As James Cameron's epic sci-fi action blockbuster Terminator 2: Judgment Day approaches its 25th anniversary, we're excited to celebrate that milestone nearly a year early, courtesy of this week's new, licensed game based on the film. Terminator 2D: No Fate comes from the retro-minded game makers at Bitmap Bureau (Xeno Crisis, the upcoming He-Man: Dragon Pearl of Destruction), making excellent choices with colour palettes, sprites and combat mechanics to look and feel like the mid-'90s arcade-action game of our childhood dreams.

Though the Terminator series has received a number of adaptations over the years, Terminator 2 only received one critically acclaimed video game in the form of Midway's 1991 arcade shooter. The less we say about 1993's side-scrolling T2-themed duds on consoles and portables from Acclaim's "Flying Edge" imprint, the better. Other Terminator games, particularly the Sega CD adaptation of the series' first 1984 film, delivered solid action for their time, but T2 never received a full video game adaptation like this.

The single-player action of T2DNF succeeds in part by adapting its levels as much to each T2 character's abilities as to their original film moments. John Connor's levels receive the most creative license, given that his adult character barely appeared in the film but spends considerable time here battling through the future-war moments - including one shameless and welcome homage to the similar gun-blasting action of Contra 3 - that eventually lead him to sending the T-800 through time to help his childhood self.

The rest of the levels directly crib from the film and combine tasteful movie-moment adaptations with retro-calibre mechanics and aesthetics. Infiltrate Skynet's labs as the pistol-packing Sarah Connor and engage in terse, aim-and-run side-scrolling mechanics that in some ways resemble Elevator Action Returns. Land as a time-travelling Arnold Schwarzenegger in the nude, then pummel drunkards at a bar in a three-quarters brawler interface that adds walking toward and away from the camera.

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While brighter than many of the other game's gritty, laser- and neon-lit environs, this recreation of the film's iconic truck chase feels just as fitting as part of T2DNF's pixel-art gorgeousness.

Or hop on Arnie's motorcycle and rescue young John Connor while being chased by a semi truck in a scene that faithfully recreates the film's iconic, sun-stricken Los Angeles Bull Creek scene using 16-bit pixel-art. Each level's palettes feature bright and varied colour applications that appear to employ intentional limitations, arguably to fit into whatever past-gen console specs this game may eventually launch on. Whichever those may be, the game will require a hefty size maximum to support beautiful, fluid animations that are packed with individual frames but never reduce each action's button-tap impact.

A word of warning for prospective buyers: this game's retro-authentic selection of levels can feel even shorter if played on the easiest difficulty. T2DNF arguably goes too far in softening the difficulty at its most accessible option by removing some of levels' hazards altogether, thus making the game feel entirely different than even its "medium" setting. This is on top of the game dishing out an infinite amount of continues. Low difficulty options like this are typically for those who want to burn through the whole game at record time - but the fact is that using it here doesn't deliver the entirety of the experience. With that in mind, "easy" mode is best avoided.

Otherwise, the only reason we might not suggest diving into T2DNF immediately is if you only have time for one sci-fi-drenched, retro-leaning 2D shooter this month. In that case, Neon Inferno, from the much younger studio at Zenovia Interactive, may be more up your alley - though, truly, we recommend both games.

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Neon Inferno crams its levels full of activity visible in both the foreground and background, and this factors into gameplay, as players must aim at enemies in both ranges to survive the action.

Neon Inferno employs a more modern technical framework that exceeds even the sprite-rendering prowess of the Sega Saturn. Streaks of shading cut through the air and touch surfaces to simulate light sources, while backgrounds are crammed full of sprites ranging from skyscrapers to flying cars to even hundreds-strong crowds of dancers at a nightclub.

That emphasis on busy backgrounds is relevant to Neon Inferno's core mechanic: having to aim at both foreground enemies and threats that emerge in the distance. The split between these two aiming requirements compares directly to 1991's Dick Tracy on Sega Mega Drive, yet in intensity and art style, it feels more like the Natsume's Wild Guns from 1994 - and the result feels equal parts exciting and accessible.

Animation, pixel art quality and atmosphere-driving music are equally laudable in both games, with T2DNF delivering both chunky, retro-synth MIDI and a few fun licensed songs as appropriate, while Neon Inferno includes one particularly stunning vocal song that recalls some of Konami's best CD-ROM-era fare before the PlayStation 1. Whichever game you pick, expect an experience that will fulfill early '90s shooter nostalgia via pixel-art brilliance and tight, responsive action.