Space Invaders Infinity Gene
Posted September 20, 2010
Long since its creation in 1978, Space Invaders has undergone numerous makeovers for a variety of new handheld platforms and full-length games for the consoles. It’s also spawned an astounding number of spin-offs over the years. Originally developed for the iOS platforms on the iPhone / iPod Touch, Space Invaders Infinity Gene has made its way onto the Xbox Live Arcade and the Playstation Network. Rather than a straight port of the iOS version, Infinity Gene has been retooled for the console platforms with a revamped design and extra modes to play though. The presentation is decidedly retro, offering up a Tron vibe in some respects.
What’s different (and very addicting) about this version of Space Invaders are the light RPG elements that allow you to build up your ship along the main campaign. Gaining access to better weaponry or more advanced ship tactics changes the way that you ultimately react and play though the levels. Essentially, your character evolves. The game gradually becomes much faster paced than the original Space Invaders as well. The chaos erupts faster than Geometry Wars, but this game does a much better job of giving the player the tools to succeed.
If you want to take a break from building up your character in the Normal game mode, there are three other modes to play; Bonus, Challenge and Music. Bonus mode allows you to play unlocked stages that have become available from the unlockable tree in Normal mode. Challenge mode is more erratic, hitting you with randomly created stages. Music Mode is very interesting and probably my favorite. The game takes your personal music collection and molds the gameplay to the tracks currently playing. I was playing the game to Linkin Park for a while, then a bit of Sinatra to take it down a notch.
The achievements within Infinity Gene are definitely some of the more difficult achievements I’ve seen in a while. Beating normal mode on Nightmare or beating it without using any continues is double tough, even for veterans of the original. Beyond the achievements, Space Invader junkies are going to eat up competing with friends on the leaderboards.
If you have played the iPhone / iPod Touch version of Infinity Gene already, forking over $10 to play it on the consoles should only be reserved for the hardcore fans. That being said, the controls are vastly superior mapped to the controller than using the touch screen. For players new to Infinity Gene, there’s a ton of entertainment value to be had if you enjoy the old-school style of difficult, arcade gameplay. Even if you have never played Space Invaders, which I’m certain many younger players have missed, there’s a quality shooting title here that may become as addictive at Geometry Wars. Just be warned of the increasing difficulty that can become frustrating for less advanced players.
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What’s different (and very addicting) about this version of Space Invaders are the light RPG elements that allow you to build up your ship along the main campaign. Gaining access to better weaponry or more advanced ship tactics changes the way that you ultimately react and play though the levels. Essentially, your character evolves. The game gradually becomes much faster paced than the original Space Invaders as well. The chaos erupts faster than Geometry Wars, but this game does a much better job of giving the player the tools to succeed.
If you want to take a break from building up your character in the Normal game mode, there are three other modes to play; Bonus, Challenge and Music. Bonus mode allows you to play unlocked stages that have become available from the unlockable tree in Normal mode. Challenge mode is more erratic, hitting you with randomly created stages. Music Mode is very interesting and probably my favorite. The game takes your personal music collection and molds the gameplay to the tracks currently playing. I was playing the game to Linkin Park for a while, then a bit of Sinatra to take it down a notch.
The achievements within Infinity Gene are definitely some of the more difficult achievements I’ve seen in a while. Beating normal mode on Nightmare or beating it without using any continues is double tough, even for veterans of the original. Beyond the achievements, Space Invader junkies are going to eat up competing with friends on the leaderboards.
Graphics
- The visuals in Infinity Gene are definitely old-school, paying homage to the color scheme of the original Space Invaders. The perspective shifts from the flat shooting field to a 3 dimensional view, but still holds true to the minimalistic design. Level designs look more like wireframe blueprints rather than actual space, but it really does work with tying the entire theme together. Animations and the framerate are silky smooth, obviously pretty simple on an HD console when coming from a mobile platform.
Audio
- Matching the graphical flavor, the audio also has retro qualities; specifically the sound effects. If you played the original, you will definitely recognize the sounds coming from the virtual battlefield. The music is a smattering of techno tunes, nothing too entertaining in the bunch.
Conclusion
If you have played the iPhone / iPod Touch version of Infinity Gene already, forking over $10 to play it on the consoles should only be reserved for the hardcore fans. That being said, the controls are vastly superior mapped to the controller than using the touch screen. For players new to Infinity Gene, there’s a ton of entertainment value to be had if you enjoy the old-school style of difficult, arcade gameplay. Even if you have never played Space Invaders, which I’m certain many younger players have missed, there’s a quality shooting title here that may become as addictive at Geometry Wars. Just be warned of the increasing difficulty that can become frustrating for less advanced players.
Discuss This Game on Our Official VGT Forum