Rank Alien Hominid as a Side Scrolling Shooter?

Blaine

Hinako's Cook
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Posts
3,113
I've had people comment before that games like Contra and Metal Slug aren't shooters, but action games.

I don't know if I buy into that. If you think that...that's cool.

I for one, consider it a shooter. If only it's own sub-genre.

Alright, so...here's where I go with it. As a game by itself, it's fun, but wholey unremarkable. The number of weapons there are, while cool, has almost 0 impact on gameplay. Never do I find myself going "oh, I need to pick up the laser for this upcoming boss". Most of the time I never really care what gun I have.

Grenades are cool, but I don't really use them.

But when you break it all down, from the first bit to the last, it's one of the best put together games on a disk. Everyone knows how great the mini-games are, the graphics are awesome and it's harder than hell at times.

Personally, I rate it very high as a game purchase. I'm saying something like:

1) Metal Slug 2/X
2) Alien Hominid
3) Metal Slug 3
4) Contra
5) Expendable
6) Metal Slug 1*


Again, pointing out that as a total package, I rank it super high. Now, if it was just in an arcade, I don't think I'd have it in my top 10. But all the good stuff that's just packed in there is impossible to ignore. And when you start riding the abominable snowman and dropping FBI agents in the chipper... It's sheer brilliance.

Thoughts?

*not to piss off too many people but...I never cared for the first Metal Slug after playing the later versions. Doesn't mean it's a bad game though.
 

jro

Gonna take a lot
20 Year Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2004
Posts
14,410
1. MS3
2. MS1
3. MSX
4. Contra
5. Alien Hominid
6. Contra: Shattered Soldier

Those are all that I would list as "great," personally.
 

LoneSage

A Broken Man
20 Year Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Posts
44,744
It's easy to see that AH is a game by a developer tinkering with the genre. The animation is crude, at times the bullet patterns can be as well...but it's a game with a lot of love in it. I see a lot of influence from the likes of Gunstar Heroes in this game, and hopefully with Alien Hominid 2 (or whatever their next run 'n gunner will be) we'll see a more refined game.

I did love some of the innovations introduced in this game, like the highway chase and being able to ride a giant yeti. Hiding undergrouund and snapping an agent's head off never gets old, either.

On a scale of 1-10, I give this game a 7.5 (maybe even an 8, if only for Soviet Missile Mastar).
 
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