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We work hard, we play hard.
Freeware Profile: Gamma Bros.
Devloper: PixelJam
Platform: PC and Mac
Genre: Space Shooter
What
happens when you combine the classic EGA/VGA low-resolution visual
style of the early 90's PC titles with the acquired knowledge and
limitless potential of modern gaming mechanics? Gamma Bros! A seemingly
simplistic freeware title that at first may have a rather incomplex
surface but once you begin to explore the gameplay you can really start
to appreciate the love and effort that went into creating this
wonderful game. By combining the time tested and classic 'Space
Shooter' arcade genre with the solid foundation of modern gameplay and
rewards this game truly proves that while the retro days of gaming may
be dwarfed by today's AAA titles and million dollar budgets, all you
really need is an understanding of the fundamentals of game design,
some elbow grease and a little nostalgic love to produce a timeless
game.
Gamma Bros. plays somewhat like a mixture of Gradius and
Galaga, complete with swarming enemy formations, power-ups, upgrades
and the fast, frantic gameplay you would come to expect from any great
arcade shooter. Meaning that the game is easy to pick up on but
requires some time and practice to master. The controls are simple,
using the arrow keys in combination with the W, A, S and D keys allows
your ship to move and shoot in four directions, similar to the controls
used in titles like Smash T.V. The difficulty level begins nice and
easy, slowly building up to a chaotic fast paced frag fest that
requires quick reaction time and steady eye-hand coordination.
From
the title screen the attention to detail is apparent, if you watch
closely you'll see several separate scenarios playing out at once as
the two Gamma Bros. hustle back and forth fiddling with computers,
dialing knobs, pressing buttons and even taking a break to get a drink
from the water cooler. There's also busy little helper robots that
bustle to-and-fro. Very cool.
As soon as the player hits start
and chooses their bro to play as the game begins. The catchy (awesome)
theme song kicks in and you're off! Immediately upon exiting the large
space station swarms of enemies begin to attack from every direction,
enemy ships organize in formation and attack in sequence. Dodging and
weaving while blasting away the squadrons of enemies you'll collect
coins and power-up capsules that are left behind from defeated foes.
These include temporary speed and firing boosts as well as health,
shields, destructive smart bombs and invincibility capsules. Every so
often a small ship towing gun upgrades, new ships and other useful
items sails steadily across the screen, if you've collected enough
coins these upgrades are extremely useful. By providing these rewards
the gameplay value is accentuated, keeping the players interest focused
on reaching that next gun or ship upgrade, becoming that much more
powerful.
If the life bar reaches zero your ship is destroyed
but you still have one more chance! As your ship explodes into pieces
your Gamma Bro will be able to zoom through space via jet-pack and
bubble helmet, allowing for one more hit to be taken before being
destroyed. If you're lucky and still have the other Gamma Bro alive
he'll eventually come coasting back onto the screen and you can then
touch him to switch off via tag team. It's even possible to reacquire a
lost ship, when buying a new shuttle the old one will be boarded and
piloted by the other bro. A very well executed and helpful mechanic.
The
battles are heated and fast, as you blast the attackers to 'bits',
square colored plumes of smoke bellow as tiny fragments of scrap metal
swirl out into space. Each enemy has a specific AI and method of
attack, ranging from the simple drones who slowly form small groups to
the quick and nimble spacemen (my personal favorite) who dive bomb and
shoot fast pulsing lasers. Of course no space shooter would be complete
without the infamous bosses. Sudden and tough, even the first boss
encounter consists of pitting the player against three deadly quick
battleships equipped with an array of wicked weaponry, from heat
seeking missiles, tri-laser beams and even a giant destruct-o beam
(that's what I'm calling it anyway). Throughout these battles I found
myself so immersed in the gameplay it took me a moment to realize just
how in-tuned I was with the action. I believe that connection is what
all gamers seek, the thrill of the moment... That lovely video
adrenaline rush.
Shoot, move and SHOOT!
The
music switches from an ambient, deep, thick bass drive to a sudden
shift in gears becoming a faster, more intense melody when a new event
begins. It's a great effect for carrying the player along, heightening
suspense and then snapping into an action sequence. My favorite part
about the music is that it's entirely composed of the familiar bleeps
and bloops we've all come to know and love from yesteryear... Except it
has a more modern structure, a more "21st Century" attitude.
Gamma
Bros. is a title that every gamer, new and old alike should play. It
houses so many solid gameplay mechanics and is abundant with enough
variety and rewards to keep the player coming back again and again.
Besides, these guys are giving you a grade 'A' game for FREE! I can't
stress it enough, go download it today! PixelJam has created some
really unique titles that all have rich attention to detail, solid
gameplay elements and tons of replay value to boot... Each one is
definitely worth checking out.
PixelJam.com
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