Game:

Cargo Commander (2012)

Category:

Review

Duration: 26:45

656 views

7

I'm playing Cargo Commander, a platform game by Serious Brew and Digital Tribe. In the game, you traverse large structures in space searching for cargo containers, eventually discovering a sector key to unlock an additional set of levels. The levels are generated based on their name, which allows for high replay value with online high score comparison. Gathering new cargo types unlocks new abilities and upgrades. While each set of structures will collapse after an amount of time, a "journey" mode allows you to explore with no time limit. Cargo Commander does not have any difficulty settings, so you can get stuck if you happen to choose overly challenging layouts. The control scheme uses the WASD keys to move and the mouse to aim, which works well. Your character can shoot various weapon types (nailgun, shotgun, mines) at enemies that populate each room, and you can drill almost anywhere to make your own path between structures. Each room also has its own gravity, which adds a unique sense of disorientation as you explore. You can also float in space (until you run out of oxygen), which allows you to skip around structures and enter where you choose. There are some stability problems (occasional crashes plus instances of not finding the online server, losing all of your hard-earned progress), but the unique elements of Cargo Commander make it stand out in the platformer genre. Cargo Commander maintains originality thanks to its gravity-bending, randomly generated, destructible level design.