One of the last remaining un-reviewed games from the Indie Games Winter Uprising, “Alpha Squad” is an enjoyable multiplayer co-op romp with both offline and online multiplayer. Oh, and singleplayer if you’re into that.
The game plays a bit like a twin-stick version of classic top-down shooters like cult classic Commodore 64 hit “Into the Eagles Nest” (well, it was on other systems too, but that’s where I played it). The game, interestingly, has a bit of an evolving narrative, with in-game actions affecting the story and opening side-quests (or not). There’s a weapon’s shop for upgrades between missions, “Total Carnage”-style. Like with another recent review, I could live without the buxom women and the general oversexualisation of everything. If you’re anything like me, whether you enjoy the game or not will depend in part of your ability to ignore this or not.
In the end though, the gameplay shines through. If you’re looking for something that’s halfway between Robotron 2084 and Hunter: The Reckoning, then you’ve found all 240 Microsoft Points of it.
Here’s what the developer (DragonDivide) has to say about the game:
“In a desolate future world ruled by a military dictatorship known as the Alliance, a team of mercenaries become unlikely heroes when they are marked for death… Take on the role of Alpha Squad: Clint, Jin, Lynx and their disposable sidekick Lackey, as they fight their way across the world searching for who put the price on their heads.”
Writings of Mass Deduction 