This game is a fast-paced 2D roguelike shooter set in a neon-lit, post-apocalyptic cyberpunk world where players have only 18 minutes to live before their hearts explode. It throws you into a procedurally generated tower filled with enemies, traps, and bosses, demanding quick reflexes and constant forward momentum. Visually, the game is stunning, embracing a synthwave aesthetic with glowing pixel art and explosive effects that channel the energy of classic arcade games blended with a dystopian future vibe. And I'm immensely biased when I say I absolutely loved everything when it comes to the soundtrack since I'm a die-hard synthwave fan, it is one of those games that you end up saving it's OST to your regularly listened songs.

Gameplay focuses on tight, high-speed combat, you can choose from a handful of characters with different traits and weapons, and collect upgrades during their run that can enhance abilities, weapons, or introduce tradeoffs like time penalties or curses. The starting character is the one I liked the least, but the one I played the most since the one you unlock while playing with it is my favorite one, which is an enhanced version of the same character, I believe it is the first version the developers intended to go for it.

The action is fluid but can become overwhelming at times due to the sheer amount of visual effects on screen, which sometimes makes it difficult to track your character or incoming damage. It is especially bad if you turn the effects to the max, so I highly recommend turn most effects off if you want to improve your performance in the runs. It is not as bad in the first area, but as soon as more enemies start spawning it becomes simply impossible to keep track of what is happening.

While the core gameplay loop is satisfying and the controls are responsive, the game does suffer from limited content. Enemy variety, boss types, and room layouts can start to feel repetitive after a few hours, which affects long-term replayability, still, it excels as a short-session, high-intensity roguelike experience. I think this is the main reason why it isn't more popular, not to mention this makes the game shorter since you get used to it way more quickly than other similar titles such as Wizard of Legend for example.

And while I played this game completely solo, I highly recommend trying to find a friend to enjoy the local coop, and I intend to add this one to the roaster of coop games that I play on occasion with my friends. In summary, Black Future '88 delivers a stylish and adrenaline-fueled experience that’s perfect for fans of fast, unforgiving action. It doesn’t have the depth of genre titans like Dead Cells or Hades, but its commitment to style and momentum make it a worthy ride for anyone looking to blast through a rogue-infested tower in under 20 minutes.