Review: Assault Squadron - Sci-Fi Shoot 'Em Up For A True Shot of Adrenaline
by Staff Writer
May 31, 2010
Overview
Assault Squadron has finally hit the App Store after our initial preview from GDC. The sci-fi shoot 'em up genre is relatively sparse in the App Store, but has received one action packed game. There is an overload of firing by you and enemy ships with all of it running at 60 frames per second.
Features
The game features six intricately tied levels in campaign mode with each one featuring an epic boss battle. There is an arcade mode to play one particular level, and throughout the game there are four different upgradable ships. Crystal is included for online high scores and achievements.The Good
If you're even remotely interested in the shoot 'em up genre you will have a great time with Assault Squadron. The game is bursting at the seams with non stop action that will have you fighting for your life every second you’re playing. There is a constant stream of enemies and enemy fire coming at you that you need to dodge while staying on line to fire upon enemies.
As you blast away enemies they leave behind orbs that you collect to upgrade the weaponry of your ship. There are all types of enemy ships to face, each with their own weaponry and tactics that are extremely difficult to get rid of based on sheer numbers. The game is all about combos which is consecutively destroyed enemies without taking damage, and it allows for astronomical scores like classic shoot 'em ups.
The game has a great feature where all six levels are completely intertwined. You play through one in portrait mode as a top down shooter. Then the next level is the same environment, but with a landscape perspective as a side scrolling shooter. You get to experience two different types of shooter styles in the same game with an actual connection between the styles.
A deluxe storyline is included that is very hard to find for an iPhone game. The campaign mode reveals the story nicely, and playing through all six levels will make it well worth your money. These aren't merely levels, but provide as much action as a multiple staged level in most other games.
Each level also has a tremendously difficult boss that will take a few minutes to dispose of even when constantly firing on it. The game is a score based game so it's nice to have Crystal to compare scores, and the ability to go for score only in arcade mode. It's also nice to have a campaign with a score based game especially as deluxe as this one is that will take multiple retires to get through all six of these levels.
The game is absolutely wonderfully designed, and one of the best looking on the platform. The tons of action runs silky smooth, and it's miraculous seeing that many ships and enemy fire on screen. The backgrounds are exquisite as well while all of the explosions are occurring in the foreground.
The game also features amazing cut scenes that seem to be right out of a huge budget movie. There is a deluxe action packed techno soundtrack to go with the game perfectly. The four different control methods work well though tilt is tough for this type of game, and having your finger on screen blocks some of the action.
The Bad
The main problem with the game is the sheer difficulty. It's definitely a title for more hardcore gamers who have experience with this style, otherwise it will just feel too difficult. Even with experience you will realize relatively quickly that there isn't much room to maneuver to avoid enemy fire.
You will burn through a number of lives in seemingly impossible situations with an overload of enemy fire. You do get a lot of mistakes with four health units per life, and ten continues when you run out of health. The Binary Mill did the best they could with the space given by the phone, but in all honesty it's too cramped to be able to successfully handle this game.
You need to have the finest precision in your movements, and even then sometimes you can't even see a proper path through the fire. Also your finger covers up part of the limited screen real estate so you may miss some danger areas.
