Developer: Entity Medialab
Publisher: Black Shell Media
Platforms: PC
Tested on: PC
Hyperspace Invaders II: Pixel Edition – Review
Hyperspace Invaders II: Pixel Edition is the latest game by Entity Medialab. And hold on to your hats, because you might lose them in an epilepsy attack. Hyperspace Invaders II is a hardcore bullet hell shmup (shoot’em up). It features extremely high tempo tracks combined with a lot of light to create a spectacular scene. Face the relentless beat and finish each level without a scratch, or die horribly trying to keep up with the pace.
Story
Hyperspace Invaders II doesn’t have any story at all. You simply jump in and start playing, no more, no less. It doesn’t really bother though that the game doesn’t try to bring any story, because it doesn’t need any. It’s a hardcore bullet hell shmup and developers that do try to bring a story in these kind of games usually fail horribly. That’s why it’s sometimes for the better to not include any story, especially in small games like these.
Graphics
The graphics in Hyperspace Invaders II are… interesting. All of the sprites look like old-school Space Invaders sprites, very blocky and boring. However, once the game gets going it’s a whole other story. The enemies themselves may seem a little dull, but it’s probably intended as the game mixes old and new together. Most of the attacks aren’t that particularly amazing either. In essence it looks like a very normal game with very normal sprites and a very normal background, but oh, have you been mistaken…
At the start of each level, the game likes to show off with some cool background colors or flashes, which can be very trippy. We’re not kidding, don’t play this game if you suffer epilepsy or can’t stand flashing images. Additionally, when enemies die or attack, a little flash of light occurs. This isn’t that intense when there’s only two enemies, but seeing you’ll have most of your screen swarmed in later stages, it can get very crazy. Also, you can use a giant laser which gives off even more light and flashing colors, making the game both a spectacle and an eyesore.
Sound
When it comes to music, there’s no complaining at all. The game itself is based on the BPM (beats er minute) of the current track in the level. A few tracks are quite easy to start with, but when you get to the later stages it’s simply insane. The tracks start at about 120 BPM and go up to 360 BPM, which is an insane amount if you didn’t realize. However, it does fit with the atmosphere of the game. Everything is insanely hectic and the music fits perfectly in the bullet hell. Sound effects are also fairly good, but you won’t be hearing them most of the time anyway because of the music.
Gameplay
In it’s core, Hyperspace Invaders II is a very simple game. It’s a hardcore bullet-hell shmup, if you don’t know what to expect with a genre like that, don’t worry, nobody saw what was coming to them. The only thing you have to do is move and activate your laser (or use it to shoot in the last level). Simple right? No, not at all.
As said, the game uses the beat of a song to pace itself. This means that you’ll have non stop enemies during busy parts of the track that’s playing in the level. Most of the tracks don’t even have pauses or calm moments, so you’ll be facing a full fledged assault throughout the whole level. This can get very frustrating at times, because it’s hard to focus with a constantly flashing screen that’s filled with enemies and bullets.
Luckily, the game gives you some small tools to help. Every time you kill an enemy he drops an energy orb. This energy orb will upgrade your speed, weapon and shield, giving you the possibility to get hit here and there. In total, you start with four lives but as you kill a lot of enemies you can get a 1-up, which is much needed in some levels. Killing enemies also increases your chain, resulting in higher score, but the chain can also be used to fire your laser. It’s a typical laser as you’d expect it, and it gets bigger the more upgraded your weapon is, allowing you to unleash a huge beam by the end of the level.
Hyperspace Invaders II features eleven levels in total, each harder than the one before. Level 0 is a simple tutorial that explains the game (even though it’s easy as pie) and each subsequent level introduces new threats like rainbows that will drain your power if you get hit by them, or walls that you have to split in half in order to kill them. It also has a “classic” level, featuring the good old Space Invaders mechanic where you’re at the bottom and enemies come slaloming from the top. Oh, this mode has 100 waves, so be ready to spend a lot of time once you dive into this.
If you’re competitive, you can try to climb to the top of the ladders either locally, your friends list or global.
Conclusion
Hyperspace Invaders II: Pixel Edition is a true addition to the bullet hell genre. It features extremely high paced levels, equally fast paced music and a lot of graphic effects that makes you wish you’re blind at times. While it has its frustrating moments, it’s a very fun game to play if you have some spare time, or you could just buy the game and listen to its great soundtrack over and over.
Hyperspace Invaders II: Pixel Edition - Review,
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