Isolated Warrior is this weird little NES shooter that feels like someone mashed up Contra with a top-down arcade game. You play as this lone dude with a laser pistol, blasting through alien-infested levels that scroll vertically and horizontally—sometimes both at once, which keeps you on your toes.

It’s got that classic NES jank where the controls are a little stiff, but once you get used to it, there’s something satisfying about dodging enemy fire while picking off weird alien creatures. The power-ups are fun too—you start with a pea shooter, but grab a few upgrades and suddenly you’re clearing the screen with spread shots.

Not gonna lie, some of the later levels get brutal, but the music’s got that crunchy synth vibe that makes dying a few times feel less annoying. If you’re into obscure NES action games, this one’s a neat oddity.