From the image above, it’s easy to dismiss Xenoraid as yet another space arcade shooter. It looks like it’s probably a dual stick shooter as well, right" I completely assumed the same when this was handed to me. Sure, boss, I’ll see what this could possibly be about and have it entirely finished in an hour. And lo, how so very wrong I was. This is what I get for assuming. You do know what happens when you assume, right"
So no, this isn’t a dual stick shooter. It is a space arcade shooter, but there’s nothing generic about it. Xenoraid combines the classic arcade elements of old school Centipede with modern day Geometry Wars. The differences are you don’t shoot geometric shapes or a giant insect, and it’s not a dubstep acid trip. There’s actually some solid strategic depth buried within, bringing a different kind of challenge to the title. Classic Arcade, New Spin
The story behind Xenoraid is nothing groundbreaking. Aliens are invading Earth’s solar system, and Earth’s space fleet is doing everything they can to stop these aliens before they reach the planet. The first set of missions takes place on a space station near Saturn, and each level thereafter moves closer in toward Earth as they fail to stop the mothership. In a game like this, the story is simply a filler, a purpose as to why you’re shooting alien ships in space. We’ve never really needed a reason before, but hey, it’...