Martian Panic - Game Review

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Veteran Game

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Published on July 8, 2023 5:00:24 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu5H0UcDOIY

Game:

Martian Panic (2010)

Category:

Review

Duration: 4:43

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Martian Panic - Game Review

Greetings, gaming enthusiasts! Welcome back to the Veteran Game channel. Today, we're suiting up and preparing for an extraterrestrial invasion, courtesy of NYX Digital Ltd and Funbox Media Ltd. We're taking a look at the arcade shooter, Martian Panic, released on June 30th this year and available on Steam for all you rail shooter aficionados.

Now, I've got to admit, I haven't spent a ton of time in the rail shooter genre. The last memorable journey I took into this type of gameplay was Silent Hill. Many arcade tokens were sacrificed for that experience, I can tell you. But I felt it was high time to give the genre another shot, and Martian Panic, with its whacky characters and fun visuals, seemed like the perfect candidate.

Martian Panic is a veritable Martian fiesta, featuring a host of unique characters such as a traveling salesman or a teenage girl who is, believe it or not, an alien in disguise. The gameplay doesn't advantage any particular character, the differences are mainly in the audio, which makes for a fun and varied experience. As you delve deeper into the game, you'll uncover the origin stories of these quirky characters. My personal favorite is the housewife, who's on a quest for revenge against the Martians for the unforgivable sin of obliterating her rose garden.

The game will have you shooting your way through eight distinct levels, from a nostalgic drive-in movie theatre to a bustling cityscape. The gameplay mechanism is simple: hover your cursor over Martians and let loose with a right-click. And when you're out of ammo, don't fret! Your gun will automatically reload. However, for a quicker reload, you'll want to do it manually by pressing "R".

During your frantic defense against the Martians, you'll encounter power-ups that you can obtain by saving the terrified citizens running away from the alien threat. But be warned, these citizens can be quite unpredictable, standing up at random moments and potentially blocking your shots. You can also find additional power-ups by blasting certain objects within the level.

Martian Panic boasts a variety of weapons, from the classic shotgun, which I felt could have had a better spread, to the powerful electrical rifle that can take out swathes of enemies in one or two hits. However, the game only allows you to carry two weapons at a time, and once you're out of ammo, you drop them.

Throughout your Martian Panic journey, you'll encounter diverse enemy types, from small green Martians and drones to larger, potato-like aliens who aren't shy about charging at you. You'll also face enemies that hurl projectiles, which, to my surprise, couldn't be shot down for defense. This resulted in more deaths than I would care to admit.

The game features two boss fights, which, in my opinion, lacked some punch. Between not being able to destroy flying projectiles and some enemies turning into bullet sponges, even on the lowest difficulty setting, the boss fights left me wanting more.

Where Martian Panic truly shines, however, is in its voice acting. The dialogue is well-delivered, and each character's voice truly brings their personality to life. The overall design of the characters and environments is fun and colourful, giving off a nostalgic, cartoony vibe reminiscent of early 2000s cartoons like Invader Zim or Cow & Chicken.

In terms of replayability, Martian Panic offers three difficulty levels and a series of challenges in each level, such as not killing civilians, minimizing environmental damage, and earning high scores. But without any rewards or unlocks to work towards, there's less incentive to tackle the harder difficulty settings.

In conclusion, Martian Panic is an accessible entry into the rail shooter genre, with enjoyable dialogue and visually pleasing aesthetics. Despite wishing for more unlockable content or game modes, it offered a solid gaming experience. If you're on the hunt for casual fun, or you're curious about dipping your toes into the rail shooter genre, then Martian Panic is worth a shot.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, gaming comrades! Have you tried Martian Panic? How about other rail shooters? Drop your recommendations and experiences in the comments below. And as always, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more game reviews and gaming content.

Keep gaming, stay safe, and remember - no matter the game, it's all about the fun you have while playing. Until next time, this is the Veteran Game channel, signing off!