Developed by Heart Attack Machine
Released for XBLIG (11/2011)
Invasion is a 2D run 'n gun, taking heavy inspiration from the Contra games. For some reason, at the initial load-up screen the game asks for your storage device two times...strange. You have two weapons you can switch between using the Y button and occasionally enemies will drop a new gun for you to pick up. Invasion goes for an old school 16-bit look and the pixel art certainly looks good in still screens. While the sprite artwork is quite detailed, the overall in-game look is a bit of a mixed bag. The parallax scrolling in the backgrounds is a nice touch but the explosion and fire effects look a bit out of place next to the pixels. The jump lacks any weight and overall something just feels off about the way your character moves about. You can only shoot forwards unless you use RB to aim upward which was a definitely a strange decision. The level backgrounds and graphics look nice and detailed, however the layouts tend to be dull. Stage layouts consist of the occasional box or two for you to jump over while walking to the right. There was a jetpack segment thrown in at one point where you fly up and while it was a great idea it definitely felt lacking in execution. Invasion is another game that had good intentions, and with some gameplay refinements I believe there could be a good game in here, but on a console with so many great run 'n gun games I can't find much reason to recommend this one.
Final Verdict: Invasion is a good-looking 2D run 'n gun game that's not quite a top contender in the gameplay department, but there's worse ways you could spend a buck.
Related Links:
Invasion - GameFAQs
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