I’m sorry to say it, but at this point the retro shooting space on Switch is so full of titles that are at least decent, that the bar to actually stand out is getting tougher to surpass. Operation STEEL is entering into that pretty hostile space putting together some positive points like its various upgrades, different paths, and reasonably challenging play, but it still struggles to go the distance against many titles doing the same, or often doing it better.

What does work well is that all said there’s a fair amount of gameplay here to enjoy. You'll have logged a fair amount of time once you've explored all the different areas, fought all the bosses, and tried out the various ships and weapons the game has to offer. I was also pleased that a few of the enemy weapons and attacks caught me by surprise, working in unexpected ways and requiring that I pay a little closer attention at certain times. While you won’t always get the weapons or assists you’d prefer on every run, more often than not I was still pleased with what I ended up with, owing to there being enough variety and balance that many builds are viable.

Where it falls short on making a very positive impression is unfortunately in the looks department. While I’ve come to appreciate the fact that great games don’t all have to look the same way, the overall style is almost like clip art in many ways, in particular with its bosses. While many of them are larger in scale and are decent enough, their lack of overall movement and animation really takes away from the experience when you contrast it with a load of other titles out there that play just as well but also deliver something more distinctive in terms of their visuals.

All in all, Operation STEEL isn’t a bad game by any means, I just can’t say it’s likely to be a memorable one. A few years ago, when the eShop wasn’t spilling over with arcade and console ports, roguelikes, and plenty of original intense shooters, this may have felt a little more impressive. Unfortunately though, at this point there’s no ignoring that it just doesn’t have the oomph to force its way ahead of its peers in the line for your attention and dollars.