LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Alien Syndrome
built 217 days ago
What's most exhausting about the enemies in Alien Syndrome is the terrible lack of variety. Though there are definitely several distinct types of aliens, they all manage to look kind of blobby. The game ... loves a good palette swap, and those greenish worm-things you fight at the start of the game aren't functionally different from the bluish worm-things you fight around hour seven. The environments do little to add to the excitement, though if you like pointlessly serpentine mazes of nondescript corridors, occasionally punctuated with big, empty rooms, then boy howdy are you in luck! Whether you play Alien Syndrome on the Wii or the PSP, the game has a drab, murky look, though the washed-out textures and blocky designs that are hidden by the demure size of the PSP screen can be seen in all their fuzzy, big-screen glory on the Wii. Technically and artistically, this game simply isn't pleasant to look at.
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Alien Syndrome is a run and gun arcade game developed by Sega in 1987. One or two players control two soldiers named Ricky and Mary, who must fight their way through large eight-way scrolling levels rescuing their comrades who are being held by aliens. After they have rescued a certain number of hostages the exit opens and they can pass through it in order to fight the end-of-level guardian. If this monstrosity is defeated, they move onto the next stage. As well as two player simultaneous gameplay, Alien Syndrome features pick-ups which assist the player including better weapons and maps of the current level.
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On paper, Alien Syndrome appears to have all of the elements of the source material. Top-down perspective, lots of shooting and endless hordes of enemies that come after you. Totally Games tried to go the extra mile by incorporating some new additions like an inventory system, subtle RPG elements, crafting and character classes in an attempt to make the game more deep, but the end result is basically a mess. While the idea may have seemed like a good one during the design phase, this new version of Alien Syndrome deviates from the simple-minded fun of the original and burdens it with uncomfortable controls and an inventory interface that redefines “annoying”.
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[B]efore you even realize that the game is a repetitive mess, Alien Syndrome has you choose the kind of player class you want to be. These classes include demolitions expert, firebug, seal, tank and sharpshooter, each offering a different set of pros and cons. Once you`ve picked your character your off to witness a boring cinema and learn just what is going on. Before long you`re fighting your way through what looks like a destroyed space station filled with annoying alien creatures, it`s your job to get to the exit and try and get the heck out of here. But don`t get too excited, once you actually do make it to your destination you`re forced to play another batch of boring levels that are almost exactly the same as the ones you just went through.
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The gameplay itself in Alien Syndrome is somewhat shallow. Players can choose the class of their character, and upgrade them as they play. This adds an RPG element, as well as weapon management through a mobile shop known only as SCARAB. Unfortunately this class system does not add any depth to the game, since most of the weapons do not feel unique at all. Item management plays a key part in the levelling up of your character, in that you can choose to convert your own items into currency to spend on upgrades to your character, should you need to free up space in your inventory for ammo etc. The upgrade system is somewhat mundane in that there is no need to upgrade more than one weapon, as choosing each class starts you off with an already upgraded weapon anyway.
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Alien Syndrome is–as its name suggests–sci-fi through and through–from the quirky bloops of a space symphony to the alien critters you’re tasked with destroying. It’s a sci-fi RPG based off the original SEGA arcade title. As Earth Command Trooper Aileen Harding, you fight through little baddies and big bosses, all the while unlocking tons of interesting abilities and upgrades.
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Alien Syndrome