Alien Hominid

"2-D Shooting At Its Finest!"

Most people upon hearing the word Alien Hominid will immediately think of a flash game on Newgrounds. And this is where it all started, on an internet site made by a group of friends that wanted to create a fun free downloadable game for people to enjoy. And who would have known it would go onto much bigger things. After the success of Alien Hominid, Tom Fulp wanted to turn it into a console game, and so he did.

You play as Hominid, an alien from space who crashes into earth and has his UFO taken away by the FBI government. And all he wants to do is get it back and all this ultimately is just an excuse to kill and blow a lot of stuff to pieces.

The action in Alien Hominid is very basic 2-d side scrolling shooter very akin to the likes of Metal Slug etc. And this extremely simple gameplay is a refreshing change and is the very definition of pick up and play. The objective is pretty simple too; get from one end of the stage to the other by any means necessary. And our little Hominid certainly has the means to achieve this. Our creature has access to a number of guns, ranging from standard laser shooter, to flamethrower, to ice blower and a host of many destructive weapons. Not only that but he can, with the press the x button; Little Hominid can also throw grenades. And he also isn't of afraid of getting up close and personal id need s be. By jumping on an enemy's head you can bite their heads off and throw them into the air or into other FBI agents. Lastly, holding the b button will charge your blaster for a more devastating attack.

Some levels allow Hominid to take control of his UFO which makes for a great change of pace and adds more variety to the already fun and addictive gameplay.

All 2-d shooters are hard and Alien Hominid is no exception. Alien Hominid at times can be totally unforgiving. It will take you by the hand and once you get comfortable push you into the deep end with a rock tied to your feet.

One great reason to play Alien Hominid again is to do it with a friend in the co-op mode. This allows you and a friend to team up and destroy everything in your way together.

What gives Alien Hominid that unique feel is the graphics. Dan Paladin, the lead artist has done a fantastic job of creating a world that truly engages the gamer throughout. And when you consider that it's all hand drawn it really shows the amount of effort that went into making Alien Hominid. The stages are brightly coloured and have a very cartoon feel which is extremely appropriate for the game. However, at times the graphics can get a little rough around the edges but this minor problem is easily forgotten when playing.

The game's sound is very solid too. The music is very catchy and captures the moment excellently. The sound effects are good too; the laser guns have a distinct sound to it depending on what type of gun you are using and you will have a smile on your face listening to the FBI agents screaming in horror.

Alien Hominid is a fairly short game considering what is there is so much fun. Another world would have been great but it's not a major complaint. However, if you're finished with the story, there is a feast of extras. Such as unlockable hats this can be obtained completing stages and destroying certain buildings. This gives the gamer more incentive to replay the story once more. Furthermore, there a collection of mini games on offer and you can even create your own level. But these mini games lose their appeal after a couple of goes but it's still a welcome addition.

With a gaming world filled with big name titles and complicated controls and gameplay. Alien Hominid is such a breath of fresh air and is one of the most unique and original games to arrive in quite some time. Not many people will buy it which is a shame as they are missing out on a thrilling and brilliant game.

Worse Than

-Metal Slug

Better Than

-Been Anul Probed

[8]

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/03/05