Developer: KaleidoGames
Publisher: KaleidoGames
Platforms: PC, Switch
Tested on: PC
Vortex Attack Ex – Review
Alien threats always were a nice subject for games and in Vortex Attack Ex, it’s not any different. The whole purpose of the game is to blast away as many bad guys as you can, while not being destroyed yourself. The question is, how far will you get in your quest to save the day.
Story
Aliens have invaded our lands, destroying everything in their path. A vortex suddenly popped up, bringing the enemy into our universe. Vehar-12 was the first colony to be defeated, and a lot more followed. There were millions of casualties, but now it’s the turn of the biggest colony called Earthos. At first, it looked like the aliens were indestructible. Nothing could harm the vortices, meaning that swarms of enemies would keep on spawning.
After capturing and fixing one of the war machines, it became clear that there was a way to beat these beings. The energy that is used to open the vortex, can also be used to close it. There is only one chance to defeat the horde of aliens though, and that mission is yours.
In a way, it would have been nice if this narrative was also mentioned while playing the game. Nothing really pops up about any of this, which is a shame as it gives at least a purpose why you’re fighting.
Graphics
As expected, you’ll be spending your time in outer space. Don’t think you’ll be getting any life-like visuals, but rather 2D comical ships and enemies. If you’ve played Beekyr: Reloaded, you will notice a lot of elements are similar in this title. For example, the bullets look really alike and there are even enemies who look like the wasp-soldiers you’ve battled, which is a huge reference to this title. The combination of the background, the flashy airships on the front and even the power-ups and -downs make it an extraterrestrial experience.
There are two game modes to enjoy, each with their own visuals. The Metal Dimension will take you to a more ‘normal’ look, while Neon Dimension will make it all a bit artsier. Shooters like this mean that there is a lot happening on your screen. Bullets and enemies all over the place, it might get crowded rather fast. The developers added the possibility to change the intensity of the graphics, going from ‘normal’ to radiating. Even more, you are able to unlock even more game filters. This certainly is a nice and welcome touch, making the game accessible to more people.
Sound
Just like the graphics, there are also quite some references to Beekyr. For starters, the music sounds really a lot like some of the tracks in the first game, although it became a bit more retro and mechanic. In a way, it’s sad that there aren’t that many tracks in Vortex Attack Ex, making it loop rather fast, which might sound dull after a while. Sound effect wise, there isn’t that much to talk about either. Yes, there are sound effects, but they’re not that prominent and can be even be forgotten. For example, your weapons give some noise when firing and the enemies give a small poof when defeated but it doesn’t really get your blood pumping
Gameplay
Vortex Attack Ex is an arcade shooter where you need to fend off hordes of aliens by shooting them to oblivion and collecting Lumergy to close the vortices. There are several stages to plow through before getting to the boss of that vortex; one nasty creature that will make your life a living hell if you don’t watch out. If you’re able to defeat the evil mastermind, you get a new ship at your disposal. At the moment you get blasted to smithereens, your rank is added to the online leaderboards.
Lumergy can be picked up whenever you kill an enemy, reverting this energy and making it harmable for the vortex. Don’t wait too long to attack, as the longer you wait, the bigger the hole gets and the harder it is to destroy it. It’s like fighting against a huge tidal wave, throwing in everything you can to stop the wave of crashing the beach. If you’re getting overwhelmed, you can also go for a bomb to clear the screen and get back into the rhythm, at least if you have bombs available.
Next to Lumergy, defeating enemies will also drop certain power-ups and power-downs. If you want to get far into the game, it’s best you can get all the improvements you can get. Do try to dodge the bad ones though, you don’t want your hard work go to waste.
This game is designed to have local multiplayer, so you can team up with three people to save the day. This is certainly a necessity if you want to tackle the harder game modes this title has to offer, where more enemies are shooting at you at a faster pace.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a simple but good arcade shooter, then you might want to give Vortex Attack Ex a chance. You’ll be thrown into the action in no time, shooting up baddies with whatever you have. The graphics are clean and cool, while the sound might sound a lot like Beekyr at times. Anyway, the game is a fun way to pass some time, alone or together with some friends on the couch.
Vortex Attack Ex - Review,
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