BlowOut

"Shallow as you could possibly get...but still mildly entertaining"

John Cane is tough, and he is set in to rid of the evil cloned monsters that have taken control of their galaxy. The law enforcement group, called the Jump Posse, are in trouble and John Cane alone takes on the bad guys and protects the sacred organization. very predictable and lame, yet does the plot really matter?

Blowout is one of those games where you go into it not expecting much. Your expectations are low, and you may actually find some fun with this mindset. This game was developed by Majesco, the masters of mediocre games. Blowout out is fun, quick, and rewarding if you give it your time.

OVERALL POSITIVES

It's a cheap side scroller, and yet it is actually pretty fun. If you beat Alien Hominid, and you breezed through the Contra titles, Blowout may be that next little side scroller. The graphics are actually pretty decent. Particle effects are well done and blood effects look very appealing. Overall I was surprised that the graphics were that good, but like I said, do not go into this game comparing graphics too much superior games. You'll be disappointed. The gameplay is shallow, yet fun. You go in using your standard stereotypical weapons to wreak havoc. Machine gun, flamethrower, shotgun, missile launcher, etc... Nothing unexpected here. The bosses are very entertaining to fight, and it is the highlight of each and every level. The little enemies you take on and very interesting and you will find yourself very engaged in blasting alien by alien level by level. The alien designs are very interesting, and make blasting them that much more fun.Oh and one last positive...the game is ten dollars retail price. And you get what you pay for.

OVERALL NEGATIVES

The repetitiveness of the game is inevitable. You find yourself doing the same thing over and over through six good hours of deja vu. Every single area looks the same. You play through one maze-like area, you play them all. Though the bosses are fun they often end up extremely difficult and frustration sets in.

FINAL THOUGHTS?

The game is mediocre as you get. Standard weaponry, very expected side scrolling action, and entertaining and predictable boss battles. Blowout does nothing to further the genre, and for a budget title like this, how can it? I say check out Blowout if your cheap, and looking for a new old school shooter. Controls are exceptable, and Blowout is a fun little game destined to keep you entertained for a weekend.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/15/05