AI Limit is an action RPG that wears its inspirations on its sleeve, borrowing heavily from the likes of Stellar Blade and Dark Souls. However, while it strives to deliver a challenging combat experience set in a grim, post-apocalyptic world, it ultimately falls short in both narrative and environmental execution.

Story and Worldbuilding: Familiar, But Weaker

If you’ve played Stellar Blade, you’ve already experienced AI Limit’s story—except, Stellar Blade does it better. The setup is painfully familiar: a protagonist thrown into an apocalyptic world with no memory or understanding of what came before, leaving the player to uncover the story alongside them. However, AI Limit fails to make this premise compelling. The main plot is a predictable, uninspired journey through a bleak world with little intrigue. There are some interesting story beats, but they come too infrequently to make much of an impact.

That said, the side characters and their associated quests do a much better job of holding the player’s attention. Unlike the lacklustre main narrative, these side quests feel meaningful, providing glimpses of humanity amidst the mechanical wasteland. I found myself more invested in these personal stories than anything the main plot had to offer. Those side characters are the fun unknown. The players gets tasked to lead a character to of pilgrims gatherings and it is the players choice. Is this a good idea? we know what will happen, but is this the good choice? Unfortunately we are then taken back into a plotline where our character knows nothing, has no personality and needs everything explained like a child.

World Design: Bleak, But Not in a Good Way

Apocalyptic settings can be captivating when done right—Nier: Automata or even Darksiders prove that the end of the world can be beautiful. AI Limit, unfortunately, does not reach those heights. The world is meant to be mechanical, war-torn, and oppressive, but rather than evoking awe or curiosity, it just comes off as unremarkable and uninspired. While writing this review it reminded me of how many games share the same setting and similar plot, and do it 100x better in the overall aesthetic.

The opening hours of the game are particularly egregious in this regard. You move from narrow sewers to narrow corridors, then to narrow scaffolding. It’s a repetitive and suffocating level design that does little to encourage exploration. While later areas do shake things up somewhat, I never felt compelled to stop and take in the world around me because, frankly, there was nothing worth looking at. I explored not out of curiosity but out of necessity—to find items and upgrades, not to marvel at the world.

Combat: A Saving Grace, But Not a Revelation

If AI Limit has one redeeming quality, it’s the combat. While it doesn’t revolutionize the genre, it does enough to keep things engaging and fun for a while.

The weapon variety is a highlight. Every weapon you find comes with a unique heavy charge and special ability, which makes trying out new gear exciting. This variety encourages experimentation, and I appreciated the sense of discovery that came with picking up something new and seeing how it changed my approach to fights. The player can carry two main weapons at a time and switching them mid combat will continue the combo.

As expected from a Soulslike, combat is centered around rolling, sprinting, and timing light and heavy attacks. The parry system is particularly notable—you can parry with any weapon, and nearly every attack in the game can be parried if you’re skilled (or brave) enough. This makes for some satisfying duels, though the mechanics themselves don’t bring anything new to the table. Quick note as well that enemies can be staggered but I failed to find out how exactly it works. Sometimes I could stun lock and enemy with dual blades without allowing them to attack, and then the exact same enemy down the corridor did not care one bit about my attacks. Yes heavier weapons stagger more often , but it was never consistent to the point where you could reliably account for it during a fight.

The game also offers a spell system, which I admittedly didn’t explore much due to my focus on an attack speed/ damage build. From the spells I did use, they seemed fairly unique and added an extra layer of tactical depth for those willing to experiment.

Final Thoughts

AI Limit is, at best, an okay Soulslike experience. The combat provides some enjoyable moments, especially when experimenting with different weapons, but the game is ultimately held back by its uninspired world and weak main story. If you’re a die-hard fan of the genre and are willing to overlook its shortcomings, you might find something to enjoy here. But for most players, AI Limit fails to stand out in a sea of better, and now cheaper alternatives.

Back in the early 2000s, I spent countless hours diving into the golden era of run-and-gun shooters, from Contra to Metal Slug, reliving the high-energy, pixel-perfect chaos that defined an era. When I heard that Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] was getting a modern release, I was both thrilled and skeptical. This was one of those legendary Super Famicom titles that never made it westward back in the day, a game whispered about in retro gaming circles due to its rarity and technical prowess. Now that it’s finally here, I can safely say that it captures that old-school magic while reminding me why games like this deserve to be preserved.

What is it?

Rendering Ranger: R² is an ambitious hybrid, blending side-scrolling run-and-gun action with intense shoot-’em-up (shmup) segments. I was immediately struck by how well the game holds up visually—this was pushing the SNES hardware to its limits back in the ‘90s, and even today, the fluid animations and pre-rendered sprites look fantastic. It’s got that unmistakable ‘90s aesthetic, reminiscent of the Donkey Kong Country series but with a grittier, more metallic sci-fi vibe.

The gameplay is a mixed bag, but in a good way. The on-foot sections play out like a faster-paced Turrican, letting you mow down waves of biomechanical enemies with a satisfying arsenal of weapons. However, the movement feels a little stiff at times, especially compared to the more fluid platformers from the same era. The shmup stages, on the other hand, are an absolute highlight. These sections throw you into fast-paced space battles that demand quick reflexes and pattern recognition, and they feel like they could have been a standalone game. They remind me of R-Type and Axelay, with massive, screen-filling bosses that push you to the limit.

How it holds up

What makes Rendering Ranger: R² stand out is its sheer technical accomplishment. This was developed by Manfred Trenz, the mind behind the Turrican series, and you can tell he was squeezing every last drop of power from the SNES. The explosions, enemy designs, and scrolling effects feel way ahead of their time. Playing this today, it’s easy to appreciate how much work went into making this a graphical powerhouse back in 1995.

The modern enhancements in the Rewind edition are welcome, though fairly standard for retro re-releases. There’s a rewind function, save states, and some visual tweaks, making the game a bit more accessible for newcomers. For veterans like me, though, the real joy is playing it as it was meant to be—brutal, fast-paced, and unforgiving.

Should you play it?

Not every part of the experience is perfect. The difficulty can feel a bit uneven, with some on-foot sections dragging compared to the more exciting shoot ’em up levels. I would have to recommend playing the as it was initially intended. without rewind and cheeky save states. These games aren’t long and the beauty in my opinion is failing, learning and getting farther and farther every time. But as a time capsule of mid-‘90s game design and a long-lost piece of gaming history, Rendering Ranger: R² is a must-play for anyone who loves retro action games. It’s a reminder of an era when developers pushed hardware to its limits, delivering experiences that still hold up decades later. If you missed it the first time around, now’s your chance to experience a lost gem that truly deserves its cult status at a more than fair price.