INSTRUMENTS OF DESTRUCTION
Kup, Hot Rod, look!
Devastator...
Well, not precisely THAT Devastator. But I can't blame the developer for the Transformers reference, Radiangames who came up with the name of the Constructicon giant for their new game. Also, It is already hard to find gameplay videos on Google/YouTube 'cos the results throw clips from Transformers: Devastation, the boss fight with Devastator to be exact. In a curious twist, Radiangames have a game called Instruments of Destruction. Yeah, the same name as N.R.G.'s song heard during the Autobot shuttle massacre scene of The Transformers: The Movie. With such nods, is not unavoidable to think about Transformers references?
It's Devastator! Six Constructic.--er, Three Games in One!
Radiangames, the guys behind Inferno 2+ are back and they brought another Twin-Stick shooter for the next generation consoles. So let's find out if Devastator is a good shmup or a bad one.
A little heavy on the Electrons-electrons.
Quadrants is the first game mode and basically the Main Game. The objective is simple: Survive for 3 minutes while you try to reach the highest score possible. Each 30 seconds the game will add a multiplier to the score and once you're on the last 30 seconds you'll enter in the Overclocked Mode which will merge your three weapons in a single attack. As you move across the arena, the game will change the layout of a corner, the game calls this "Evolving Quadrant" which adds more randomization to the already randomized layouts per game, throwing away any possibilities of memorizing the area. You only have one life to make it through. Die once and Devastator's gonna look like a burned-out toaster oven.
I've got better things to do tonight than die.
Now let's talk about Sectors, which is the second mode, this is what can best be described as a "Campaign" of 55 levels splitted in 5 sectors; 10 regular ones and the "Overclocked". Each wave generates viruses and those who are defeated summon "Spectres" which are immune to your regular shots, but not by a Blast. This mode features an exclusive item called "Interruptor" which slows the game for a good period of time, allowing you to navigate through tight spaces and crammed enemies. Unlike Quadrants, you are granted "Restores" or extra lives up to a limit of 3, allowing you to progress much further in the game.
Prime did it. He turned the tide.
Virus destruction is not the only priority here. Your main objective in this mode is to clear the levels within a short period of time (Speed), the amount of items picked on the battlefield (Collector), survive a level without taking a hit (Perfect) and the "Challenge" per wave. Clearing all sectors with all of these achieved with a good score grants you high ranks.
Prepare for extermination!
Now let's talk about the last mode of the game: Cycles. On this mode, the gameplay is very similar to Sectors, survive 11 waves on each Cycle with the same objectives and ranking system. You also have three Restores to survive those 11 waves. The only key differences are the Interrupt appears less often and each wave throws you three random virus types in large numbers.
Regardless of which mode you're playing, Devastator runs the same mechanics. Your tank has three weapons:
REFLEX: A 5 way Spread Shot that bounces on walls, this is effective when you want to hit other targets behind or sideways. It has an average fire rate.
VULCAN: Full-frontal fire with a fast fire rate, meant to hit anything there is on its straight way.
SPREAD: 3 way frontal fire with two bullets fired on the sides in a more diagonal trajectory. Like the Reflex, it also has an average fire rate.
Along with your weapons, you have the "Blast" which is your bomb to destroy all your enemies, including those who can't be destroyed by regular fire and as a screen clearing weapon to destroy bullets. However, you have to "charge" the blast by holding the Right Bumper button, this consumes time, making them a desperate measure when you're playing on Quadrants. You can replenish a Blast by picking purple orbs; small ones dropped by enemies and large ones placed on the arena's corners. Along with the three selectable weapons, you can obtain the "Super" which increases your weapon's power, and you have a chargeable "Turbo" shot that fires your weapon with a devastating fast rate of fire. Keep in mind that the only way to charge the Turbo is by moving Devastator (your tank) without firing to fill the Turbo gauge.
Graphically, this game takes nods of the old Vector-traced games just like its predecessor Inferno 2 and the shmup AIPD: Artificial Intelligence Police Department did, as we have these dark blue lines which are only contrasted with orange and red squares that block your way, adding an 80's styled atmosphere minus the oh-so common colors used on the grids by today's retro artists. Despite being retro-based, there's still place for some details on the character and enemy designs, for instance your Devastator is a 4-point star shaped tank with twin cannons against an array of drones that have simple shapes, all of these with the lighting adding a "gradient" look and feeling to the single color traced world and designs of this game, so we can assume this game takes the concept of Cyberspace, as the Devastator is an Anti-virus weapon, but who deployed it? is not mentioned.
The music which is claimed as heart-pounding is the techno-percussion mixture that feels more of a hip-hop album rather than a shmup.
The Decepticons are fleeing, Nina.
So that means or job is done I guess.
Devastator is an arcade challenge for those who want something new, yet simple of Twin-Stick shooting. I wouldn't be surprised if the game is suddenly renamed due to Hasbro's possible pressure, kinda like the Takotan (formerly Octonaut)-Octonauts thing. Still, this game is as impressive as six Constructicons combined and getting all the achievements and trophies are challenging and fun to obtain.
The three scales gave their veredict. So it's definitely a must buy.