I'm going to come straight out and say it. I hate the title of this game - PowerUp Forever. It just screams mundane at me. But there's this test that simple titles should be able to pass: it's the "duh test?" Unlike a Mass Effect which requires explanation (and mystery) or a Call of Duty which at least tells you what the setting is, but not the gameplay, the simple title tells you everything you need to know about the game in the title. PowerUp Forever pretty much says it all... get those powerups and just keep going and going. The thing is, it was pretty cool.
Although an arcade game, there is no multiplayer. No worries. It really isn't needed. It will be you against the uh... bug-like things. (They haven't named them yet.)
Intrepid space warrior you are in your crystalline-like ship charting the depths of some really freaky looking space. The first level they showed reminded me of the old '50s shows where you entered the human body and were flying around in blood with corpuscles and blood cells attacking you. This time, most of the enemies were the again as-yet-unnamed bug creatures.
Eventually, you come upon what can only be described as the mother of all bug ships. This is your mission, should you survive. Because right about now a Guardian ship will arrive and this ain't no passive/aggressive, energy-seeking larva like those you've been playing target practice with up till now.
Guardian ships currently (the art, sound, UI - nothing is final) look similar to you: a crystalline entity with the ability to maneuver quickly and shoot at anything they darn well please. This one is not only aggressive, it's smart. When it starts to lose it will leave and come back for a second try at a later time. Should you take it out, you add its strength, bulk and power to your own. The camera scales up and what was once large becomes smaller. You powerup.
Powerup often enough and you may awaken the dormant bug things. At this point you may find yourself wishing for an entire fleet of Guardians bearing down on you when a giant space caterpillar is encircling you, cutting your shields to shreds. Survive, and you go on. And on and on...
It's a simple but effective formula. The build we viewed was pre-alpha but gorgeous and made me twitchy just wanting to play. This is arcade gaming at its best. Except well, there's none of that memorizing the map and eating through quarters stuff. Every experience is the same and yet so very different. Elegant. Now, if they'll only name the bug things.
I'm a mother of two boys, ages 7 and 10 and live in the chaos that ensues. I've a permanent disability that keeps me homebound, so books, kids, games and books are my constant companions. Oh, and books, too. *grins*
My children both play games so I often play them first, getting to know exactly how something may effect my sensitive and easily stimulated older child vs. my stoic and imperturbable younger.
I like games for games; for the pure enjoyment of them and believe that no game is wholly bad, though some are real stinkers.
I also have the dexterity of a camel in mittens so find playing FPSs difficult (and I also don't like the gore) and RTSs at times can stump me. I just can't seem to move quickly enough to keep up with them. Some of my favorite games are arcade games and I'll spend 3-5 years on the same 5-6 levels because I just never get any better. But, I have fun.
