Assaulter: Manic side scrolling military shoot em up action
Gameplay: Assaulter brings classic 1990s 2D shooting action to the Android platform, reminiscent of the successful neo geo series Metal Slug, there are big explosions, trails of bullets and scores of enemy soldiers. The on screen character even uses his knife as a close range weapon in much the same way.
Fire in the hole: First of all, Assaulter looks great. The old school 16 bit graphics should bring back memories for anyone old enough to have played games in the days of the Super Nintendo and Megadrive. The animations also stay true to games of that era, not super smooth like many games by today’s standards but good enough to not affect the overall presentation of the game.
There are three characters to choose from each with their own weapons and abilities; the scouter, sniper and grenadier. The scouter is all rounder with rifles and shotguns in his arsenal, the sniper as his name suggests is a long range player and the grenadier loves blowing things up. The gameplay is fast and fun. It is broken up into a series of short missions and sub-missions, each lasting a couple of minutes, ideal for playing on the move.
Friendly fire: The controls are not what you would expect however, rather than opting for a virtual pad, the controls are simplified with the character auto aiming and firing, Leaving movement and dodging to the player. This largely works but can be frustrating when you collect unwanted items or jump into a train of missiles accidentally.
There is an in game currency in place allowing you to purchase new armour and upgrades for your guns. It also comes as no surprise that you can buy additional game currency with real money however you are encouraged to obtain 5000 credits if you rate the game a 5 star on Android Market, a little unethical of the developers in my mind.
Verdict: 4/5 An awesome looking old school shooter that brings classic arcade gaming to the Android. A worthy addition to every Android owner’s game library.
Assaulter Promotional Youtube Video
Tips
- Much like any shooter, the name of the game is survival, especially since in Assaulter you don’t need to worry about shooting. Make sure you do not get too impatient, dodge bullets first rather than concentrate on defeating your enemy as fast as possible.
- Choose your favourite character and weapon and focus on upgrading that in order to obtain a kick ass weapon.
- Touch on the edges of the screen to move your player around so that you do not obscure your view of the screen.
- Try to save your bombs for the bosses as they are the big damage dealers and a few of those should sink the most difficult of foes.
Assaulter QR Code
(Click on the image or scan the barcode with your Android phone to goto the Android Market)
Developers: China Wireless Arts
