Alien Chaos 3D may be one of the eShop's cheaper titles, but it's fair to say that it's absolutely stuffed full of action. Developed by Ludosity, this 2D shooter has a fairly simple premise which is boosted by some fun and inventive gameplay features. The end result is a game that's surprisingly inventive, chaotically fun and rather addictive.
Alien Chaos 3D has clearly been developed with action in mind, and it's the intense, combat-heavy gameplay that really draws you in. You play as Really Shooter, a guy who wouldn't look out of place in a Metal Slug game. Together with his mother, Mama, he runs a cleaning and demolition company. One day, alien animal robots attack and abduct Mama, and it's up to you to get her back by destroying every single enemy that crosses your path. It's completely daft, but the fact that the game doesn't take itself seriously actually makes it seem more endearing.
The gameplay is simple, yet frantic. Each stage is a small 2D arena, in which numerous portals appear and spawn enemies. Your goal is to simply survive the onslaught and make it to the next stage. It's worth pointing out that although Alien Chaos 3D isn't going to win any awards for its run-of-the-mill visuals, there are usually always a ton of enemies on-screen at the same time — with no noticeable slowdown. As the game's title suggests, it's quite chaotic at times.
Weapons are — understandably — quite important when it comes to the daunting task of fighting off dozens of evil robots, and this is where the whole cleaning business back-story serves a purpose. As you destroy enemies, scrap metal and bullet shells start to build up into piles on the floor. You can then push this scrap into a recycling bank, which are usually present at the side of the stage. Collecting enough scrap will make different weapon ammo appear (depending on the recycling bank), ranging from standard machine gun bullets to mini-gun rounds and rockets. It's a neat little upgrade system that can be challenging to use when the screen is filled with enemies. The good thing is that the power-ups don't give you too much of an advantage, meaning that skill is very much required.
In addition to recycling, you can charge up Really Shooter's Supermeter attack by cleaning walls. Yes, you read that right — this guy increases his power by wiping down the walls where he's left a mark (these appear when an enemy is destroyed). The area attack gained from this is vital later on in the game when things really get hectic, and constantly trying to make sure you're cleaning up as you go along is surprisingly fun.
More often than not, you find yourself swamped by enemies over the duration if a stage, to the point where there's simply little to no room left. It's in these instances where a neat little feature comes in handy. When you're hit, you fall to the floor, but as you get up any enemies in the close vicinity are automatically destroyed, thus giving you a chance to stand your ground again. The difference here is that you lose out on scoring points, but it's a fair trade-off and one that lessens the player's frustration whilst being overwhelmed.
The controls are simple enough, with the game playing very much like a classic 2D shooter. Really Shooter can aim in eight different directions, and by pressing the L or R button, you can specifically enter aim mode. In this state you are still only aim to shoot in the same number of directions but you stay rooted to the spot. In a way, this seems like a bit of missed opportunity, as the 3DS' circle pad could have allowed for near 360 control. Nevertheless, it does mean that the game is still fully playable with the D-Pad, and at least it adds to the overall challenge.
Challenge Mode offers a few more gameplay variants that can't be found in the Story Mode, with the most entertaining being Endless Disagreement. Here, you must survive a never-ending onslaught of enemies with only one piece of health. It's kind of like Alien Chaos 3D's take on Contra and it's incredible how hard this mode really is. In particular, you have to be really mindful of your ammo at all times, as a result of the recycling system.
It's a real shame that there isn't a multiplayer mode on offer here; having a second player to help you survive could have opened the door for some interesting strategies. The game takes advantage of StreetPass, allowing players to share high score data with one another — which is better than nothing — but it still would have been nice to compete in real time. When you take into account that the main game isn't that long and that there are only a handful of Challenge Mode scenarios on offer, Alien Chaos 3D is a title that feels like it's over before it has even started.
Conclusion
If you're after a quick and action-packed experience on your 3DS then Alien Chaos 3D is a good low-cost choice. The fast and chaotic gameplay is fun and challenging throughout thanks to the numerous enemies on screen at the same time. Moreover, the unique cleaning features add a wacky — but worthwhile — element to the game. Unfortunately, the game's limited modes and the absence of multiplayer result in an experience that is lacking in replay value. Nevertheless, it's a valiant effort from Ludosity and well worth your money if you're looking for a solid pick-up-and-play title to indulge in every now and again.
Comments 23
I'm guessing the retail version I paid $13 for is not different? I hope it's better than it sounds:/
I always like NLife reviews but sometimes things get missed out for a instance in this review.
what is the music like in the game and what's the 3D effect like. Music is always very important to me for some reason.
@PinkSpider The music isn't the most memorable, with the possible exception of the title theme, which feels somewhat inspired by Duke Nukem. Rocky/Techo I guess would be the genre.
As for the 3D effect, it doesn't really do much; just adds depth, developers haven't taken advantage of it to do anything unique by any means.
I think you raise a fair point mentioning these things - it's not that they weren't taken into consideration while playing the game, it's more the fact that they really don't have any real impact on the overall experience. Music is quite important for me, too when it comes to certain games like Zelda or Mario. Because they're big epic quests, I expect the soundtrack to boost that. Alien Chaos 3D on the other hand is a cheap download title, and it's more for picking up and playing, rather than getting truly invested in it.
When I write a review, I'm really just trying to project my opinion on whether I think people will enjoy the game, rather than tick off a massive checklist of features; I do this because some elements may not be the best, but they don't really have any real negative effect on the overall package. If the music were really bad or really awesome, then it would have factored in as a prominent part of my review here.
Hope that helps and I appreciate the feedback!
This looks pretty sweet! I think I might get it. I'm always up for some 2D run and gun type of games.
I completely agree about your opinions on music @megawatts. Even the most simplest game can be ruined by a monotonous soundtrack.
Thank you for the response
By the way the review was going as I read it, I was thinking the game would recieve an 8. It sounds better than a 6 to me.
I will be getting this day one.
@undead_terror: My retail copy from ebay should be here by either tomorrow or Wednesday. I will post my comments once I check it out:)
@KnightRider666 Please do, I hope there is no difference between the retail and digital versions.
I'll pass.
Cool! I'll add it to my Wishlist as soon as it's released in North America.
@undead_terror: I doubt there will be. The game seems very shallow. If that's the case, even at $13 for a physical copy I got ripped off:(
Wait is this game only being released in UK?
The price is only in UK so I was wondering?
@HawkeyeWii: I'm from the US, and I bought a retail copy from ebay. I'm not sure if this will be available on the US 3DS eshop though?
@undead_terror: I got it today, and popped it in for a quick play. I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised:) It kind of reminds me of quick arcade action like the original Mario Bros, but w/ the Metal Slug look to it. Clear the multi-platform levels of baddies, push together the piles of scrap into the vents to get more ammo and better weapons, and fight a boss after every 4 levels. After looking through the instruction booklet, it looks like there are 20 levels and 5 bosses. It saves your progress after every level, and your high score for each level as well. It awards you medals based on your score. If you dig quick arcade shooter action, I'd definitely check this out! I'd give it at least a 7.
@KnightRider666 Ah sick, thanks man, guess I will get it as a download and will be getting it day one.
@undead_terror: You got it:) It does get pretty challenging. It has a smoothly increasing difficulty curve. I'm happy I got it.
This sounds pretty good! I sometimes get cravings for crazy fast-paced arcade action like this!
Love the soundtrack to this game it feels lilke old school 90's video game J Rock
rather fun game =)
well worth the money imo!
I really enjoyed this but I'm stuck on level 5-4. No ammo so I'm getting frustrated. Any ideas?
https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2011/12/commando_steel_disaster_dsiware
This is light years better than this game for people who like Metal Slug.
(It isn't difficult at all which makes me think he is not reviewing the same game).
It is certainly far more forgiving than the later levels of Metal Slug X on MVS mode.
Much better than Super C as well and worth its price.
I'll get this while its on sale.
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