Deal | Hotline Miami with a melee twist: Cyberpunk brawler now under $1 on Steam

Cold Shell is set in a dystopian cyberpunk city after a lost war. The police and military have been disbanded, weapons are banned, drones monitor the population and a brutal power struggle rages between corporations, occupiers and street gangs. Players take on the role of a former soldier who, after her supposedly deactivated implants are hacked, takes up a shield and baseball bat.

In terms of gameplay, the comparison to Hotline Miami quickly comes to mind: Cold Shell also uses a top-down perspective, short bursts of violence, a fast pace and a driving soundtrack. Unlike the fan favorite, however, it completely does away with firearms. Instead, the focus is on fast melee combat, dodges and blocks. Enemies can be hurled into walls, vehicles or glass, while upgrades, stronger equipment and unlockable modifications provide a tangible sense of progression. The structure remains compact, with arena challenges, boss fights and short, intense missions.

Cold Shell has only gathered 39 user reviews on Steam so far, but they are very positive: 94% of players recommend the game. The hard-hitting melee combat, strong soundtrack and well-realized cyberpunk setting receive particular praise. Criticism is aimed at the sometimes sluggish controls, the repetitive gameplay later on and the fluctuating difficulty.

A look at the price, however, should make it easy for genre fans to overlook those issues. Cold Shell comes from Russian indie studio Brutal Muse and is available with a 90% discount until May 15 for $0.99. Normally, the game costs just under $9.99 on Steam. According to SteamDB, the current deal matches its previous all-time low, which was last reached in mid-March. Steam Deck compatibility is currently listed as “Unknown”.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.