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New Game Is “Throwback To Simpler Video Days”
AP Technology Writer “Half-Life 2,” “Halo 2,” and “Need for Speed Underground 2” are all fine video games. But do you see the trend here? There doesn’t seem to be much room for new, unique titles anymore. If “Alien Hominid” is any indication, that’s a shame. What started out as a free Web-based PC game in 2002 has been completely overhauled and reborn for console owners as a $30, T-rated title for the GameCube and PlayStation 2. “Alien Hominid” certainly won’t win any awards for engrossing plots, cinematic cutscenes or technical sophistication. Playing as a yellow-headed alien who crashes a flying saucer on Earth, you simply jump, slash and shot your way from left to right through droves of angry FBI agents and mechanized ubermonsters. It’s a welcome throwback to the simpler days of video gaming, when getting the high score still meant something. My experiences with the game’s 16 frantic levels were exhaustingly enjoyable. Imagine how you feel watching the game-winning buzzer shot at the end of basketball match, but stretched out for an hour instead of a few seconds. In victory and defeat, the adrenaline rush of “Alien Hominid’’ is every bit as intense. The rich, hand-illustrated graphics are a visual treat. The 2-D, cartoon style imagery is served well with vividly drawn characters, colorful explosions and screen-filling battles with giant robot monsters – that is, when I noticed my surroundings. The action is so frantic and chaotic that you’ll hardly have time to look at anything beyond the endless waves of enemies shooting and leaping toward you. The controls include the usual ability to jump and shoot. There are some welcome advanced moves, too, allowing you to jump on an enemy and bite off its head, as well as the ability to take control of vehicles and plow through enemy encampments. Even on the included Thumb Sucker-difficulty setting, “Alien Hominid” is tough because the pace is so fast and enemies are constantly swarming all around you. Unless you’re a veteran of similar side-scrolling shooter games such as “Contra,” prepare for lots of “game over’’ screens. “Alien Hominid” includes some unlockable mini-games that allow up to four players at a time, including one where you try to score as many points as you can before time expires. Another bonus are the PDA games, which feature crudely drawn, mazelike levels you must navigate without dying. There’s also a level editor to make your own maps. The creators of “Alien Hominid” tout their independence in an era of corporate consolidation in the video game industry. Fortunately, there’s enough originality and heart-pounding action to warrant a look by any fan of retro action gaming. Three stars out of four.
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