I’ve never really been a fan of this pixelated game revolution that’s taken over the market in the past few years. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that small developers are finding ways to channel their creativity through a 16-bit aesthetic, but very few of those games ever truly clicked with me, and even fewer genuinely impressed me. Something always felt off. I always had the impression that many of these games were little more than a gimmick, a way to cash in on nostalgia for older gamers like myself. And honestly? It never worked on me. That is… until recently.
Because about ten days ago, a game landed in my hands—one I had been quietly hoping for, but without really placing too much faith in it. Terminator 2D: No Fate. And that’s mostly because I absolutely adore Terminator 2. Along with the first film, it’s something I grew up with. I’ve seen it so many times that I know it by heart—every movement, every line, every little moment. I thought I knew exactly what to expect from a game like this. What I didn’t expect was what it would awaken in me. After finishing it, replaying it, and carefully dissecting every beautiful animation, I can honestly say this: Terminator 2D: No Fate reignited my love for 2D side-scrolling games in a way no other game has managed to do before.
But let’s start from the beginning.
The story follows the events of Terminator 2, but it doesn’t try to retell the film scene by scene. Instead, it takes key moments, characters, and themes and spreads them across a series of 2D missions that constantly shift perspectives and timelines. One moment you’re controlling Sarah Connor, the next you’re playing as the T-800, and then you’re thrown into future war segments where you lead the resistance as John Connor. It all works like a collage of familiar scenes and ideas, adapted just enough to fit the structure of a video game without feeling like a lazy retelling of the movie.
And most importantly, the game doesn’t over-explain itself. It doesn’t hold your hand. If you know Terminator, you already know what’s going on. If you don’t, the game quickly teaches you the basics through action alone. What makes this even more special, though, is that the game also tells stories that never made it into James Cameron’s final cut. Now, whether the development team used original notes and concepts from Cameron or came up with these ideas themselves doesn’t really matter—what matters is how seamlessly these extra story bits and missions are integrated. They expand on Terminator 2’s events in such a natural way that, even after replaying them multiple times, you still find yourself wanting more. More time in this magical 2D Terminator universe.
As mentioned before, this is a classic old-school 2D side-scrolling game—a pixelated chaos, if I may call it that. From the very first level, you can feel the inspiration drawn from older franchises. Personally, the mechanics instantly reminded me of Contra, and I can’t wait to see how others react once the game is out, since this is a pre-review written thanks to a key provided by Reef Entertainment. You move in one direction through the level, shooting endless waves of enemies—different enemies depending on which period of the Terminator timeline you’re currently in. You can shoot in eight directions: diagonally, upward, downward, everything you’d expect.
On top of that, there are power-ups—temporary weapons that deal massive damage but don’t last forever. Levels are designed so that these power-ups, along with save points, are slightly hidden. Not right in your face, but tucked away just a bit to the left or right, rewarding exploration and awareness.
Gameplay-wise, this is pure, old-school run-and-gun side-scrolling action, with a clear focus on movement, positioning, and fast reactions. There are no complicated systems, no endless stats, no menus where you spend more time managing numbers than actually playing. You run, you shoot, you jump, you dodge, you use the environment as best you can, and you try to stay alive. The controls are responsive and clean, without unnecessary flair or complexity, and within minutes you feel like you know what you’re doing. Not because the game is simplistic, but because it’s designed to rely on instinct and rhythm rather than memorizing systems—and that’s fantastic if you ask me.
Combat is often fast, sometimes chaotic, and occasionally downright merciless. Enemies attack in waves, projectiles fly in from all directions, and you’re constantly forced to stay on the move. There are moments where the game feels almost brutally arcade-like, especially if you try to rush forward without thinking. Even more so on Hard difficulty, which feels like the way the developers truly intended the game to be played. Patience, level knowledge, and timing are everything here. Boss fights are especially enjoyable, forcing you to learn attack patterns and understand when to push forward and when to pull back. They’re not spectacular in a modern cinematic sense, but they have that old-school charm—the feeling that you won because you learned the game, not because you had better gear.
What truly blew me away, though, were the animations.
I can already hear someone saying, “Animations? In a pixelated game?” But honestly, everything. Absolutely everything. I’ve already mentioned how much time I spent analyzing and admiring the animations in this game. Every familiar character from the films moves exactly the way you remember them. Every punch, every gunshot, every movement feels like it was lifted straight out of the movie. Sarah Connor’s shooting animations—especially with the shotgun—are incredible. The way the T-800 beats down enemies in the bar after traveling back in time, the way he fires weapons, his posture, his presence—it’s all there.
And this isn’t some uncanny valley attempt at realism. Quite the opposite. It’s stylized, but deeply respectful, filled with subtle callbacks to one of the greatest films ever made. Sometimes those references are quiet and understated, sometimes they’re direct and unmistakable—but they’re always intentional. These small animation details give the game its soul. Every jump, every moment where Sarah slightly stumbles as she grabs a ledge or a ladder genuinely makes your heart skip a beat. It feels familiar, yet fresh. Old, yet somehow new again.
The game tells the story of Terminator 2 through its levels, and each segment carries a visual or animated detail that hits that nostalgic nerve perfectly. It feels like watching a fantastic 2D action “demake” of the film. And while games like this do exist, I’ve never seen one that tells its story so quietly, so subtly, and so carefully through animation alone. For me, this was pure joy—something I haven’t felt from a 2D game in a very long time.
Sound and music arguably do even more work than the visuals. The soundtrack clearly draws inspiration from the original film, but it’s not just a cheap copy. It carries that dark, mechanical tone that constantly reminds you this is a fight against a relentless machine, a system with no mercy for humanity. Weapon sounds, explosions, and mechanical enemy effects are powerful without being overwhelming. Everything fits the Terminator atmosphere perfectly, serving both the film’s legacy and the gameplay itself.
Of course, there is one downside—at least if you ask me. The game isn’t very long. If you sit down and focus, you can finish it in a couple of hours, possibly even under two. That’s a fact, and it shouldn’t be hidden. But is that necessarily a flaw? In the context of what this game is trying to be, the answer isn’t so simple. This isn’t a game designed to keep you busy for 20 or 30 hours. It’s an experience meant to be played in one or two sittings—to be felt, enjoyed, and remembered. There are alternate paths, small variations, and reasons to replay it, but they’re subtle and unobtrusive, exactly how they should be. Realistically, you’ll want to play through it at least three times to uncover all the small narrative pieces, and trust me—that won’t feel like a chore. It’ll feel like a pleasure. And those alternate routes never damage the source material—they only enrich it.
That said, considering the game costs around $30, the length might be questionable for players who judge value strictly by hours played. Some people want every dollar to stretch as far as possible. I get that. But even if I had bought the game myself—and I absolutely would have—my conclusion would be exactly the same.
Terminator 2D: No Fate (PC)
Terminator 2D: No Fate is essential playing for any fan of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and equally so for fans of retro side-scrolling action games. This is a game made with an incredible amount of love for its source material. It’s obvious the development team cared about every tiny detail while creating it, and that kind of passion is impossible to fake. The game is fantastic, whether you view it as a Terminator game or simply as a side-scrolling action title. Simply put: a must-play.
