„Terminator 2D: No Fate“ Review: A Must-Have for Retro Fans

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When James Cameron's sequel to the action classic “The Terminator” became a global hit in the early nineties, it wasn't long before the video game industry also discovered the franchise. At that time, however, the notorious license peddlers Ljn and Ocean got the rights and served fans a soulless, run-of-the-mill game with half-baked game mechanics for Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, and the like.

Over the years, many more “Terminator 2” adaptations from different studios followed for PC and consoles, but none of these games truly managed to convince. With “Terminator 2D: No Fate,” a truly good game based on the film is finally set to be released – a full 34 years after the film premiered on the big screen.

Easy to learn, hard to master

Anyone who grew up with games like “Metal Slug” or “Contra” should feel right at home in “Terminator 2D: No Fate.” Instead of photorealistic graphics or elaborate 3D worlds, developer studio Bitmap Bureau relies on classic pixel art, fast-paced action, and storytelling in the style of the old 16-bit era. At its core, the title is a classic 2D run-and-gun, where the player character runs from left to right, dodges enemy fire, and shoots their way through hordes of Skynet machines, mercenaries, and other dangers. The control scheme is designed for classic gamepads with an eight-way D-pad. In most cases, it remains shooting, crouching, jumping, and rolling. This is simple but precise, and therefore quickly becomes second nature.

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Terminator 2D: No Fate (6 Bilder)

What makes “Terminator 2D: No Fate” special are the many small deviations from the core gameplay. These sections are inspired by iconic scenes from the film, such as when the T-800 rescues young John on his Harley from the T-1000's truck or when Sarah has to escape the asylum from the murderous liquid metal. Bitmap Bureau skillfully incorporates challenging reaction prompts into chase sequences, small stealth and close-combat moments, or hacking mini-games, thus ensuring variety until the end. The pure shooter levels are also structured differently: sometimes bombs need to be planted, sometimes skillful cover is required, and sometimes Sarah has to provide escort for her son against the ever-returning T-1000. The levels are always pleasantly compact and spiced up with brutally staged boss fights.

On normal difficulty, the game is quite accessible. A few careless mistakes quickly lead to screen deaths, but generally, newcomers should also progress well. It gets more exciting from the “Hasta la Vista” mode, which offers less health, a time limit, and significantly tougher enemies. There is generally no save system. If you die and have used up your “Continues,” you start over. Only on the easiest difficulty level is there no game over. To minimize frustration, however, the developers offer a training mode where players can specifically practice already unlocked levels without affecting progress.

Presentation with great attention to detail

The campaign covers both familiar moments from “Terminator 2 – Judgment Day” as well as new scenes before and after the film. The majority follows the known film plot, while the remaining sections expand the context with narrative additions. In total, the game offers 15 levels, which can be expanded to 19 sections with unlocked variants. Those who expected to shoot their way through pixel worlds with Arnie will have to curb their anticipation. During the campaign, players mainly control Sarah Connor. Her son John and the T-800 are more supporting characters and only playable occasionally.

In general, it's noticeable that Arnold Schwarzenegger was apparently not part of the license deal, because unlike Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor) and Robert Patrick (T-1000), his likeness does not appear in the game or its accompanying artwork. However, after completing the approximately one-hour campaign for the first time, alternative solutions are unlocked, which in turn provide access to a bonus level featuring the Terminator as the main character.

Graphically, “Terminator 2D: No Fate” exudes retro charm par excellence and can even be further modified towards a CRT television with a switchable CRT filter. The pixel art is harmoniously animated and strongly reminiscent of the era of console wars in the early nineties, when Nintendo and Sega waged an unrelenting feud for the 16-bit throne.

The musical accompaniment is particularly successful: the soundtrack is audibly inspired by Brad Fiedel's iconic score and complements it with its tracks that perfectly match the dark atmosphere and keep the heart rate up. In addition, there are short animated cutscenes and still images that advance the plot and feel like they are from a 90s cartridge game.

Conclusion: A treat for retro fans

“Terminator 2D: No Fate” was announced as the video game for “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” that fans never got in the nineties – and that's exactly what it is. The game is a love letter to action cinema and the 2D side-scrollers of the 16-bit era alike. Fans of fast-paced retro action who don't need a save function but prefer to chase high scores and master levels one by one should not miss this pixel gem.

The only drawback is the price. Anyone reasonably skilled with a gamepad can complete the campaign of “Terminator 2D: No Fate” in under an hour. While high score chases, unlockable bonus levels, and game modes offer replay value, the overall scope for the advertised 30 Euros is quite limited.

“Terminator 2D: No Fate” was released on December 12, 2025, for PC (Steam), Playstation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The price is 30 euros, and the USK (German age rating board) rates the game for ages 16 and up.

(joe)