Review: Inkvaders

Update Inkvaders promised update was released, and now the major problem I had with the game has been rectified. AGON online high scores and achievements are now included increasing replayability if it even was a problem before. Online high scores are included for both gameplay modes for all three difficulties. 25 achievements are included to show for your Martian blasting prowess. Also you can now have a save state for endurance, and story mode. As of the 1.2 update Inkvaders has now become a great game in every way, so if you still haven't picked it up you absolutely must for $1.99. Overview Inkvaders is a 2D side scrolling shooter with a similar gameplay mechanic to Zombieville USA. Games Faction, through Chillingo, creates a brand new experience. The entire game has a hand drawn theme, as though you’re playing in a notepad. You control a Generic Marine, G, who has to help save earth from Martian Invaders. It’s all up to G to save the day by eradicating the Martians from the moon base and then all the way back home on earth. There are various Martians to kill, but luckily you have a number of weapons to help you defend against the Inkvaders. Features A ton is packed into this title to help separate itself from similar titles. The newest addition is the boost ability which allows you to fly over the Martians with your jet pack. The boost is limited by a meter, but allows plenty of time to fly around to ambush Martians from behind, and line them up for massive killing. Every Martian kill gives you money, and the money is used to buy ammo, health, and upgrade weapons. Another way to make money is to collect meteors that you need to boost to get. There are three levels: $50, $250 , and $500 with the $250 and $500 flying around like meteors should. Small things are included which add to the overall game. At the main menu screen and actual hand drags the different menu options on screen. Also as you switch from page to page, an actual hand tears off the old page revealing the new page. The new Martains come in by being beamed into the scene. There are three weapon types: energy/electric, typical metal, and rocket launcher. Each of the three types can be upgraded five times providing 15 different weapons. Now you can blast Martians with electric laser beams, shotgun and machine gun, as well as heavy duty rocket launchers. Maybe the best feature is the gameplay modes providing a story and endurance mode. In story mode you actually travel across three locations: moon base, earth base, and the city with 10 pages per location. Then there is endurance mode which is a simple survival shooter trying to make it as far as you can switching between the three locations with each new level. Another great feature in the game is The Rush that brings out tons of Martians to blast away. In Rush mode instead of tough Martians that take multiple shots to kill, most Martians require only one shot, but you’re surrounded. For each mode you have three lives, and there are three difficulty levels: easy, medium, and hard. The Good Inkvaders is stunningly beautiful in every way. The 2D paper theme is reminiscent of Paper Mario, but looks even better. The hand drawn theme is so finely detailed and intertwined into G’s looks, the varying Martians, and the backgrounds. Even though it’s in 2D everything just seems to pop out. Then there are all of the animations that run seamlessly. The backgrounds are even animated despite all of the action in the foreground. The background moves with you, and occasionally UFOs blow up a tank or beam up a cow. In the foreground depending on which weapon you use it changes how the Martian’s remains end up. With a simple single blast the bullet pierces the front of the head, and three pieces fly out the back spilling blood out as well. Then with more heavy duty blasting from the rocket launcher the Martians blow into bits with only the top half of their head and a few leg bits remaining . Then with the energy laser blast the Martians are electrocuted with their whole head blasting away fried, or a similar look as the rocket launcher, but only skeleton left. Also outstanding are all of the sound effects accompanying the kills. The sound effects are deliciously nasty and gooey. When the back of their head is blasted open it sounds like you think it would. Then there is the splat as the aliens explode from the electric laser. Each weapon has a different appropriate sound from the regular machine gun to the whizz of the laser. Also included are three outstanding techno military beats for each of the three areas. Inkvaders looks good, and sounds good, but what about the gameplay? Inkvaders is a very fun experience blasting away waves of Martians with varying weapons. The best aspect may be the multiple Martains with about six different ones ranging in speed and toughness, and damage given. If the Martains get too close to you they let out their own electric current, which makes the game extremely challenging. Managing ammo and money adds more challenge to try to remain alive, but the added jet pack allows for more strategy. As you spend more money on ammo and health, it takes longer to build up money to upgrade to new weapons, and you’ll be stuck with weaker weapons that aren't appropriate for the stronger enemies. The best aspect of Inkvaders which sets it apart is having a story mode in addition to the typical endurance mode. In Zombieville, for example, it has the same background, and it seems like you’re not going anywhere or doing anything. Inkvaders on the other hand gives a mission, and you progress across three areas over thirty pages trying to save the earth from Martains. If you want the typical side scrolling shooter experience or have finished story mode you can always go into endurance mode. Inkvaders saves your level progress, so if you quit on page 4 of the city, you come back to the beginning of that level, but not in the exact point you left off. One problem is that you can only have a save file for story or endurance mode, but not both (but will be fixed in the next update). In terms of updates Games Faction has laid out a plan, and it looks like they will keep it up. Coming down the road will be online high scores, achievements, challenge mode, and end of level bosses which all sound great, but knowing the Apple approval process that’s way down the road. The Bad As the game stands now without the updates there are no online high scores or achievements which hurts replayability, but you'll still get a lot of play time from this title. Some people have complained about the gameplay getting stale, but I still haven’t found that after completing story mode, and a little into endurance mode. I think the change of scenery combined with multiple enemies, brand new weapons, and varying Martains to kill and be seen killed provides enough variability. Not much else to complain about with this game, it’s outstanding, and sets a new standard for side scrolling shooters on the iPhone. The Verdict Inkvaders is an outstandingly constructed game, and a super fun experience. It is easily the best side scrolling shooter in the App Store, and one of the better games overall. There’s nothing like blasting away tons of Martains with unique weapons, and seeing their bodies manipulated in multiple ways. This may be one of the best looking and sounding games in the App Store, and the gameplay isn’t far behind. Multiple updates are planned, but there’s no need to wait Inkvaders is a Must Buy now. [gallery link="file" columns="4"]

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