While it fails to innovate the formula on all fronts, there’s no denying that it’s a formula that still works, even after decades of carbon copies and imitators. With a few simple additions, this neo-arcade shooter calls for age-old skills that would make any arcade disciple smile, if not outright grin. While this annoyance was negligible, it did disturb the rhythm of the experience. After picking up a shield power-up, its obnoxious sound effect kept roaring through my speakers through an evident succession of enemy waves. I was surprised, however, to bump into a minor sound bug that occurred twice in my overall playthrough with the game. Its retro-contemporary appeal gives it a comfortable sense of age that performs well on all three PlayStation devices, although the game does not push the hardware by any means. Turn game’s aesthetic is coated with pixel-layered visuals and 8-bit sound effects. The game will restart and relocate you to Earth after completing the final stage as a means to further increase your score, which adds just a hint of longevity to the already brief experience. The game’s five worlds are loaded with its own set of waves and a closing boss, each posing an increased difficulty as you progress through the awfully short campaign. Enemies are diverse, with alien soldiers parachuting below, gifting you with cash bonuses, or with ships snaking across the screen in every direction. You’ll begin your voyage on Earth, and the more gunfire you rake on the game’s descending baddies, the further you ascend towards your final destination at Titan–rendering enemy lines to heaps of pixel-popping debris along the way. With respect to locale, Titan Attacks pits you against adversaries from Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, thus purposing the title. The frustration of maintaining your combo will challenge you in later stages when gunfire gets much too frenzied and near impossible to evade, but this system provides a much-needed oomph that keeps your twitch reflexes in tune. The benefit of sustaining a healthy combo counter not only affects the score multiplier, but also increases the amount of money you receive for upgrades. This number racks up after every flawless wave and caps out at nine, but it will drop to zero the moment your space tank takes a hit. Your combo counter will only increase if you wipe out an alien wave without getting hit. The game also sports a combo system that brings the competition to all high-score seekers.

This ultra-familiar portrait does little to impress, but thankfully the addictive, score-chasing objective and reflex-dependent gameplay still remains very much intact. Much like in its pixelated ancestors, you captain a single vehicle that serves as Earth’s protector against extraterrestrial invaders from the starry skies above. Right from the start you’ll take notice of the game’s familiar dressing, from the laser-filled skies to the 8-bit sounds.

Both simplistic and archaic by design, this faithful little Cross-Buy title pays homage to some of the most cherished contributors to its genre, but without trying to enhance the formula with something unique of its own. The game’s inspiration is pulled directly from retromania, taking many cues from classics like Space Invaders and Galaga. There is no greater way to honor your most revered inspiration than with a bona fide tribute, and both Puppygames and Curve Studios shoot for the stars with Titan Attacks, a clear preserver of the old-school, intergalactic arcade shooter.

Titan attacks ps4 buy