A double review containing two games from Frigiere, two shooters; one traditional and one abstract. Read on to find out more.
Lethal Judgment HD
Lethal Judgment HD is a traditional sidescrolling shooter originally found on the PC, the game has since been updated for the Xbox 360 with brand new HD visuals. You should all know the format by now, take control of a spacecraft and shoot everything in sight.
The game is split over five levels, each with an end of level boss. Instead of lives, your ship has a shield represented by an energy bar which will have to last throughout the entire level as there is no way to recharge it. It makes for a challenging game as you get sent back to the menu if your shield runs out.
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You have three weapon types which can be changed between at any time; fire gun, blind gun and a laser. Each gun can be upgraded up to three times via floating power ups. An upgrade can be lost when colliding with an enemy or bullet so be careful! You also have a special weapon which can be activated and protects you from incoming enemies.
The levels are of fairly good length and packed full of enemies. There is a slight strategic element to the game, enemies can appear from anywhere on screen so using the right weapon is a must if you want to keep that shield, for example using Blind to shoot enemies from behind. Bosses are naturally tricky to kill and despite the five levels sounding fairly short you will not be completing the game in your first attempt.
The updated visuals look great, if you can take your eyes of the action you will notice the well designed backgrounds which are animated and add to the atmosphere. Enemy sprites are large in number on screen, they are also detailed and look the part. The provided techno style music sounds good and goes well with the fast paced nature of the game. Sound effects are plentiful and include speech for weapons selection which all sound good.
Lethal Judgment HD costs 240 :MSPoints: and represents good value for money. The game is very well presented and provides a challenging but fun experience. Shooter fans should definitely check this one out!
More information on Lethal Judgment HD can be found on the Marketplace.
Packito lost in space
Packito lost in space is a side scrolling shooter but with some twists. The game takes on a puzzle style element mixing the two genres together to create an interesting game idea.
You play the character called Packito who is a refuse collector and your task is to clean up the galaxy. Space junk floats on screen and you must shoot the junk to destroy it. Sounds easy? Well not quite and this is where the puzzle style element comes in. Each piece of space junk can only be destroyed by a certain weapon, indicated by a coloured button. Shooting it with the correct weapon will destroy it, while the wrong weapon will cause you to lose score.
Instead of lives you have an health bar of sorts which is represented by a score bar, if the score bar reaches zero it is game over. The score bar is a great idea and adds a nice twist to the game, you can afford to make mistakes at tricky parts of the game and recover when things are a little less hectic.
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Progression to the next level is judged from the amount of space junk you collect. Once you have enough the next level will start with a background transition instead of a break. It keeps the game flowing, although you can sometimes be unaware you have reached the next level. A range of power ups are available to help or hinder you including a hoover which automatically sucks in the junk, and the always annoying reverse controls.
This is quite a tricky game and the action can get very hectic as you progress. There are 15 levels to complete and I was struggling after a few, with some practise you will get to the end eventually. As an added extra, a bonus mini game is included in the full version of the game. It is a simple puzzle game which sees space junk falling down the screen, you must move your bar to the junk and press the corresponding button before the junk reaches the bottom. It is a simple game but provides a few minutes distraction from the main event.
As with Lethal Judgement HD, the presentation is done very well. The graphics are bright, colourful and abstract in design. The backgrounds can be asteroid filled one minute, then the next cartoon style stars. Music is a lively dance style track which suits the game perfectly, I wanted to avoid the word ‘cute’ but it is, so I said it 🙂
Packito lost in space costs 240 :MSPoints: which is fairly good value for money. The 15 levels will take some time to master so there is plenty of replayability if you are not left pulling your hair out. If you are looking for a shooter that is a little different to the norm then this is worth investigating further. If you like your shooters a more traditional style then Lethal Judgement HD would be the better option.
More information on Packito lost in space can be found on the Marketplace.
Lethal Judgment HD Trailer
Packito lost in space Trailer
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