one that aimed for the stars but landed in the trenches.

Final Verdict: A niche curiosity, best enjoyed by die-hard retro enthusiasts or co-op completists. All others may safely let this one rust in the garage.