Super Mutant Alien Assault

нет

Some have supposed that, by its own self-defining limitations, the single-screen platformer (SSP) was doomed to fade. Indeed, by the early 2000s, what more could be accomplished within the quaint constraints of a 4:3 display? But such restrictions did offer one advantage: it forced designers to maximize every gameplay mechanic and onscreen pixel to provide the most compelling experience possible. Such is the case with Super Mutant Alien Assault, an SSP that, despite lacking those fancy scrolling graphics, provides a fulfilling quest comparable to a modern rogue-lite. In fact, that’s exactly what this game is—a rogue-lite squeezed into a screen. Players control a squat robot that must liberate three fleets of fleeing starships—the remnants of humanity—from a host of nefarious aliens. This means jumping, gunning, and running through each of the armada's four vessels, an overall twelve ship/stage gauntlet of cramped quarters and spastic action. Once the boss alien of a fleet is defeated, the little robot avatar teleports to the next armada and begins another 4-round challenge. Completing the twelfth stage unlocks a higher difficulty for those who still have nerves to burn. Three key mechanics distinguish Assault from its SSP peers. The first is that survivalist bent; take too many hits and the little hero explodes, forcing an abrupt do-over. Fortunately, repeated attempts unlock new weapons and abilities, some of which can be pre-equipped for the next run. The more interesting distinction, however, is Assault’s level variety. While the overall objective—enemy elimination—never deviates, the impediments to achieving that goal often do. Some stages require the player to play courier, carrying fuel canisters and data spheres to their respective compartments before the level’s minions can be permanently eliminated. Other times, players must scurry between energy valves, releasing the building pressure before they overload and sheer the screen with an inescapable death-blast. But the game’s unusual weapon system is what most will like or despise. Until the droid accesses a weapon station, he's defenseless. But these depots bear a hidden cruelty, their random firearm deliveries often sticking the player with a less-than-optimal loadout. Grenade launchers are great for the bigger meanies, but a miss means an out-of-control, ricocheting explosive now equally lethal to the player. Doubly-so for the rocket launcher, which must be fired from afar lest the player get caught in the resulting explosion--a likely outcome for a single-screen game. And the sniper rifle’s reload is so slow, only the most accurate marksmen will find it useful. A separate depot offers a variety of grenades that are bestowed in similar random fashion, again reinforcing that risk versus reward mentality. Players will simply have to master every type of weapon if they hope to survive. Or maybe not. Secondary weapons and abilities, from a reusable chakram to a double-jump, can also be procured, giving players a bit more lee-way in their tactics and options. But there’s no denying Assault’s savagery: the enemies are always mutating into harsher, stronger forms. The weapons deplete fast and can’t be replaced immediately. Maneuverability is often stifled by the stage’s stuffed, unforgiving spaces. And extra abilities are helpful but not always available. Super Mutant Alien Assault is defined, more than anything, by its traitorous double-edged sensibilities. Which is to say—this is a platformer that puts the “roguelike” first, tossing out the genre’s usual whimsy for a decidedly more “hardcore” experience. But in truth, are games like Bubble Bobble or Snow Bros. any less brutal? Cutesy pretensions aside, these were games notoriously rough on a player's sanity...and his wallet. Bubble Bobble has 100 levels, after all. Assault has twelve. No, the game’s biggest issue is not the abundant challenge, but a lack of a certain charisma. Mechanically, the game is fine. But visually, the proceedings lack the genre's usual zest and sense of flair. Almost always, the most memorable SSPs have a likable protagonist and, often, a slate of ambient backgrounds and a catchy score. The nondescript grimness of Assault’s aesthetics and backdrops do it no favors...and its musical score is more scratchy than catchy. But considering the current dearth of SSPs in the marketplace, Assault stands as a worthwhile addition to the genre. If not a classic, it’s certainly a valid proof-of-concept that the single-screen platformer is far from done. Someday, just maybe, that single-screen renaissance will finally come. For more reviews and analysis, please visit www.lostnostalgia.com