From GDC: Sneak Peek - Assault Squadron Hands On Preview

The Sci-Fi Shoot-‘em-Up is a genre that isn’t represented very well in the App Store, but The Binary Mill is looking to change that. At GDC we met with The Binary Mill, and got hands on time with Assault Squadron which is like nothing seen on the App Store to date. The closest game is Siberian Strike which we know isn’t that good, so they have a chance to fill a void in the App Store. You play as part of the Assault Squadron which is an elite tactical space combat force that is dispatched to defeat the alien enemy that is striking with numbers in the thousands bent on destroying earth. The entire storyline is told by a voiceover, and there are outstanding cinematic cut scenes. The game features six deluxe levels blasting away waves of alien ships as you maneuver through tons of enemy weapons. Each level concludes with an epic boss battle with each one taking at least a few minutes. You can play the campaign mode, or jump into arcade mode to play any level of completed campaign mode, and go for the huge score. What really makes this game standout is the variation from level to level which is unseen on the iPhone to date. You begin level one in portrait mode as a top down shooter that scrolls vertically with enemy ships flying in. Then you reach level two, and the perspective shifts to landscape, and you’re playing a side scrolling shooter. The best aspect is the change is so smooth, and the following level plays similarly just with a new perspective. It’s close to facing the same ships, but instead of seeing them top down you see the sides. On top of that the entire barrage of ships and bullets will be presented in 60 frames per second all the way down to 1st gen hardware. Customization abounds in Assault Squadron beginning with four control methods including touch 1:1, touch 2.5:1, tilt, or virtual joystick. Three difficulty levels are also included for casual gamers or shot em up experts. There are also four playable ships with each having their own weapon set, and skill type. If you're a shoot em up fan you can instantly see the appeal of Assault Squadron with massive action, and room for insane scores via extreme combos. All your scoring skill will be put to the test with the inclusion of Chillingo's Crystal for online high scores and achievements. After meeting with Binary Mill I can say that this two man australian team has put a lot into it. It's been over a year in the making, and is just a few weeks away. They both have CGI backgrounds, and they have put all that skill into this game from beautiful action gameplay to the jaw dropping cut scenes that are motion picture quality. Playing with the preview build I can say I was blown away by the visuals running at 60 fps, but even more by the gameplay. It's amazing blasting waves of deluxe enemies in portrait or landscape with each mode presenting unique gameplay. This is as action packed shoot em up as you can have, so be prepared for Assault Squadron. Below see our gameplay video from the preview build, Binary Mill gameplay video, and the iPhone teaser.

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