This has Killer App of the Month written all over it.
Every month, there are those handful of titles that seem to make it atop of everyone’s most anticipated list just because they look damn impressive. One such game is Circuit Strike.One, a top down arena shooter by the folks at hallucinogen.grenade , or better known in its shorthand form; h.grenade. If there was ever an analogous situation to compare and contrast the visceral experience of CS.One to a real life scenario, it probably would feel a little like being bombarded and raided by hallucinogen bombs exploding right by your eyes and ears. The sheer chaos and imaginative flamboyancy of the game as it flashes, screams and bursts with life and technicolour is an awesome sight to both see and hear. Despite the sort-of-steep learning curve for the casual gamers and gameplay that can still be built upon, this latest effort from the combined forces of Shay Casey and Chillingo is a force to be reckoned with. Put on your headphones, turn the bass up and let’s shoot some bad, bad geometrical shapes.
A flicker here, a flash there and spark-like effects in all its extravagant glory everywhere make this arena shooter one hell of a looker. First off, the main menu is able to be controlled via the accelerometer. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think there’s ever been a menu interface that was interactive enough to be moved around in 3D by tilting the device. Note to developers: If you ever want to impress a critic quickly by a game’s visuals and overall presentation, design an interactive, 3-dimensional menu to tilt and tinker around with. It does nothing gameplay-wise, but it just enhances that polished look up by a notch. Right from the get-go, CS.One looks like a polished package. The main menu is unique, the tutorial simple and concise, and the production value seems to be right up there with EA’s major franchises. Visually, the game is astounding. Everytime I load up h.grenade’s debut I can’t help but to grin when my white-spaceship-thing flies around in zero gravity shooting rebel polygons flying in hacking terminals. They explode and are destroyed with life, exuding vibrant colours Geometry Wars-style. Don’t even get me started on the networks. The background interchanges colour schemes as you wall-warp from one side to another. Not an easy thing to explain, but I can assure you it looks nothing short of brilliant. As I said, its visuals are in the same vein as Geometry Wars, except the developers have injected a little something into that said vein that makes this adventure a little more instinctive, a little more tense, and a lot more grand. It’s a mix of 2D and 3D rendered models as you essentially play on a flat playing field. The 1-2 combination proves to be an effective one, with its 2D designs providing stylish visage and 3D models showcasing competent technology.
Other than the mind-boggling visuals that seem like fireworks inside a computer, CS.One’s soundtrack is nothing short of breathtaking. I’m usually not one to praise techno music, because I tend to stay away from its genre. But in short, if you can make me listen to it, nonetheless enjoy techno music, then you’ve really achieved something here. Hell, the music is a strong motivator as to why I play the game in the first place. It’s pulse-pounding techno at its best (not that I’d know much about it), but it adds ten more barrels of intensity than you thought you could ever cope with. Every knock of the bass, every scream of the music seems like a race against time as you shoot things here and there in chaotic beauty, cadenced with the nuances of the music. It seems like h.grenade have employed real-time music visualiser effects as well. No, not the one you see on Windows Media Player; that would be much more inferior to what you’ll see in CS.One. When I think about it now, the whole arena seemed to be one giant visualiser. Every rapid fire, every explosion, every bass-knocking sound you hear will most likely be synchronised visually and audibly to the music. The soundtrack, composed by DJ Vitamin Devo and Bianca Dino, plays an integral part in the game. CS.One even reminds players that to fully benefit from the game, headphones are advised.
In regards to gameplay, there’s one vital question you’d probably need to answer before you purchase this stunning shooter – do you want to die? I doubt you do, so you’d do well to read up on the instructions given to you right before you begin blasting terminal hacking baddies because it’s gonna get tough’n’ugly out there. This game is difficult. It is probably one of the most frustrating experiences I’ve had with a game since I played the Genesis back in the 90’s. I wonder how many awesome levels there are, because to be honest, I’ve only reached the 6th level in the game, and never have I ventured past it. In retrospect, that’s quite an achievement. Currently at the time of writing this review my highest score is #4 in the online leaderboards, ahead of creator Shay Casey. If anything, that might show you that level 6 is actually a pretty tough place to get to.
The game basically revolves around a simple concept with an objective everytime you enter a network. Manoeuvre your way to the Shield Generators (red crystal columns) and destroy them in order to drop the Data.Core Shield to destroy the Data.Core (the big column at the centre). Along the level, there are auto-spawning polygons of different strengths and weaknesses ready to terminate you. You get three lives; each hit is a kill and a life gone. Try keeping all 3 lives while slaloming through turret bullets, flying geometry shapes and controlling your aircraft in zero-gravity at the same time without dying -- it’s not easy. The game also incorporates a bullet-time feature where you can shake your iDevice to activate it. You’ll be invulnerable and immune to attacks only for a number of seconds, so use it wisely. Last but not least, when you’ve disabled the last of the Shield Generators (red columns), an intense 30 second timer starts. If you don’t destroy that Data.Core within that time frame, say goodbye to a new highscore. There’s a competitive online leaderboard already amongst the beta testers and reviewers, so I suggest you hop on and join the madness. If there’s one gripe I have with the game though, it’s the absence of weapon customization. I would’ve loved to see a different range of weapons that you can purchase with in-game credit. This way, I might be able to surpass the dreaded level 6 with bigger-and-better artillery. Nonetheless, CS.One is a faithful homage to old classics that tends to pay off as you practice. Just make sure you practice a lot.
Through and through, Circuit Strike.One is a success in almost every respect relative to its competitors. But not only that, h.grenade have added their own fostered flamboyancy to the Geometry Wars formula unmatched by any other space arena shooter out there. Most gamers anticipated Shay Casey’s direction of CS.One, others opposed, but there was little doubt that all were wondering if it was all part of the hype machine that Chillingo had created which made it look so appealing. There’s only one definitive answer to that. There were many mimicries of the classic-Geometry-Wars-action iDevice gamers longed for, spanning from Isotope, Nano Fighter to Light Wars. Each having their own strengths and weaknesses, none truly felt like a wholesome package. Out of the masses, one game was bound to get it right. It may not be the be-all end-all of arena shooters gameplay-wise, but Circuit Strike.One is one hell of a visual and audible feast of a feat for you to behold. It outlooks, outsounds and outclasses its competition by a considerable margin. This is a triumph you need to experience. Click the Buy App button, put on your headphones and lock yourself in a dark room Marshall Mathers-style. Indie developers playing ball in the App Store really need to step it up because right now – All Ur Bases R Belong To CS.One.
- Sound: 9
- Graphics: 10
- Gameplay: 9
- Longevity: 9
9
Superb
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