Alien Syndrome (PSP)
- Publisher:
- Sega
- Developer:
- Totally Games
- Release Date:
- 24.07.2007
- Number of players:
- 1 - 4
- Type:
- Action
- Reality Factor:
- Fantasy
- Perspective:
- Third-Person
- Blood Level:
- Bloody
- Age:
- Futuristic
We play Alien Syndrome...
Alien Syndrome is an updated version of the arcade classic, which featured two characters named Mary and Ricky as they battled an alien scourge, called the Alien Syndrome.
Alien Syndrome was a classic of the 1980s, but unfortunately the same cannot be said about this version. The game just lacks all the character that the previous game had, making it dry and dull.
The story is a very simple one, but gives no real premise to why things are happening in the game. Set in the future, on a remote station in a distant planet which has suddenly stopped all communications with Earth. You, as Earth Command Trooper Aileen Harding, are sent to determine what has happened.
I know that sounds really like an interesting premise for the game but unfortunately it just turns from a passable attempt at a decent game to a boring and poorly designed mess.
There are some additions that are added to make the game more interesting with some small RPG elements allowing you to gain better weapons and skills. You are given craft supplies that you might need in the low simmer of battle, through using the same resources that you collect from your dead enemies. But these are done in such a way that makes them feel terrible.
The controls are a curse that you meet first; they really don’t serve to help you in any way. You use the analogue nub to move around the levels, which is all well and good, but you also use it to target as well. This little thing ends up being massive as the sensitivity of the nub hasn’t been tweaked enough to allow precise targeting on any aliens that are set at the odd angle or sometimes straight in front of you.
Another problem is the enemies that you encounter in the game are so slow and lethargic that you could just run straight passed them, but since you need the experience that they dish out you have to kill them, if only for the mandatory boss battles.
Here comes yet another shortcoming in the design of the game, which is the task you are set to complete. Most of the time it is just travelling from one end of the level to the other without being alien food. Fortunately there are changes to that formula, though they are very few and far between, like “find key card A” or “rescue colonist”. These do add to the experience but it still doesn’t make things interesting at all.
The misery continues in the graphics, which unfortunately have no variety at all. There are different species of alien to battle against, but each one crops up a hundred times in a level, making it repetitive and boring. Also each monster has a very similar design, which makes things even more tedious. The environments as with most space-age games, seem only to have extremely bright colours and deadly dark ones. Furthermore, the room designs for each level are too alike.
You would think that multiplayer could save this poor excuse for a rehash. But no, not at all, the multiplayer is just as terrible and dull as the main game. This game makes the most uninteresting of rainy days seem like a dream.
Top Game Moment: Killing the first mini-boss, only because he was so annoying.
 |
 |
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| Here, Aileen, attempts to blast a particularly ugly boss! | The weapon blasts are about as colourful as things get! |
Alien Syndrome was a classic of the 1980s, but unfortunately the same cannot be said about this version. The game just lacks all the character that the previous game had, making it dry and dull.
The story is a very simple one, but gives no real premise to why things are happening in the game. Set in the future, on a remote station in a distant planet which has suddenly stopped all communications with Earth. You, as Earth Command Trooper Aileen Harding, are sent to determine what has happened.
I know that sounds really like an interesting premise for the game but unfortunately it just turns from a passable attempt at a decent game to a boring and poorly designed mess.
 |
 |
|
| Hmmm… I think I have seen you before! | Here, we have some of the wonderful aliens that just act like cannon fodder |
There are some additions that are added to make the game more interesting with some small RPG elements allowing you to gain better weapons and skills. You are given craft supplies that you might need in the low simmer of battle, through using the same resources that you collect from your dead enemies. But these are done in such a way that makes them feel terrible.
The controls are a curse that you meet first; they really don’t serve to help you in any way. You use the analogue nub to move around the levels, which is all well and good, but you also use it to target as well. This little thing ends up being massive as the sensitivity of the nub hasn’t been tweaked enough to allow precise targeting on any aliens that are set at the odd angle or sometimes straight in front of you.
Another problem is the enemies that you encounter in the game are so slow and lethargic that you could just run straight passed them, but since you need the experience that they dish out you have to kill them, if only for the mandatory boss battles.
Here comes yet another shortcoming in the design of the game, which is the task you are set to complete. Most of the time it is just travelling from one end of the level to the other without being alien food. Fortunately there are changes to that formula, though they are very few and far between, like “find key card A” or “rescue colonist”. These do add to the experience but it still doesn’t make things interesting at all.
The misery continues in the graphics, which unfortunately have no variety at all. There are different species of alien to battle against, but each one crops up a hundred times in a level, making it repetitive and boring. Also each monster has a very similar design, which makes things even more tedious. The environments as with most space-age games, seem only to have extremely bright colours and deadly dark ones. Furthermore, the room designs for each level are too alike.
 |
 |
|
| Enter room…. Errr… which one was that again | Aileen can equip more powerful weapons to push back the alien hordes |
You would think that multiplayer could save this poor excuse for a rehash. But no, not at all, the multiplayer is just as terrible and dull as the main game. This game makes the most uninteresting of rainy days seem like a dream.
Top Game Moment: Killing the first mini-boss, only because he was so annoying.
