Strap in because we're going back in time. To a time when '90s action movies ruled the big screen and arcade side-scrollings dominated the gaming market.
Bitmap Bureau is channeling this '90s nostalgia with a new game Terminator 2D: No Fate. The officially licensed 2D action side-scroller is a reimagining of the beloved film and a love-letter to '90s and '90s arcade games.
"Our team poured its passion into crafting adrenaline-fueled arcade gameplay and stunning pixel art—the very elements that make games special to us," said Bitmap Bureau design director Mike Tucker. In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Tucker said his goal with Terminator 2D: No Fate "was to create the T2 side-scroller we should have had in our youth."
To be clear, there were numerous games based on Terminator 2, many of them side-scroller action games. But those games were limited by technology. Now we're created the look and feel of a classic arcade game but with the power of advanced hardware unlocking new possibilites.
Terminator 2D: No Fate has the look and feel of a classc arcade game. Players take control of Sarah Connor, John Connor, and the T-800 in a series of arcade-style missions that retell Terminator 2: Judgment Day and expand on its narrative.
Each character in the game has their own unique play style. Sarah Connor, for example, is agile and reactive, "mirroring her paranoia and intense training."
"She excels in melee combat, sliding into enemies for direct attacks, reflecting her fearlessness," Tucker explained. "We also gave her a laser sight, inspired by the iconic Miles Dyson scene. It locks the player in place but significantly boosts damage."
John Connor's missions allowed Bitmap Bureau to explore the Future War. "One of the most exciting parts of development was designing the Future War missions, where players control an adult John Connor leading the Resistance," said Tucker. "Since T2 only gives glimpses of John’s leadership, we had fun expanding his lore." Connor's gameplay emphasizes mid-to-long range combat using a plasma rifle, pipe bombs, and three ammo types.
The final playable character is the T-800. While he's slower than both Sarah and John, he compensates with higher durability. He's able to take significantly more damage before going down.
In the trailer below, you'll see how Bitmap not only recreated iconic moments from the movie, lik ethe Corral bar brawl and the motorcycle escape from the T-1000, but also expanded upon the movie with segments that explore the Future War.
Terminator 2D: No Fate is set to launch on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC on September 5, 2025.
"Working on a title connected to such a revered film has been a huge honor," Tucker said. "Terminator 2’s characters are among the most beloved in cinema, and we hope players enjoy playing them as much as we enjoyed bringing them to life."