Nothing pleases me more than indie games that look quite humble as you load them up, but then prove to have something unexpected and fun to offer. With its very retro pixel-based look, simple characters, and odd array of power-ups, you could dismiss Beef Cat Ultra without giving it much thought, but then you could be missing out. While it may not offer the variety of the roguelike dodge-em-ups in the vein of Vampire Survivors, this more old-school arcade-like action-adventure title still manages to be engaging and changes things up just enough as it goes to keep you interested.

What sets this game apart from its brethren, is that your basic weapon instantly opens the door to requiring some skill to use effectively. You’ll swing it around every few seconds, and very quickly you’ll need to get a feel for its rhythm, so you can be sure to maximize its damage by lining up enemies every time it comes around. Of course, if that was all you had to work with the game would be a bit too dull, so you’ll want to stay on the move around the map to find chests and a pretty wide variety of pick-ups that will add to or enhance your attacks in a number of ways.

Another way that it pulls away from the Vampire Survivors pack, to do its own thing, is that it features a variety of stages with different objectives you’ll need to tackle. Granted, whether you’re working through a collect-a-thon or merely trying to cut through enemies to reach your goal, the fundamentals will remain the same. You’ll learn to be on the lookout for troublesome packs of enemies forming, and then try your best to use the landscape to keep them from surrounding you and being overwhelmed. Of course, there’ll be times where you’ll need to realize your best option is to take some hits and break through the lines to escape, but that’s all part of the challenge. 

Featuring a number of different unlocks, some challenging bosses, and a variety of surprises, Beef Cat Ultra absolutely exceeds the basic expectations you’d likely give it at a quick glance. Its older-school and almost arcade-like sensibilities make it a tough-but-fair challenge, and though it has some common DNA with the likes of Vampire Survivors and its ilk, it absolutely has a feel all its own. If you’re down for a challenge, and only have a few bucks to spare at the moment, it should give you a fair return on a modest investment.