Man, The Chaos Engine 2 is one of those Genesis games that just oozes atmosphere—steam pipes hissing, gears grinding, and these weird mechanical mutants shuffling toward you. You pick from a crew of mercenaries (I always went with the guy with the flamethrower, because obviously) and blast through these maze-like levels full of traps and hidden switches.

It’s got that classic top-down run-and-gun feel, but with a twist—you actually have to think a little. Some doors need two players to open, and ammo isn’t exactly lying around everywhere. Play it solo and it’s tough but doable; grab a buddy for couch co-op and suddenly it’s a whole different game. The pixel art holds up surprisingly well, especially the boss designs—imagine a tank fused with a spider, spewing oil everywhere. Absolute nightmare fuel.

If you’re into retro games that don’t hold your hand, this one’s a gem. Just don’t blame me when you get stuck on that stupid spinning blade section for an hour.