Here’s a pitch for a game. It’s a sci-fi/horror shmup that’s enemy design is inspired heavily by insects and sea creatures. The result is a game that’s art design would give H.R. Geiger nightmares. Do I have your attention? That’s the pitch for today’s review, Remote Life! Developed by Mario Malagrino and his studio Next Game Level, Remote Life is a scary and tough-as-nails shmup that will test your skills till the very end. Hop aboard the ship, and let me tell you about this frightening adventure.

Venture into the part of space where no one will save you.

Remote Life lets you know within seconds that you’re in for a horror game right from the jump. Levels feel bleak and horrific even before creatures begin to attack you. And when you look upon those creatures, they are unpleasant to see. Malagrino’s art direction for enemies and environments is phenomenal work. Each new world and enemy makes you more terrified of what you are about to witness. And it never lets up throughout the whole game. 

Also helping with the dread is the story. It’s told in a subtle way, but boy is it frightening to see play out. It emphasizes a sense of dread and hopelessness I’ve never seen a shmup do. Some straight-up horror titles haven’t given me chills quite as Remote Life did. That’s impressive in its own right.

Prepare to die. Prepare to die a lot. 

I’ll be frank. I’m decent at shmups. I can get decently far in games like Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams or Ikaruga. But heed my warning. Remote Life is VERY, VERY HARD. It’s a game that will test your skills in terms of shmup tactics and mechanics. I knew I was in for a grueling test when I got smacked around on the first level. Thankfully, it’s not too difficult where it feels unfair. With each death, you can learn worlds better and strategize to survive on your next run. 

With perseverance and patience, you can make it. But Remote Life will consistently keep you on your toes with multiple level types. Most are the straightforward shmup style of getting to the end. But some levels are escort missions of other ships. And there are even some semi-open world levels that are really fun to explore. That is until you run into more disturbing enemies. 

Even with my frustration at times with the difficulty, Remote Life deserves credit for never feeling stale. Its breakneck pace is a perfect length. When I started to feel levels were feeling the same, the game was over. That might sound like a criticism, but in a time where games pad themselves out for pointless hours of the same gameplay, I’ll gladly take a smaller title that knows what it is. 

Final Verdict.

Remote Life is not for the faint of heart. It is a terrifying game, from the story to enemy design, to brilliant art direction that makes you feel threatened every moment. Its punishing difficulty might turn off people who have never tried a shmup before. But for fans of the genre, it’s an endurance test worth standing along with some of the best the genre offers. Good luck to any pilots brave to trek on this adventure. You’re going to need it.

Remote Life is available now on PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Series S/X, and PC. You can also check out our interview with developer Mario Malagrino!