Attack of the Earthlings

Didn't even make it through the entire first level before I was bored unfortunately. Mechanics and UI feel really outdated and actions were tedious to complete. The gameplay is quite basic tactics wise and the levels felt large and empty. The gameplay simply feels too old and clunky sadly.

Hallo liebe Steamgemeinde, zuerst möchte ich sagen, dass ich Attack of the Earthlings deutlich reduziert gekauft habe. Den reduzierten Preis von etwa 3 Euro ist es definitiv wert. 13 Euro dagegen, wären mir zuviel gewesen. Und hier die Gründe dafür. + Das Spiel insbesondere die Menschen darin, sind urkomisch. Was durch die Grafik eindeutig unterstützt wird. Amüsante Kommentare, die bei bestimmten Stelle der Story kommen, lockern das ansonsten strategielastige Spiel auf und machen einfach Laune. + Obgleich die Grundmission über das Spiel hinweg sehr eindeutig ist, bietet jedes Level neue Herausforderungen. Neben neuen Fähigkeiten und zunehmend stärkeren Gegnern hat jedes Level einen kleinen eigenen Storyteil, der eine Anpassung der Spielweise erfordert. + Das Spiel vermeidet durch seine Kürze eine unnötig in die Länge gezogene Story, auch vom oft langwierigen Aufbaupart vieler Strategiespiele ist keine Spur zu finden. - Das Spiel hat eine recht geringe Spieldauer und nur einen geringen Wiederspielwert. - Leider kann man den Schwierigkeitsgrad nicht ändern und für erfahrene Strategiespieler ist es definitiv keine echte Herausforderung. - Attack of the Earthlings ist eines der wenigen Spiele, die man heut zu Tage noch beenden muss um das Tonausgabegerät zu wechseln. Das ist dann doch eher Anfang 2000 als modern. Fazit: Wer ein kleines humorvolles Spiel sucht, kann mit diesem Game schöne Stunden verbringen. (Wenn er nicht gerade ein Fan von (High-) End Kapitalismus ist). Es ist bewusst klein und schlicht gehalten, sowohl grafisch, als auch von der Komplexität her. Also nichts für fortgeschrittene Strategiespieler oder Fans einer detailreichen Grafik. Wenn ich dem Spiel ein Motto geben sollte wäre es vermutlich „Anmachen und einfach losspielen“. Interessierte sollten bei einem guten Angebot zuschlagen, da man es vermutlich nicht mehr als zweimal spielen wird.

[h3]Short but Enjoyable Stealth-Tactics Game[/h3] The game is more of a puzzle game than a tactical game, because of turn limitations (related to bonus score and achievements) that often force you to finish missions in a certain way. But of course you can ignore those achievements and play game as a regular tactical stealth game. The game has some tactical depth as you can upgrade your Grunts to three different types of units, each with various skills and upgrades, although the stalker is the most crucial due to its high damage from the back ignoring shield and ability to move through vents. However, due to enemy variations, you'd need to use all types of units at some point. It is fun trying out different strategies and while the turn limitations sometimes cause issues, the challenge mostly increases the enjoyment of the game, especially because the game allows saving at any point, which limits frustrations when you need to check paths of enemies and such. The game is not very long, and only has seven levels, each of which can usually be finished under an hour. The challenges add a bit more gameplay. Overall had fun playing it. The only negative thing I have to say about the game is that you cannot skip or speed up enemy turns, and have to wait as the camera switches to each enemy within view as they slowly take their turns. I'd say I've spent about one-third of my gameplay time on that only, especially in the final level, where the boss-mech is always in view.

Meh... After a couple of hours I felt like I've seen the game. I am a huge fan of any XCOM and most stealth tactics games, but this one didn't do anything for me. Maybe as a mobile game in a waiting room - it's simple enough for that.

I wish there were more games where you control an alien hive

[i]Attack of the Earthlings[/i] is your standard, unserious "strategy" game of the late 2010s, where skill trees were as tall and complex as a branch, no enemy logic other than to either attack the nearest target or the last target that damaged it, and arbitrary gameplay mechanics like the grunts having little area of vision without the matriarch alien. It isn't so much strategy as it is simply a game of reloading saves when a cutscene plays at an inappropriate time or when a misclick occurs due to the terrible user interface and inconsistency of clicking a tile while having to constantly chain group attacks when enemies can one-shot the player's units and are on constant overwatch irrespective of their suspicion level. It is also worth noting that Junkfish Limited is asking $15 for a game that is nearly a decade old and offers only seven levels; this video game would have sold on mobile for $3.99 at the time.

Tja, da ich gleich am Anfang der zweiten Mission mit einem Bug konfrontiert werde, der das vorbeikommen an einem Geschützturm verhindert, ist das Spiel damit für mich zu Ende. Es gibt keine Möglichkeit das zu umgehen. Somit gibt es eine negative Rezession von mir. Schade drum.

Attack of the Earthlings, developed by Team Junkfish and published by Junkfish Limited, flips the script on the classic alien invasion narrative and delivers a turn-based tactical experience that is as darkly humorous as it is strategic. Rather than playing the usual role of defending humanity from extraterrestrial threats, here you take on the role of the aliens—specifically the Swarmers, an insectoid species fighting back against a greedy human corporation called Galactoil that is attempting to strip their home planet for resources. It’s a clever setup, and the game leans into its satirical tone with enthusiasm, blending corporate satire, absurd humor, and grotesque sci-fi horror in a way that feels refreshingly original. The gameplay is rooted in stealth-based tactics. Missions are structured around navigating through enemy-filled corridors, sneaking past patrols, setting ambushes, and consuming the bodies of your enemies to gain biomass—your primary resource for spawning and evolving units. You begin each mission with the Matriarch, the central alien character, and must carefully expand your forces by devouring human workers and soldiers. Each unit you spawn can evolve into specialized forms, each with unique abilities that offer different tactical advantages. This mechanic introduces a satisfying layer of resource management, as you must choose when to invest in more units, when to evolve, and how to position your swarm to avoid triggering alarms or overwhelming opposition. What makes Attack of the Earthlings particularly engaging is its pacing and mission design. Levels are crafted to emphasize both stealth and aggression, often requiring a balance between the two. It isn’t enough to simply swarm enemies—you must approach each encounter with a sense of caution, using vents, lockers, and cover to stay hidden until the time is right to strike. The turn-based system gives players the luxury to plan their moves carefully, but it also demands precision. Making the wrong move can lead to swift consequences, as enemy reinforcements can quickly turn the tide against you. While the overall complexity of the tactics isn’t on the level of something like XCOM or Invisible Inc., the combination of stealth mechanics with turn-based combat keeps things interesting and accessible. Visually, the game leans into a stylized cartoonish design that suits its satirical tone. The environments are primarily corporate-industrial, filled with sterile offices, mechanical corridors, and grimy service tunnels. While the art direction isn’t groundbreaking, it conveys the world’s themes well and maintains consistency throughout the campaign. Character animations are serviceable, though occasionally stiff, and while the visuals won’t win awards for technical prowess, they’re clean and effective. The real standout, however, is the audio design. The soundtrack, composed by Mikolai Stroinski (known for work on The Witcher 3), brings an atmospheric weight to the missions, while the voice acting—particularly SungWon Cho’s performance as the corporate villain—is sharp and often hilarious. The game’s writing is one of its most distinctive features. Attack of the Earthlings doesn’t take itself too seriously, and its humor is aimed squarely at corporate culture. Galactoil’s leadership is portrayed as a group of egotistical, clueless executives who bumble their way through disastrous decisions while maintaining a veneer of smug confidence. The dialogue is filled with jabs at bureaucracy, capitalism, and corporate excess, and it lands more often than not. This satirical layer adds personality to the missions and keeps the tone light even during the more intense tactical segments. It's this marriage of tone and gameplay that sets the game apart from other indie tactics titles—it’s not just about strategy, but about embodying a role and enjoying the narrative as it unfolds. However, despite its charm and clever design, Attack of the Earthlings does have its limitations. The campaign is relatively short, consisting of seven core missions that can be completed in roughly eight to ten hours. Once completed, there is little incentive to return, as missions are heavily scripted and don’t offer much variety on repeat playthroughs. Enemy behaviors and patrol paths remain largely the same, meaning once you’ve solved a level’s "puzzle," there’s little left to challenge you. There are no alternative game modes or randomized elements to shake things up, which may disappoint players looking for replayability or ongoing challenge. Additionally, while the game does a good job easing you into its mechanics, it never introduces truly complex systems or meaningful strategic dilemmas beyond positioning and resource usage. Control-wise, the game plays best with mouse and keyboard, which is expected given its PC origins. The UI is mostly intuitive, but can feel a little clunky in spots, particularly during unit selection or when managing evolved forms. There’s also a lack of quality-of-life features that more recent tactics games have embraced, such as streamlined camera controls or contextual overlays for enemy sightlines. These are minor issues in the grand scheme, but they do remind the player that this is a relatively small indie project with limited resources behind it. Despite these drawbacks, Attack of the Earthlings succeeds in delivering a memorable, well-crafted tactical experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It understands its scope and focuses on delivering a tight, narratively driven strategy campaign with a strong sense of identity. The humor, voice work, and unique premise help elevate it above other indie tactics games that might rely more heavily on genre tropes. It may not have the depth of larger titles in the genre, but it makes up for it with style, clarity of vision, and a clever inversion of the standard alien-vs-human dynamic. For fans of turn-based tactics who enjoy stealth mechanics and a healthy dose of satire, Attack of the Earthlings is an easy recommendation. It’s a tightly designed experience with just enough strategy to satisfy and enough character to entertain. While it may be short and somewhat linear, it remains a standout title for those looking for something a bit different in a genre often dominated by grim seriousness and human-centric storytelling. In this game, the aliens are the good guys, and corporate Earthlings are the real monsters. Rating: 8/10