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Hexodius
A deep reminder of coin op games from the past
Hexodius does not rely on nostalgia alone to keep the player interested.
While you can play the game using mouse and keyboard, it is suggested in
the opening screens to use a game pad. While we did find it a bit more
of a chore to game without a game pad you are able to navigate the game
with mouse and keyboard.
Brain Slap Studio an interesting concept of a shooter
with multiple bots that generate from different sides of the screen as
players use another robot probe to navigate levels, destroy generators
and pick up power pickups that can be used to upgrade to specials
weapons and defensive devices.
The action starts as it should in a moderate pace.
This soon picks up as more enemy enters the room though. Enemy with
different abilities, some just come bouncing at you. While others have
lasers to attack you with, and other still have a force shield to guard
against your laser fire. Don’t get me started on those deadly missiles
that track your probe…. The result is the same as they run into your
robot probe they explode and do some damage. The world slows down for a
few moments in these instances. Paying attention only to the generators
and letting the room fill up with enemy is just asking to be destroyed.
Things pick up speed as they start coming at you from all sides. Things
can get bloody hectic. Loving it.
The story line is basic as is the game dialogue. It
does not have to be deep here. Remember the days of coin op games when
you crammed quarter after quarter into the game machine just to try to
play longer and get to the next level? It was fun, it was addictive, the
dialogue made you smile because there was nothing deep there. It did not
take itself seriously and it should not. Hexodius captures that feel
very well.
Fred is the main robot in the story and is also the
one that creates the Robot Probe B.O.B.
Fred explains that a fuse has blown in the main AI
causing it to go into some wacked out rogue. The labs exploded and
different parts ended up in different dimensions. Now to escape and
maybe sets things right B.O.B the robot probe must adventure through the
different levels fighting through the enemy robots that the rogue A.I.
is sending to destroy the probe and Fred. The enemy is varied indeed
with a total of 25 different types all out to destroy the players probe
robot.
The world map is laid out in hex graphs, as the
player moves onto a new section they are either sent into a new area to
clear, or have a save/repair station marked on the hex map. Save/repair
locations are great because if the probe is destroyed the save/ repair
station is where they restart from. In whatever health they are in at
the time of the original save. Players can also opt to fully repair the
probe before moving on. Other than new area sections and save/ repair
hex’s there are also Fred Store locations where the player can purchase
upgrade parts for the probe. There are four slots in all; mixing it up
from defensive and offensive equipment from remote detonating mines to
force shields. There are 40 customization items and upgrades to use.
Even with new things once in a while thrown at you;
there were the same objectives in each room feel to it repeated over and
over again. Thankfully the different enemy, and the area map looks
provide a bit of change, but not by much. For a pick up and play and
walk away distraction Hexodius fits the bill and is a solid arcade game.
Have fun, play games
Edwin Millheim
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