Some of these games can be played through Xbox Live, but most are a solo affair.

Alongside the 16-stage game are eight minigames to be unlocked, including a massive set of short little platforming stages called PDA games. All it takes is one look at the little guy's smiling face as he rides in a tank blasting oversized cannonballs at his foes, and any anger you may have had from dying incessantly will instantly melt away. This isn't the most technically proficient game ever made, but the inviting art style and quirky humor built into everything from the backgrounds to the animations will make you sit back and wonder why we don't see more 2D shooters these days. The hand-drawn art looks crisp and better than ever running in HD. Thankfully, you can load any level you've previously reached and begin with a clean set of continues, ensuring that you'll be able to keep progressing through the game in spite of itself. In fact, we found it harder than ever at times since a second player only adds to the onscreen confusion. Practice makes perfect, but this game can be brutal even after many hours of playing.Ī second player can hop in at any time for co-op action (offline only), though it hardly makes anything easier. Occasionally, you'll find yourself in situations where death is the only option. There's no way around it - you will die very regularly and be forced to use nearly all of your continues to finish just a single stage. A single shot from an enemy is enough to end your life and those little balls of death hurtling your way can easily be lost in the vibrant backgrounds. If there can be any harsh criticism leveled at Alien Hominid, it would have to be directed at its difficulty which ranges from insane to impossible. It all feels oddly familiar, yet totally fresh. If you've played your share of classic side-scrollers, you'll have passing feelings of d¿j¿ vu that will last about a second before the difficulty forces you to stop trying to remember where you've seen something like this in the past.

Hopping along the roofs of cars on a speeding highway, riding a snowmobile through an obstacle course while attacking a train, or taking control of a giant yeti it's all just part of the game. Those quirks come in the level design, which is spot on. It's simple, but there are enough quirks thrown in to keep things fresh through the entire game. There are a few little moves you can perform, such as jumping on an enemy's shoulders and biting his head off or whipping out a knife for close encounter kills, but the main gameplay is pretty straightforward. Blockheaded kids will occasionally give you some handy power-ups, but you'll have to rely on your laser gun for most of the work. As the title Alien, it's your job to piece together your spaceship and enact revenge for being blasted out of the sky. Alien Hominid draws inspiration from its predecessors, most obviously Contra and Metal Slug, but injects a healthy dose of style and originality that gives it an identity all its own.

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