This side-scrolling beat-em-up throws you into the shoes of Agent 70, tasked with tracking and taking down four anomalies threatening the world.Anomaly Agent is set in a futuristic cyberpunk world where you can punch and shoot your way through enemy after enemy.

But don’t let the 16-bit platformer fool you into thinking it’s 2D in plot too — you get to choose your own narrative path. You can make dialogue choices in conversations with friendly faces and murderous strangers that affect the plot. And of course, it wouldn’t be fun unless your choices affected your relationships with those people too. The story starts out straightforward enough, but some unexpected time-bending shenanigans will keep you guessing later on.

The emotional currency you garner from these conversations can be spent on a skill tree.Yes, a skill tree in a side-scroller. You can upgrade Agent 70 the way you like, choosing between health boosts, poison bullets, combat-based skills, and even avatar customization.

The gameplay is as smooth as butter. Punching, kicking, and parrying your way through hordes of enemies is especially satisfying when the controls are so responsive. But don’t be mistaken — this game isn’t a button masher. The combat system has enough depth to keep the gameplay interesting as you unlock special moves and master fighting combos.

💯 Rating: 10/10 on Steam.

⌛ Hours of gameplay: 5 hours for the main story, 7.5 hours for completionists.

👾 Platforms:Steam for PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox.

💵 Price: USD 4.99 on Steam, and USD 14.99 on Nintendo and Xbox.

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