This is probably a game that has flown under a lot of people’s radars, I hadn’t even heard of it until I was asked to review it, but I think it’s something that a lot of people can enjoy. Developed by Cybernate, Super Mutant Alien Assault is a platformer that serves as an upgraded version of another game called Mutant Alien Assault. Though not entirely a sequel, the developer took their knowledge from creating the first game and turned it into something that more reflected their original vision.
The beginning of the game sets up the story nicely with a short cutscene and voice over. After aliens attacked Earth, three spaceships carrying the remaining humans in cryofreeze fled to different galaxies in search of a new planet to call home. You are tasked with playing as a security droid to defend these ships after the aliens begin tracking them down. It’s a simple premise, and one that’s surely been done dozens of times before – defend humans from an alien assault – but it fits well with the type of game that it is, and it wouldn’t be out of place if you had played it twenty years ago in an arcade.
If you happen to play it through on your first try without dying, you won’t be seeing all that the game has to offer. Each level is randomly generated – which is a godsend considering there are only twelve levels total – and I don’t remember ever playing the exact same level twice. Unfortunately, this random generation doesn’t really affect gameplay all that much. The layout of the room may be different, some new enemies or small objectives may spawn, but you’re still jumping between a few platforms spamming the trigger to shoot. Different types of weapons can be unlocked, but you’re at the whim of the vending machines in each level so you can’t count on necessarily getting anything good that will help you.
The graphics and music are the highlights of Super Mutant Alien Assault. The graphics tend to emulate a retro style, but they look infinitely more crisp and vibrant than anything you’d see decades ago. Its colorful levels benefit the game greatly. The music in-game is upbeat and the fast tempo matches the hectic gameplay once more and more enemies swarm a level.
I had fun playing Super Mutant Alien Assault, I just wish that there was more to it. Its story, gameplay, and art style are throwbacks to older arcade titles but it is hard for those same elements to hold up against other games nowadays. Everything in the game is done well for what the developer was trying to create, it just lacks any depth that some people may prefer.
Summary
If you’re looking for a game that provides a quick arcade experience, then Super Mutant Alien Assault is the game for you. While it is extremely short and can surely be beaten between thirty minutes and an hour if you’re a great player, it does offer replay value with its randomly generated levels and co-op mode. Super Mutant Alien Assault is easy to enjoy and a good title for anyone looking for a game that doesn’t require a lot of energy or focus.
Jennifer is a games journalist, former games journalist and PR Manager at Gearbox. They contributed 234 articles to ICXM between 2015–2017, focused on opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news: went on to write for Windows Central and later managed PR for Gearbox Software.