Review: Silverfish - Arcade Action To The Max
by Staff Writer
November 9, 2010
Overview
It's time to defend yourself from waves of space bugs by using all kinds of bombs in this arcade action romp. You play the Silverfish swimming around the screen with a flick of your finger, and trying to lead the space bugs to the bombs to really let them have it. The game has a geometric space theme with huge explosions that light up the screen.
Features
There are three game modes of survival starting with reaper mode which lets you fill the POW meter with the protons left by killed bugs to let you turn the tables to eat the bugs like a power pellet in Pac-Man. If you're POW meter depletes it's game over, but you do have a power-up initiated with a double tap that slows down time. Onslaught mode is similar, but gives three lives rather than a depleting meter, and uses bombs as the power-up. Scavenger mode has less protons to eat to fill your POW meter, and the enemies are tougher to kill in big numbers. Game Center is included for online high scores and achievements to add on to the three endless survival modes.
The Good
The game is very easy to pick up and start enjoying while still providing tons of challenge. The entire game is controlled by flicking up, down, left, or right to maneuver through the space bugs, and run into the bombs to kill the trailing bugs. Though the game is easy to play the bugs are relentless, and they come in bigger numbers of differing types changing their plan of attack on you. Each of the three modes offers a different challenge to stay alive providing a different health system, power-ups, and enemy waves. Silverfish is truly an action arcade game requiring constant attention and split second reaction. The game is reminiscent of Tilt To Live as you move around the screen avoiding the enemies, and then running into the bomb to kill enemies.
The game is very combo heavy with each bug dropping protons, and each proton adding one to your combo. A new bomb is added very often, and you want to get as many enemies in close proximity to it as you can before detonating it. If you do get into very sticky situations there are the massive power-ups to kill every enemy on screen in a huge explosion.
The game looks extraordinary on a retina display with the geometric space theme, and various flowing colors emitting from the Silverfish. The explosions are exquisite with the extreme particle effects that really shine on the screen, and there is such ornate art detail and polish of every enemy. There is a techno action packed soundtrack that accompanies the gameplay perfectly.
