Square Off - Review

Given that both Xbox Live Indie Games on Xbox 360 and games on Windows Phone utilise the XNA evolution surroundings, it's surprising how few indie games have fabricated the jump from Xbox 360 to Windows Telephone and so far. Twin Blades is the earliest game to have fabricated the transition (becoming an Xbox Alive title, no less). Indie gaming fans sick of puzzle games at present take a more than hardcore game to play: Foursquare Off, courtesy of Australian developer Gnomic Studios.

Square Off's story, told through a series of total screen stills in the intro and ending, involves a prolonged conflicting invasion of the earth. Humanity is unable to defeat the aliens for some reason, and then a mad scientist comes up with a programme. He splices conflicting DNA with his own brain cells, creating a team of Square Avengers. These little guys strap on jet-packs, grab some guns, and head out to salvage the planet.

While the dizzy story sets the stage, Square Off is actually just about shooting a bunch of aliens. The game consists of seven levels: the first iii have four regular waves followed by a boss wave, while the final level contains ii waves and a big boss wave. In normal waves, a group of UFOs human action every bit enemy generators. They spawn numerous smaller enemies and must exist dealt with before the bad guys overwhelm y'all with numbers. Helpful color coded arrows bespeak the location of off-screen enemies and UFOs. Finish everybody off and information technology's on to the next wave.

Rocket past the break for our full review.

Jet pack hero

Players make the Square Avenger fly around in whatever direction with a virtual left thumbstick. A virtual right thumbstick allows the Avenger to fire in any direction. Information technology'south the same control setup equally Rocket Riot, and it works but likewise (read: excellently) here. Square Off does them one better by allowing players to choose between fixed, free floating, and floating positions for both sticks. Gratuitous floating (a thumbstick is created wherever you place your fingers) worked best for me, but it'south wise of Gnomic to adapt other play styles.

Square Off also allows the actor to select from multiple weapons at any fourth dimension. You showtime with a standard pea shooter and a few bombs. Bombs explode a few seconds later on they're thrown rather than on touch on, only they inflict massive damage on nearby foes. Defeated enemies sometimes drop boosted guns: a very useful three-way gun, a shotgun, and a rocket launcher - all with limited ammo. Merely tap on the weapon'due south icon at the top of the screen to select information technology; though as an option, the game tin automatically switch to weapons on pickup.

Powerups too spawn in designated spots throughout each level. These include health refills, an invincibility helmet, and a faster, ruddy jet-pack. The thespian's health does not refill automatically, and then I ofttimes found myself flying around the powerup spots looking for health. The current system works, but I'd prefer automatic refills to scavenging.

Enemies of the state

Let's face it, aliens believe in dissimilar things than u.s. and therefore deserve to be violently destroyed. They come up in a few different varieties: standard one-eyes who set on by running into the role player; helmeted aliens who can accept a bit more than harm; aliens who tin can shoot projectiles; enemies who explode when killed (useful for destroying groups of enemies at once); and the UFOs that spawn them all. Smaller aliens come up in a few different colors depending on the level, but most of them are greenish.

The first five levels characteristic the same boss: a behemothic UFO. They spawn enemies just like pocket-size UFOs, only of course they're much more ambitious and resilient. A new, really big boss debuts in levels 6 and seven.

You'll detect I didn't exactly list a ton of enemies or bosses. The lack of enemy variety is probably Square Off's biggest problem. A few more types of enemies and unique bosses for every single level would have kept the game's seven levels feeling a bit fresher. They do ramp up in claiming, of course, and the stages themselves look great.

2.5D on the go

Ah, Square Off'south levels.  From snowfall-covered mountains to the wreckage of satellites orbiting the earth, each 3D loonshit shines. Multiple background layers and occasional foreground objects create a great sense of depth. Petty touches like rocks pouring into afar carts of the Mine and skeletons and coffins in the Jungle show a lot of care went into the environments.

Hand-drawn second characters contrast nicely with the backdrops. The cartoonish art style itself is reminiscent of The Behemoth's console titles, Alien Hominid and Castle Crashers – non that that'due south a bad thing. The grinning Square Avengers show a lot of personality and wait great in production fine art. The enemies don't have quite as much flair. Some humorous animations would take given them more grapheme. They explode overnice and bloodily when killed though.

Sound off

Some other thing that could have helped constitute graphic symbol is the use of phonation samples. The hero does squeal when he dies, but that's it. A few empty-headed lines from the Square Avenger and groans or taunts from bosses would add some aural punch. The game's workmanlike sound effects get the job done but they don't make much of an impression.

Square Off's music is pretty practiced though. Each stage has a unique tune, which is more than than many phone games can say. I plant myself wishing for a audio exam and so that I could sample the tunes outside of battle… Except for the championship/menu theme, that is. Something well-nigh it gets on my fretfulness.

Solo shooting

The Xbox 360 version of Square Off is a multiplayer-oriented game. The entire seven-level campaign supports 4-actor co-op, and it likewise has unique expiry lucifer arenas (all offline-only). Sadly, multiplayer couldn't make it into the mobile version. The campaign is still plenty of fun solo though.

Gnomic also added a sort of survival mode to give the phone version more staying ability. It works a fleck oddly – instead of a split up mode, players must choose to Fight On afterward completing the final wave of a level. Gamers tin can earn trophies past surviving to the fifth, 10th, and fifteenth waves of each level. I would have liked a more than developed survival style that stands out from the regular game somehow, but what's here is yet a fun inclusion.

A local leaderboard tracks players' high scores. The developers program to add online leaderboards in a time to come update, which will really encourage players to accomplish the college waves of Foursquare Off'south levels. The game besides tracks a plethora of stats similar weapon usage, etcetera, which I approximate might be interesting for somebody out in that location.

Time to come plans

Online leaderboards are one of several improvements that will come in a future update. Gnomic Studios besides plans to work on a sequel at some point in the future. I'g sure it volition exist cracking, but I'd really like to see them tackle some other genre like platformers. Square Off'southward 2.5D graphics and art manner would be perfect for a longer, deeper style of game.

Update: Online leaderboards are alive!

Overall Impression

Foursquare Off is a welcome addition to the Windows Telephone indie game lineup. What started as a contest entry in 2009 has blossomed into a charming picayune shooter. The game has transitioned from Xbox 360 to Windows Phone amazingly well, except of course for the multiplayer. Still, Square Off displays a level of polish that few other indie games on the platform provide. In that location's nil else like it on Windows Phone apart from Rocket Riot, simply hey, Foursquare Off's $2 cheaper.

Square Off costs $2.99 and it as well has a free trial. To try information technology out, aim your sights hither (Zune link) on the Marketplace.

UH OH

An internet connection will before long be required when setting up Windows eleven Pro

Microsoft has announced that subsequently this year, users volition be required to connect to the internet and sign-in with a Microsoft Account during the out of box setup experience on Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows 11 Home since launch terminal Oct, and Windows 11 Pro is now expected to follow suit presently.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/square-review

Posted by: bowlertheabsitters.blogspot.com

Share this post