TOO MANY GAMES: Quantum Cortex and Iron Meat

This series is part of External Gazer’s special coverage of Too Many Games 2024. We’re taking a look at the featured independent games before heading to the con to play them! The independent games showcase at Too Many Games 2024 offers a wide variety of arcade games, tabletop games, and video games for players of all types. For more information on the Too Many Games 2024 convention, visit their site.

Two games that we will definitely be checking out when we hit the convention floor at Too Many Games 2024 will be Iron Meat and Quantum Cortex. If you have a PC, demos for both of these games are available for download right now. Both of them are definitely worth taking a look at, especially if you’re into more retro experiences like run-and-guns and metroidvanias. Check out the steam descriptions for both games below, and follow the links to the demos if you’d like to play them:

Quantum Cortex is a fast-paced, physics-based metroidvania. Tear through a dark, atmospheric environment at lightning speeds and battle terrifying creatures. Discover the eldritch mystery behind civilization’s fall, and rise up against the transhumanist dystopia that took its place.

Tear through a dark, atmospheric environment at lightning speeds and battle terrifying eldritch creatures in this fast-paced, physics-based metroidvania. Discover the mystery behind civilization’s fall, and rise up against the transhumanist dystopia that took its place.

Abilities are used with the right mouse button. They are versatile and can be used effectively in many situations– be they exploration, travel, or combat. They cost Energy to use. The Energy pool is small, but will recharge automatically over time, or when collecting Blue Orbs. The Energy Meter is located to the right of the crosshair.

Weapons are used with the left mouse button. They are your primary source of damage. They cost Ammo to fire. Ammo will refill as you move. The faster you run, the faster your Weapon recharges, so don’t stand still during combat! This prevents the player from camping, and makes fights more dynamic. The Ammo Meter is located to the left of the crosshair. Like Energy, Ammo will refill when collecting Blue Orbs.

Finally, Passives grant a variety of miscellaneous benefits. They can be permanent buffs, or skills with a unique input. Most Passives can be used indefinitely, but others may require their own Special Resource.

Items can be found in glowing chests scattered around the game.

Controls are reversed while running upside down, but return to normal while airborne. This creates a more interesting control system with simple rules, and a higher skill ceiling for speedrunners. Movement is a bit like miniature rhythm challenge.

Quantum Cortex is planned to release in 2025, but a demo is available now.

Iron Meat is a fast-paced, run-and-gun shooter that immerses players in a world overrun by The Meat–an all-consuming interdimensional biomass. With a mix of classic arcade and console mechanics, players will battle against mutated victims and machines, dodge bullet barrages, and crush bosses in nine levels of gore-ific brutality. As Vadim, fight back against The Meat and stop the terrors spawned from scientist Yuri Markov’s experiments on the Moon.

MULTI-PHASE BOSS FIGHTS

Iron Meat pays homage to classic run-and-gun titles from the past, with intense boss fights fixed into multiple phases. With three difficulty settings to choose from, players can put their skills to the test, where a higher difficulty is rewarded with an even more challenging boss battle.

MULTIPLAYER COUCH CO-OP

Who says you have to take on The Meat invasion alone? With 2-player couch co-op, you can grab a buddy to leave a trail of bloody, Meat-infected corpses together! It’s double the firepower, double the carnage, and double the MEAT!

OVER 30 UNLOCKABLE SKINS

You don’t have to be a soldier to fight against The Meat. Hell, you don’t even have to be a HUMAN to do so! With over 30 unlockable skins to choose from, players can customize their character the way they want. Each skin comes with interchangeable parts, allowing for greater customization with mixing and matching. Want a shark head on a robot body with dinosaur feet? DONE. Maybe a half human, half doggo? YOU BET! Or how about a cowboy with a tail and demon wings? Hmm…YEP!

You can play the demo for Iron Meat on Steam Right now.