Super Meat Boy Forever Review (PC)

There’s a point where failure almost no longer registers. Jumping, sliding, running, these are the possible actions. Saws and walls are the only elements of the world that register. I don’t care how many deaths the end of the level statistic will show, I just need to get past this sequence of obstacles before I take a break to regain my composure. Super Meat Boy Forever is relentless, the kind of game that needs to be played in small increments to be enjoyed.

The title is developed and published by Team Meat, currently offered on the Epic Games Store and Switch. Versions of the game for consoles and Steam are expected at some point in 2021. Super Meat Boy Forever is still unforgiving, still very challenging, still stylish. The biggest change from the original, which was introduced ten years ago, is the running.

The player-controlled character is now always running towards the right, moving across the screen. The only way to control it is to use jump and slide buttons, which can also be combined for somewhat more complex moves. If Meat Boy (there are other characters to play as when they are unlocked) hits a saw, he dies and fills the world with red. When he meets an enemy the same thing happens and death also comes when falling down a pit. If it gets turned around when wall jumping he dies when he hits the left side of the screen.

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As the game progresses the obstacles grow more complex and there are more ways to paint the world crimson. Expect at least 50 deaths per level. I’m not sure whether anyone plays this type of game for the story but Team Meat creates some cartoonish and fun sequences. They detail the lengths that Meat Boy and Bandage Girl go to to save their son, Nugget, from the machinations of not-a-doctor Fetus.

There are a few phases the player will go through while moving through a Super Meat Boy Forever level. In the best of circumstances, a set of obstacles appears and muscle memory and experience mix to deliver a quick solution that the fingers then move to flawlessly implement, getting the character to the next checkpoint.

But this rarely happens. Most of the time a set of saws, enemies, and killer drops pops-up, a move goes wrong and Meat Boy perishes. It takes a few deaths to understand the situation and the solution to get past. A plan appears. There’s then a period where the plan becomes a set of moves and tweaks are made to adapt to the situation. At a certain point, the brain knows what the fingers need to do to get past the sequence.

Unfortunately, the communication between the mind and hands is not perfect. You sometimes slide when you should not. You keep jump pressed a little too long. You fail to remember one saw pattern. The protagonist dies again. Frustration sets in. The plan, which seemed solid, seems brittle. The temptation to scream at the screen increases.

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The best way to engage with Super Meat Boy Forever is in short bursts. When it becomes frustrating move on to something else. Clear your mind and try to forget about it for a while. Fresh eyes and hands that are not affected by frustration are needed to move forward.

All the wisdom and patience a player learns as he masters the levels will be challenged during the boss battles. They are tough and death comes quickly, sometimes so fast that it is hard to actually formulate a plan and then test if it has any chance of success or not. A new level of zen is required to make progress.

Super Meat Boy Forever does not change much when it comes to the looks of the series. There is quite a bit of care when it comes to the cutscenes and the backgrounds (I love the birds that always scatter as screens go by). The animation of the characters is also detailed. The splatter sounds convey the horrible fate when the player makes mistakes but the voice work is average. The soundtrack is chipper and contrasts well with the gruesome action but it very quickly becomes repetitive and annoying.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion