If you're a fan of classic run-and-gun action, Iron Meat is a game that feels like a love letter to the Contra series. From its intense gameplay to the clear influences from Super C, Contra III, Contra 4, and even a sprinkle of Rebirth, this game knows exactly what it's doing. Yet, while Iron Meat nods to its predecessors, it brings enough fresh elements to stand on its own in the modern indie scene.

One of the things that immediately stands out (for better or for worse) is the forgiving lives/extends system. Unlike the brutal, punishing approach in older titles, Iron Meat opts for a more accessible experience. Lives reset with each new stage based on your selected difficulty, and with a score-based extend system that kicks in around 20k points, you’ll find yourself progressing more comfortably. This removes the frustration of losing a game-long stockpile of lives, making each level feel like its own isolated challenge.

The game does run on the longer side, but it strikes a delicate balance—it's engaging enough to keep you hooked without overstaying its welcome. The enemy AI does something I'm still debating on if I like or not: most enemy bullets are aimed directly at you. In my opinion, the best run n gun games mix static and aimed bullets for maximum engagement and tactical thinking on the fly.

While you have a movement lock, there's no aim lock. This forces some adaptation, and whether that's a pro or con might depend on your familiarity with similar games. But the level design, thankfully, shines. It gradually increases in complexity, introducing obstacles and mechanics in a "Mario-esque" fashion, layering new challenges in a way that feels both organic and rewarding. Having an additional Aim Lock option (like Shattered Soldier does) would've made some parts a bit more fun.

While the game boasts a generous number of unlockables (including skins such as Metal Slug's POWs!) and old-school achievements with puns in it, I would've loved to see secret extends hidden through specific conditions or as secrets throughout the levels instead of having such a surplus of extends for each level. Still, the lack of this doesn’t detract from the main experience, especially when the rest of the package feels this polished, I'd sum this up as a personal preference.

A special shoutout must go to the soundtrack, a pounding metal score that fits perfectly with the game’s aesthetic. If you're into retro vibes, there’s even a retro version of the OST and a CRT filter, enhancing that nostalgic experience for those craving it.

Perhaps the only real downside is the lack of an arcade mode with fewer lives, which could have upped the challenge factor significantly. Leaderboard chasers might also feel the sting of missing high-score rankings, as the game's difficulty and the lives system might not entice them to go for a perfect run.

In the realm of modern retro shooters, Iron Meat finds itself comfortably sitting between Super Cyborg and Blazing Chrome. I don't know what it is with Russian developers and Contra, but they seem to do VERY well whenever they try to make one. It’s an 8/10 in its current state, but with some tweaks—like an arcade mode and more hidden extends to balance the experience with less lives—it could easily reach the heights of a 9/10 experience. For Contra fans, this is a must-play that delivers nostalgia with a satisfying, fresh twist.