Writings of Mass Deduction

With a sense of humour that satirises dozens of games, and gameplay that might remind most of Contra (but, having been a Commodore 64 and Amiga fan, reminds me more of Turrican), “Plague” is an enjoyable 80 Microsoft Point romp as you select a character and shoot your way through long and amusing levels.

There’s an innovation here I’ve never seen in side-scrolling, foot-based shooters like this: a button that locks you in place, so that you can shoot more accurately without accidentally moving further down the level than you planned. It’s an interesting feature, and one I would like to see other developers experiment with.

With local multiplayer support for up to four co-op players, with a good variety of both standard and unusual weapons (including a portal-shooting gun), and controls that let you shoot in all 8 primary directions, this game has a lot to offer.

Here’s what the developer (Contagious Games) has to say about the game:

“A devastating computer virus has brought the world to its knees. As the world’s only functioning anti-virus, it’s up to you to save the world, one computer at a time.”