X-Out Resurfaced Review - A classic SHMUP returns!

Hey everyone and welcome to the XPN Gaming site! My name is Ash and I am back yet again with another retro remake video game release! This time its ININ Games remake of 1989 Commodore 64 Shmup X-Out. Released on all platforms in 2025 with improved graphics and sounds but keeping the classic gameplay feeling!

As someone who’s pretty into Shmups, X-Out Resurfaced caught my eye immediately, and I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed. I’ve never played the original X-Out, so I can’t compare it directly, but this remake feels like it was made with care for both veterans and newcomers to the series and still provides A harder skill level old school gamers will love.

Now if you have never heard of X-Out. I can tell you its a side-scrolling, shoot em up game where you blast through alien enemies and bosses to stop an alien invasion. Pretty standard shmup stuff really, but what sets it apar from the rest of the pack is that it doesn't take place in space, but in the depths of the ocean, which is a nice little twist on the genre!

Right off the bat, the visuals hooked me. The updated graphics have that retro-futuristic vibe, but with enough modern polish to make every laser beam, enemy ship, and explosion stand out. It’s like a neon carnival in space, and I loved every second of it, especially all the bubbles following your ship and enemies. They have done such a great job of keeping the feel of the original game and bringing it to modern HD crisp goodness. It's so good I will even include a picture of what the graphics looked like on the original release!

You can totally see how it has evolved in Resurfaced.yp

The soundtrack was also a major highlight, having the original composer Chris Huelsbeck (of various Turrican games) come in and remaster his original tracks plus create six brand new songs for this release! Its great, perfect shmup synth goodness!

Gameplay-wise, it hits that sweet spot between challenging and frustrating. The controls are tight and responsive, which is a must for a genre like this. I really liked how it lets you customize your ships—choosing between different weapons and upgrades in a store before heading into battle was a lot of fun, and it gave me a way to customise my experience to the way I like to play. The UI in this store gives me massive retro game vibes and there was plenty of different ways to mix and match between your different weapons, as long as you can afford them all!

The difficulty curve is pretty fair. I got my fair share of game-over screens (okay, a lot), but it never felt cheap or unfair. It’s the kind of game where you’re constantly saying, “Just one more try!” The boss fights, in particular, were a highlight—each one felt unique and had me sweating bullets (both literally and metaphorically).

Now, if you are a physical game collector (and I commend all of you fighting the good fight), there is currently an awesome special edition version of the game available on the Inin Games website. It includes a copy of the game in a nice big old style box, a soundtrack CD and an artbook! Getting the soundtrack alone is worth checking this edition out, unfortunately this is only available for the Nintendo Switch and Playstation versions of the game!

Overall, I’d say this is a must-play for fans of the genre, even if you’re like me and didn’t play the original. It’s a blast from start to finish, and it might even inspire me to track down the original to see how far the series has come. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, visually stunning Shmup, this one’s worth your time.

XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (Gold)