By Matt Calamia
Note: This is a review of the PC/Mac versions of the game. It is also available on XBLA)
Being a Mac owner, Steam is a new medium for me. Sure, back in the early 2000s I briefly played me some Counter-Strike on the service, but never really explored Steam for what it is. Fast forward to 2010, and I’m experiencing the iTunes-like games store for the first time, and seeing why every gamer around the world loves it so much.
The first game I decided to check out was Madballs in…Babo: Invasion. There was no real reason other than it was cheap, and I could run it on my Macbook. I think it may have been the best $3 I’ve ever spent on a game.The game itself is an alien shooter. You control a ball (mine character was an eye-ball), and you go around different environments blasting other ball-shaped enemies, using shotguns, machine guns, pistols and grenades, until they pop like a balloon, shooting their guts and blood everywhere.
Babo's invasion has great play physics. . Being a the round shape that you are, when you fire your weapon, there is a kickback effect that causes you to roll back a little before regaining your “footing.” I think this is a great idea, and one that not enough games use. When you fire a weapon, you should feel the power behind it, and Madballs does a good job with it.
Being a ball causes some difficultly when navigating over bridges and narrow ledges. You have to be quick with your keyboard to stay the platform, or you’re doomed to fall off and restart.
The game doesn’t offer much difficulty. You never go too far without being offered health boosts and what not, which gives you the sense that you can just run-and-gun throughout the entire level. Don’t get me wrong, I hate dying just as much as the next guy, but it really limits the strategy involved in the game.
The levels designs is one of the big selling points for me as well. They aren’t the best looking environments, but their structure is what makes me enjoy them. There are certain areas that you cannot access until you do something else. They throw in different tiers, including bridges and ramps over walls.
Madballs never takes itself too seriously, which I like in this type of game. Sure, it is a shooter, and there is some blood and guts, but it is all in good clean fun. The game has been on sale for weeks now- $4.99 as of print-, and if you’re looking for a fun little shooter that has a more light-hearted feel to it, I would recommend it. I think some people will get bored with the lack of difficulty like I did, but you can still find some charm in Playbrains’ top-down shooter.
Final Score: BCheck out http://www.thewarpzone.wordpress.com for other reviews and impressions including our weekly podcast available on iTunes