Reviewed: February 14, 2006
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
PomPom
Developer
PomPom
Released: November 22, 2005
Genre: Shooter
Players: 1-2
ESRB: Everyone
8
9
9
9
9.1
Supported Features:
Screenshots (Click Image for Gallery)
The Xbox 360 came out of the launch gate with a bang but not much has been stirring in the game library since. The only thing that rivals the actual hardware shortage is a supply of new games. Whether by pure luck or sheer genius, those marketing guys over at Microsoft have managed to keep me playing my 360 long after I have finished with the launch library with something called the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), part of the new Online Marketplace.
The concept is simple. Take classic arcade games and independent PC titles and upgrade them to hi-def and tweak the controls and re-release them for about $5 each. And while gamers on a budget will probably scoff at the concept of paying for a game they can download for free to their PC or cell phone, those who really want a sample of past gaming goodness and a chance to add a few hundred Achievement points to their gamer profile will pounce on the opportunity.
PomPom joins the ranks of numerous independent PC developers who are finding a new and previously unattainable market for their games through the XBLA. Mutant Storm Reloaded can most likely be compared to Geometry Wars (also available on XBLA) and while that is a fair comparison I find this game to be much more engaging, both in gameplay and visual stimulation. The game is impossible not to play at least once each time you turn on your 360. I must have logged at least 20+ hours on this game since adding it to my arcade collection, and I have seen gameplay elements from Tempest, Asteroids, Space Invaders and of course the self-proclaimed Robotron and Smash TV. This is addictive arcade gaming at its very best.
Previously released on the PC, this is one of those games that was destined to be played on a console, or at least with a console-style gamepad. The entire game concept revolves around moving and firing simultaneously and independently of each other - perfect for the twin analog sticks on the 360 controller.
Mutant Storm basically just sends wave after wave of enemies at you that you must clear out, there's no story or anything to get in the way of its pure "twitch" arcade style fun. It gets more and more challenging with each new level. Sometimes like in Robotron there will be big hulking enemies that can block your fire to try and prevent you from killing off all the enemies. Some of them do shoot back so you have to maneuver around and avoid getting hit. Also there are crystal-like asteroids on some of the levels that break apart into smaller chunks when you hit them reminding me a lot of Asteroids, another great classic arcade game.
Every now and then you'll get the opportunity to pick up a power-up which can make your weapon stronger or give it heat seeking missiles or multi-shot or give you a shield or something along those lines. Picking up the power-ups before they fade away is pretty important for finishing the levels. You can also use a limited number of "smart bombs" to blast away lots of enemies at once. One nice feature of the game is that it will adapt the difficulty to your ability level.
You can play in either Adventure mode, which is nothing more than a linear progression through the 89 levels of the game, or a Tally mode. You can also have a friend join you for cooperative gameplay in either of these modes on the same screen, at which point it becomes a race to see who can collect the most points per screen.
Mutant Storm Reloaded offers several goals called "Belts" that are color-coded much like martial arts. As you rank up the points and stay alive you will increase your rankings and obtain these belts which in turn unlock the various Achievements in the game. The game also checkpoints itself every ten levels so you can always jump into the Adventure mode without starting from the very beginning.
Each of the 89 levels come alive with swirling vaporous backgrounds and pulsating glowing colors on the foreground objects and lively animation for the various enemies not to mention endless streams of particle effects for gunfire and explosions. Your ship and those of the enemies are nothing more than simple icons with little detail, but you can easily recognize the various shapes, which also indicate the threat level. Some of the larger enemies like the jellyfish and the rotating gun turrets showed much more creativity.
Special effects are wonderful ranging from a variety of lasers and missiles to the radiating smart bombs blasts and spinning defensive shield array. Everything is overly saturated with color and just a marvel to watch, let alone play.
The screenshots can’t do this game justice since they are still frames of a game that is CONSTANTLY in motion. The board will tilt at crazy angles base on your position relative to the center and as the number or enemies decrease the camera slowly zooms in to frame you and the furthest enemy. The intro and exit animations for each level are so fluid that motion sickness is almost guaranteed.
There is no music during the actual gameplay but you can always load up something from your music library if you wish. The sound effects are ripped directly from all of those 70’s and 80’s arcade games listed above. While they might start to get on your nerves after a few hours they are also perfectly matched to the style of gameplay. I’d swear the entire Tempest sound library is buried in this game complete with futuristic sounds and that hollow reverb that gives the game a “spacey” feel. It definitely sounds great on the 360 and a good surround system.
There are 89 levels here and 7 belts to aspire to, more than enough to keep you playing for months to come. There is also a two player mode that is great fun and get totally competitive with each of you trying to hog all the best kills for yourself. Oddly enough, the challenge for each level didn't seem to get any more difficult when you have two players on the screen at the same time blasting away at wave after wave of futuristic and organic enemies.
I’ve logged at least 20 hours with this game over the past few weeks and I'm still striving toward my Orange Belt. Yes – the game is that hard, but the great thing is it is so addicting that you will keep coming back for more and never get tired. You will eventually learn the patterns of the enemies and develop tactics for each level. You'll stay alive longer and reach those newer, more challenging stages with extra ships and smart bombs.
The game does checkpoint after every 10 levels so you can start a new game at your highest checkpoint, but (and this is a big BUT) you are not awarded a Starting Level Bonus. This means if you start at level 20 you will not have as high a score as if you had worked your way up from the first level. Tempest players will remember that you could start from checkpoint levels and get a bonus to instantly boost your score.
And finally, for those looking to boost their Gamer Card, there are 200 Achievement points spread across 12 challenging goals that reward you for completing all 89 levels, earning each of the seven belts, as well as earning the 2x and 4x multipliers. For the ultimate in unattainable awards, try going for the Black Belt Grandmaster by winning all 89 levels as a Black Belt starting from level one.
If you enjoy twitch style arcade games or have ever played any of the arcade games I mentioned above then go download this game immediately. It's a bit interesting that two very similar games (this one and Geometry Wars) are available for XBLA, but at least you have a choice.
While Geometry Wars certainly offers a flash "fireworks" experience, Mutant Storm is a much more playable and entertaining game in my opinion, but this is XBLA, so go download the trials for each and find out for yourself. As addictive as crack and as hallucinogenic as LSD, you might need some rehab after a few weeks of Mutant Storm Reloaded.