Terminator Fans Shouldn’t Skip This New Shooter

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2025 was an incredible year for games! Titles from all sorts of genres were released constantly, so even dedicated gamers couldn’t play them all. This overwhelming number of releases made it hard to focus during awards season, which usually happens during a quieter month. While games like Marvel Cosmic Invasion and Metroid Prime 4 kept December busy, one game, Terminator 2D: No Fate, unfortunately didn’t get much attention. It’s a fantastic retro side-scrolling shooter and definitely deserves to be played.

Terminator 2D: No Fate feels like a game that could have been released alongside the original 1991 film. Its detailed pixel art gives it the look of a classic, lost game from the Amiga or Sega CD era. It’s a smart choice to match the game’s visuals to the time period of the movie, but No Fate’s style is more than just a nostalgic touch. Despite the recent surge in pixelated games, No Fate’s character sprites and animations are truly exceptional. The close-up shots are incredibly detailed, and the artwork during gameplay manages to convey a lot of emotion and atmosphere despite the limited technology. This is especially noticeable when the game recreates scenes from the famous movie – even in its retro, pixelated form, it still captures the same feelings, mood, and suspense. Instead of trying for realistic graphics that might fall flat and fail to capture the spirit of the film, No Fate cleverly chose a different, and more effective, approach.

While seeing iconic moments like the T-1000 poking a police officer or the T-800 grabbing John Connor are fun nods to the original film, No Fate truly captures the spirit of Terminator 2 by maintaining a relentless pace. It quickly covers the main events of the 1991 movie, feeling like a highlight reel of one of the greatest action films ever made. It skips some of the quieter, more humorous scenes – you won’t see the T-800 attempting a smile or the extended buildup to the truck chase – but that’s understandable for a fast-paced arcade shooter that focuses on action.

Terminator 2D: No Fate Is Short and Sweet

The game moves at a fast pace, and a playthrough takes about 50 minutes. But this isn’t a bad thing – many games overstay their welcome, and No Fate‘s short length is actually a strength. Beyond the main story, there are two extra paths that branch off, adding replay value. These aren’t incredibly complex, but they’re fun, especially the one where you get a T-800 with a chain gun – it’s incredibly satisfying! Plus, with a boss rush mode and different difficulty levels, No Fate lets you stop playing when you’re ready, instead of forcing you through a long, inflexible campaign.

It’s tempting to revisit No Fate because it’s a surprisingly polished shooter. While the stiff aiming and awkward dodge roll can be frustrating, the weapons all feel responsive and satisfying to use. Plus, with the exception of the last level—which is overrun with irritating robotic dogs—the game avoids unfair, old-fashioned tricks to deplete your health.

Terminator 2D: No Fate Has a Surprising Amount of Variety

While No Fate could have been a simple shooting game, it’s much more than that, offering a surprising amount of gameplay variety. Sarah’s escape from the hospital requires stealth, dodging guards and the relentless T-1000, while John’s motorcycle chase is a fast-paced test of reflexes, weaving through traffic. There are even unexpected moments like brawling with bikers as the T-800 to the tune of “Bad to the Bone,” shooting at the T-1000’s helicopter from a van, or engaging in quick shotgun fights in the steel mill. Though the game is short, these extra mechanics actually improve it and make it a more faithful adaptation of the movie.

With its strong honesty and high quality, Terminator 2D: No Fate stands out as the best video game adaptation of the classic James Cameron film. It significantly surpasses the other five attempts. Even the designer of No Fate, Mike Tucker, admitted that earlier Terminator 2 games were poor, describing the Genesis and SNES versions as “pretty woeful” and stating the film deserved a better adaptation, particularly after the games of the 80s and 90s. The developer, Bitmap Bureau, has suggested they’re working on another licensed game, and hopefully, it will be as well-made and receive the attention it deserves.

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2026-01-10 14:10