Decimation X3 Hot

Let me explain this game a bit: Space Invaders on crack with ship powerups, crazy awesome music, and co-op. It is fun, the most fun with friends, but since it is just couch co-op you are limited. The scoreboard is to hold your highscores, which is cool, but since it is just your scores and made up computer scores (I beat the top score my first try) it is really just for you to say "I did great!" or "Dang....". There are technically 2 game modes, but one of them just replaces shield power-ups with attack power ups. They both play a bit differently, but not enough to make me feel like I was doing something different.

I also felt like the content was limited. Basically enemies fire more bullets, while you get stronger. After that there really isn't any depth to it. I would have liked to have some other game modes.

This game is fun for a dollar, I would highly suggest it if you have friends to play with you on the couch, but other than that you have to love space invaders to fall in love with it.

Usually, arcade shooters aren't my favorite kind of game, but once I started playing Decimation X3, I couldn't stop! This game has everything: fast-paced gameplay, great visuals, satisfying explosions, more power-ups than you can think of and a really good soundtrack.

When you find yourself playing the same game for two hours straight, that means it's an amazing game :) Definitely in my Top 5 best XBLIG of 2010.

Decimation X3 is a 2D fixed gallery shooter similar in layout to Space Invaders. Instead of the normal slow pace of the genre Xona has sped everything up. There is a constant stream of power ups and to make your ship more powerful while you try to dodge all the incoming attacks and take out enemies. There graphics have a great retro look to them and the music has a matching style that fits well. The pace of the game starts off slow but with each enemy you kill the remaining ones start shooting more and move faster. When you get down to the last couple they are flying across the screen. You will need very precise movements to dodge all the incoming attacks but the controls easily handle it. After every few levels you get a large boss to take out. Like the other enemies the more you attack it the more it shoots back. The key to Decimation X3 is to take out enemies as quickly as you can while collecting all the available power ups. After 15 or 20 levels things start to get truly hectic with so many incoming shots that your shields get decimated quickly. As you progress you fill up a “Shower” meter. Once you fill it completely a line of power ups drops that completely fills the screen. These extra power ups give your ship a nice boost that will be needed as you progress through the levels.

Global leaderboards and co-op over Xbox Live instead of just local would be nice, but for $1 those are not features that I’d expect. Even playing solo it is well worth the $1 price tag.

~ Original review on VGevolution.com