Omega Strike (Xbox One, 2018)

Omega Strike
Developed by Woblyware
Published by Digerati Distribution
Released for Xbox One (6/2018)
Also on PC/PS4/Switch

Omega Strike combines a 2D run 'n gun/platformer with Metroidvania style gameplay. Despite having a somewhat generic name making it easy to overlook, Omega Strike is a competent Metroidvania that fans of the genre might want to dip into. Presented in old-school pixel art graphics, you'll blast your way through five large areas while unlocking new abilities along the way. As you gain new abilities you'll be able to explore areas you previously couldn't access.

Omega Strike features the standard plot of a bad dude, Dr. Omega, who threatens to dominate the world under his reign of terror. It's up to our three heroes Sarge, Bear and Dex to put an end to Dr. Omega's evil plans. At the start of Omega Strike you'll only have control of Sarge, but as you progress you'll unlock two additional characters you can switch between on the fly, each with different abilities that you'll unlock as you play. Sarge packs an assault rifle and has the ability to shoot through certain blocks and roll. Dex wields a shotgun and can double jump and dash. The third character, Bear, packs a grenade launcher and the ability to push heavy blocks. Characters can be switched instantly with a press of the Y button and you'll find yourself switching between them quite frequently as you encounter different scenarios throughout the game. It's a neat concept and works well enough, though Sarge and Dex are easily much more effective than Bear. Bear was primarily effective for enemies below you since his grenade launcher has an arc to it, but you'll encounter these scenarios far less frequently than enemies in front of or above you which are better handled by Dex or Sarge. Once you unlock Dex's double jump ability, you'll likely only switch to the other characters when required and then go right back to Dex due to his enhanced mobility.

There are five total stages to explore in Omega Strike. There's a decent variety between the stages, which will take you through mines, the desert, a scrapyard, the mountains and the woods. While five stages might sound quite short, the maps are large in size and will take a while to explore. You'll find yourself returning to previous areas quite frequently as you unlock new abilities and are able to access areas you couldn't before. The fifth and final stage, the Omega Citadel, is an air fortress in the sky that can only be unlocked after defeating all previous bosses on the first four stages.

There are collectibles scattered about in the form of medkits, treasure chests and lifecubes. The medkits will be added to your inventory when collected, which can be used from the item screen anytime you need to restore some health. The treasure chests add some extra money which you can spend on upgrades or items at a merchant. The lifecubes will be added to your inventory and can be exchanged at the military base. Four life cubes will grant you one additional block on your life meter. Some of these are well hidden, so you'll definitely pass some of them up on accident. Enemies respawn every time you enter a new screen, so you'll find yourself blasting through the same screens several times in a playthrough as you backtrack to access new areas.

Graphically, Omega Strike presents the 2D action with pixel-art that looks like something straight out of the 32-bit era. The pixel art is simple but packs more than enough detail to convey what the sprite is supposed to be. Backgrounds are also quite detailed with several scrolling layers adding a nice sense of depth. There's a decent variety to the stages, with each feeling different than the last. There's also quite a nice variety of enemies to dispatch and the game does a good job ramping up the difficulty of the enemies as you progress. Each map has its own theme music, all of which are solid and a few are quite memorable. The songs for Emerald Woods, Scrapyard and Omega Citadel definitely stand out as personal favorites. The sound effects are simple and to the point. Nothing sounds too obnoxious and I never got tired of hearing the sounds of the game, though much of this is due to the excellent soundtrack. In regards to the music, every time I heard the theme song for Emerald Woods this song from the Gradius 3 OST would pop into my head. Do you notice the similarities as well or am I imagining things? Control-wise, Omega Strike features a simple control layout that works well and really leaves nothing to complain about.

I didn't find much to gripe about during my time with Omega Strike, though there are a few aspects that could've been improved. I wound up purchasing all of the upgrades roughly about halfway through the game, which left me nothing else to spend my money on besides food and the teleporter device (which warps you back to the military base). Another shop later in the game with a few more items to buy would have went a long way. While the map works fine for what it is, having some kind of way to place markers or indicate where you want to return later would have been great. As it is, you'll end up doing a lot of useless backtracking to figure out where you're supposed to go (unless of course you use these maps), but this has been a common issue with many Metroidvania games in the past and kinda comes with the genre sometimes. There's also the character balance issue I talked about earlier, with Dex and his double-jump ability making him far more enjoyable to use than the other two characters.

During my playthrough of Omega Strike, I unlocked 100% of the achievements in a little under 7 hours. Having obtained the game on the cheap in an Indie Bundle sale, I felt like I got more than my money's worth but I might feel different had I paid full price for the game, so you may want to wait and catch it on a sale. While a bit on the short side, I found myself wanting more when it was all said and done which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Omega Strike is far from perfect, but it's a fun little Metroidvania game that won't take up too much of your time.

Final Verdict: Omega Strike is a Metroidvania with elements of a 2D run 'n gunner and platformer. While a bit easy and short in length, there's still some fun to be had here. Grab it when it's on sale if you dig Metroidvania games.

Related Links:
Buy Omega Force - Microsoft Store
Buy Indie Darling Bundle Vol 3 - Microsoft Store
Omega Strike Item Maps - Xbox Overview
Omega Strike - GameFAQs
Woblyware - Official Site
Digerati Distribution - Official Site
Omega Strike - True Achievements

Headlander (Xbox One, 2016)

Headlander
Developed by Double Fine
Published by Adult Swim
Released for Xbox One (11/2016)
Also on Mac/PC/PS4

In Headlander, the player will take control of a head encapsulated in a helmet equipped with thrusters that enable it to navigate the environment. It's a silly premise for sure, but with this being a Double Fine game there's an excellent sense of humor within that makes the whole premise work wonderfully. The world is presented with a retro '60's-70's vision of the future and it feels quite unique. Headlander is a "Metroidvania" game, meaning the player will be navigating a large map with access to new areas opening up as the player gains new abilities.

At the beginning of the story you have the option to choose between three different heads (two male, one female). The game plays the same regardless of which head you choose, since none of them are able to actually speak due to the lack of any vocal cords, but the option to select a character is still welcome. You'll then be let loose to explore the mysterious world featured in Headlander, which is some sort of utopia inhabited completely by robots with not a human in sight save for the floating head you control. The floating head starts off with a vacuum ability, allowing the player to suck the heads off enemies, land on top  of them and assume control. This head-swap mechanic is a big part of Headlander, with certain robot guards granting access to locked doors. There's a decent variety of robots to take control of throughout the game, featuring both civilian models and guards. There are also little dust vacuums and robot dogs that can be possessed, with certain hidden areas only accessible by using these little guys. The "head landing" is an awesome gimmick and gives the gameplay a unique feel. There's no jump button in Headlander, but it's not really necessary thanks to the whole floating head mechanic.

With Headlander being a Metroidvania style game, it should go without saying that you'll be unlocking upgrades as you play. There are energy orbs scattered throughout the game that add to your XP when collected. The upgrade menu can be accessed at any point and will allow you to choose what you'd like to upgrade next, with more options unlocking as you progress through the story. There's a nice range of upgrades, some of which make the combat drastically easier. There's the obvious stuff like upgrading your health regeneration and vacuum suck abilities and then more original stuff like the ability to turn an abandoned body into a sentry gun.

While initially you'll do all your fighting using the bodies you possess, you'll eventually unlock some nice upgrades to boost the power of your head. You'll get boosters on your helmet which can be upgraded to damage enemies while boosting. In addition to your booster attack, you'll also be able to unlock a shield to give you some defensive capabilities. The upgrade system is well implemented, though I found myself wishing there was more game to use these on. The story mode is a bit on the short side and will give most players about 7-10 hours of gameplay. Personally I felt like the game had a good length to it and the fact I wanted more when it was over is more of a testament to how fun the game was rather than a knock against it being too short.

Most players will likely die quite a bit throughout their adventure, but frustration is kept low thanks to Headlander's generous respawns. Upon death you'll spawn back into the last room you were in with a quick reload, making it easy to get right back into the game after making a mistake. The game auto-saves every time you enter a new room as well, making it easy to quit and resume when you need to go do something else.

Any good Metroidvania game needs a solid map to help keep tabs on where you're at. Headlander's map is a bit basic, but gives you enough to keep you informed where you need to go and where you haven't been. While the areas themselves aren't labeled on the map, nearby collectibles and points of interests will be clearly marked. As you explore you'll find access to teleports, allowing you an option to quickly travel from one section to the next. There are a few areas that are outside the map and there are special warps you can find to switch back and forth between sections.

Headlander is another awesome effort from Double Fine, though I did run into a minor issue while playing. There's some pretty bad slowdown that occurs when there are too many lasers on screen at once. Towards the end, there was a particular room that really had the frame-rate chugging. It didn't cause any unfair deaths or anything, but it's worth a mention and I'm sure some will be bothered by it. Outside of the slowdown, I didn't really encounter any other issues while playing. Double Fine did a nice job polishing the game for the most part and it's always refreshing to play a game that didn't crash on me at anytime during my play.

I've never been let down by a game from Double Fine before and Headlander continues that tradition. The game is well-polished and original enough to stand out amongst the many Metroidvania titles out there. The mysterious world you'll explore is intriguing and the head-swap mechanic makes the game a joy to play. There's even a couple of Easter eggs hidden in the game that reference past Double Fine games. If you're a fan of 2D Metroidvania style games, make sure that Headlander is one you don't miss!

Final Verdict: Headlander is an excellent 2D Metroidvania style game with a retro-style vision of the future and an interesting head-swapping mechanic. Genre fans need to check this one out!

Related Links:
Buy Headlander - Microsoft Store
Double Fine - Official Site
Adult Swim - Official Site

Strategy Guides/Walkthroughs:
Headlander - GameFAQs
Headlander Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Headlander - True Achievements

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (XBLA, 2007)

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Originally Developed by Konami
Port Developed by Digital Eclipse
Published by Konami
Released for XBLA (3/2007)
Also on PlayStation/Saturn
Backwards Compatible on Xbox One

Originally released for the Sony PlayStation back in 1997, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night stood out for delivering some of the best 2D visuals in a time when the emphasis was on 3D graphics. The game looked amazing back then and due to the detailed sprites the graphics have held up much better over time than most games of the era. Symphony of the Night was quite different than the Castlevania games that preceded it. The game no longer consisted of linear stages but featured a massive map that allowed the player to explore on their own. There are of course areas you will not be able to access initially, but once certain items, relics or powers have been obtained you'll be able to discover areas you couldn't get to at first.

At the time of its release, Symphony of the Night was a top-tier game in presentation, featuring detailed sprite graphics with an incredible Castlevania soundtrack. The enemy diversity is impressive, featuring many favorites from previous titles and tons of new entries. While the game technically takes place in one giant castle, there is excellent variety between the sections of the castle that will keep you wondering what you'll come across next. There is a small amount of 3D mixed in with the 2D sprites at several points within the game but it is well executed and they fit together wonderfully. This was one of the first instances I recall seeing 2D & 3D graphics used together like this and was quite impressive back in the day. The voice acting is almost as cheesy as the original Resident Evil, but it's definitely part of the game's charm.

Symphony of the Night features some tight controls, making it easy to navigate the environment with minimal frustration. The game still features the knockback when you get hit and flying medusa heads knocking you around is just as frustrating as it ever was, but the controls are improved from the previous games and your character is very well equipped to take on danger. There are eight different spells that can be discovered, which can be executed by inputting Street Fighter style joystick + button combinations. In addition to your weapon and special attacks, there are also sub-weapons at your disposal. Several of these are old classics, like the dagger, holy water, axe and stop-watch, but there are also several new additions to the series including the cross, holy book and the arguen. There's a good variety between the sub-weapons, though some of them are certainly more useful than others. Using your sub-weapon consumes your hearts, which can be replenished from whipping candles found all over the castle in traditional Castlevania fashion.

There is a ton of stuff to collect throughout Symphony of the Night, including weapons, shields, armor, cloaks and relics. Certain relics will allow you activate a familiar which will follow you around and assist in different ways. There are five in total: fairy, devil, sword, ghost and bat. Other relics you collect will grant buffs to certain stats, giving the player a good incentive to search every nook and cranny to find some of the more powerful items. As you progress further into the game, Alucard will gain the ability to turn into a bat, wolf and mist. The mist will grant you access through certain blocked walls and the bat will help reach high areas, but to be honest I never found much reason to use the wolf form outside of accessing a secret area. The fact that the game offers so much in the way of customization makes it fun to replay while experimenting with different loadouts.

If you complete the normal castle while meeting certain conditions, you'll gain access to the second half of the game where you run back through the castle upside-down. The enemy layouts have changed completely and there are all-new bosses to encounter in order to keep things interesting. Complete that mode and you'll be able to start a new game as Richter Belmont. Playing as Richter is a bit more like the old Castlevania games as you no longer level-up, nor can you equip weapons and items. Richter is also armed with a whip just like all of the previous Belmonts, and other than the whip the only other weapon you'll be able to use are the sub-weapons. Being able to play as Richter is an awesome bonus and makes the game feel fresh on a replay.

While Symphony of the Night is a great game and a definite classic, there are a few things worth griping about, both with the original title and with this port. It's arguable how useful some of the sub-weapons are as some of them are definitely more effective than others. Alucard will become over-powered rather quick as you find and equip new weapons & armor. Certain weapons pretty much break the game, such as the shield rod and Alucard shield combo, but there are many other options to equip if you'd like a bit more of a challenge. The inverted castle could be looked at as a somewhat lazy way to pad out the game, but the developers did at least take the time to introduce new enemies and boss fights rather than just recycling from the normal castle.

The annoying process of dying, having to view the game over screen, return to the title, select your hard drive and to reload your save has carried over, though you can at least access the pause menu to exit quickly and speed things up a bit. The screen starts out small, and though the game does offer the option to resize the screen, for some reason it doesn't save this setting and requires you to re-adjust the screen every time you play. The only other option for the visuals is an "enhanced" setting which basically just smooths the pixels out a little bit. I've read complaints from other players having issues with the game freezing, but I never ran into any issues in my time spent with the game.

There were several new features added in for the Japan-only Sega Saturn port, including new areas to explore, some bonus weapons/equipment and you could unlock Maria as a playable character. Sadly, none of the Sega Saturn exclusive features were included in this port which would have been awesome considering how expensive it can be procuring anything Saturn-related these days.

It feels a tad lazy that Digital Eclipse just ported over an emulation of the original PlayStation game without giving us much in the way of extras. That's not to say that this is a bad version or anything, as the actual game is emulated well and plays just as we all remembered it. A little extra in the way of content would have been nice, if not the Saturn content mentioned earlier than at least like some unlockable concept art or something. While Symphony of the Night was never my favorite Castlevania game (I prefer the old linear games personally) it is still a fantastic game that has held up remarkably well over all these years. This is a solid port of an old classic, whether you're re-visiting the game or playing it for the first time it's a much more financially-friendly way to play the game than purchasing the original on PlayStation.

It's also worth noting that this was released for the Xbox 360 on a physical disc and can be found in the retail release Konami Classics Vol. 1. Inserting this disc into your Xbox One will allow you to download the game onto your hard drive.

Final Verdict: While the XBLA version is a bare-bones port, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night still stands as a fantastic title that kicked off the "Metroidvania" genre. A 2D classic and a steal for $4.99!

Purchase Links:
Buy Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Microsoft Store
Search Konami Classics Vol. 1 - eBay

Related Links:
Some Handy Maps For Both Normal Inverted Castles
Symphony of the Night Achievement Guide - XboxAchievements.com
Symphony of the Night - True Achievements