Back when Sony's 32-bit PlayStation was yet to hit Japanese store shelves, I vividly recall seeing Pony Canyon's Metal Jacket being shown off in various video game magazines (you know, those things we all used to read before the internet existed).
I loved robots – especially Japanese robots – so you can imagine how those static screenshots captured my imagination. I vowed that I would seek out this promising-looking mech action game the moment I had a PlayStation, but I wouldn't get one until the UK launch a year later – by which point I'd pretty much forgotten all about Metal Jacket.
That was probably for the best, as this Japanese exclusive, by all accounts, isn't very good. However, my ageing memory banks have been triggered by the arrival of MarvinWizard's Vital Shell on Steam, a top-down shooter that clearly owes a massive debt to those early 32-bit years.
The developer even states that they've gone for a "distinct PSX-era look", while the "ambient jungle soundtrack" does an equally good job of transporting me back to the mid-'90s.
"Take control of your favorite fantasy archetype expressed as a mech," reads the game's Steam page. "Battle relentless waves of enemies in desolate, dream-like environments. Equip your shell with unique weapons, traits, and powerful abilities, designing potent builds and synergies with every run."
Vital Shell – which is currently on offer at the very reasonable £3.99 – offers five stages, five mechs, thousands of build combinations, a selection of different weapons and more.