Xenophobe

"Ugh, just, ugh......"

Wow, this has got to be one of the worst games I have ever played in my life, at least as far as graphics and sound go. However, it does have a few things that save it from being a complete loss, mainly it's gameplay, and it's two player mode.

Story: You play one of 3 exterminators going around destroying enemies that are for some reason called Xenophobes (the definition of a Xenophobe is one who dislikes and/or fears strangers). That's pretty much the whole story, sadly........ Score:3

Game Play: This is the games saving grace. It's actually somewhat of a fun game. Basically this is your everyday shoot 'em up. You go around killing enemies for a set amount of time, when the time is up you return to your base, or if you manage to find a certain secret item you can go back to your base earlier. The enemies you fight often drop power-ups such as stronger guns, and more life. Another nice feature is the two player mode that allows you to combat aliens with a friend, which can be fun. Score:7

Sound: Wow, this is just horrible. Basically you hear the same song played over and over again, except for one slightly different one when you beat a level. As far as sound effects go you get to hear various annoying and barely audible sounds made both by enemies and your weapons. I recommend just turning the volume off. Score:2

Graphics: Another bit of a disappointment. The characters that you play are drawn quite horribly. The enemies are slightly better but not much. The environments you play in on the other hand are fairly nice looking, although nothing spectacular. Score:4

Originality: Well, the idea of the game is kind of a cross between Ghost Busters and Alien. Not too original but hey, better than nothing. Score:3

Control: The controls to this game are actually fairly easy once you get the hang of them, but the way enemies can knock you down and gang up on you is just ridiculous.Score:5

Other notes: The game never ends, which really takes the fun away from it, because with out an ending to look forward to, why play at all?

So, in closing, if you want a somewhat fun way to pass the time, and you don't mind bad sound and graphics, this is the game for you. However if you're one of those people who really concentrates on graphics, sounds, etc. stay away from this game at all costs.
OVERALL SCORE:4

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 04/14/01, Updated 04/26/01