Savage Moon – PS3 – Review

On a distant moon, money needs to
be made. But like any financial venture, there are risks, it’s just normally
you wouldn’t think of risks to include giant insects threatening your facility
and employees. Yet here you are, on some moon half way across
the universe building towers equipped with weapons to keep kamikaze insects
form blowing up your mining installation.

If you played the other
downloadable game available on the Sony store, Pixeljunk Monsters, then you
are going to be in familiar territory. While the game is set in the same sort
of tower defense genre, there is considerably more depth found here. Whereas
Pixeljunk Monsters is almost cartoonish, here the blood flows often. In Savage
Moon, you must stop swarms of insects from destroying the base by building
towers with various weaponry on them. Taking into account that the insects
come in different forms and usually from different locations, from wave to
wave, you will need to be on your toes. One time your machine gun turrets will
be used effectively against some crawling bugs but then since the next wave is
flying bugs you had better have some anti-aircraft guns loaded up and ready to
go to. As each wave comes, it’s up to you to place these turret towers in
strategically significant places. But since you are only allotted so many in
between waves, you have to place them well. Additionally, as time goes on, you
can purchase upgrades and other towers as long as your facility is making
money from the insects you kill. It’s one of those circle-of-life things – you
kill bugs, to make money, to buy more towers to kill more bugs.

At this point, you should
understand that this is pretty much a go-for-gonzo style title. The waves get
more intense and sometimes boss insects find their way onto the map.
Additionally, different types of insects begin making a bum rush for the
factory, causing your turrets to become undecided as to which target to
attack. This can cause some frustration as there is no ability to specify an
enemy or to even take a turret over and begin shooting yourself. Add to this
the ability to augment your shooting style so that you get more cash for your
kills, or increase your firepower or shields, although doing this though
decreases the other stats since you can only choose one or two of the options
at any one time. I know, this sounds a bit confusing, but think of it this
way, if you select the additional cash augment, then your firepower and armor
go down meaning you don’t shoot as fast, and enemies can harm your towers
easier. Its a gamble, but if you pull it off, you will make a lot more money.
The same applications can be used if you select additional firepower, you may
increase your kill ability but you would get less money. And while this is an
option for play, I could only use it a couple of times effectively where I
wasn’t jeopardizing the facility. After each level is successfully completed,
bonuses and medals are awarded.

For $9.99 the game is pretty
sharp; of course if you do buy it, it took like 90 minutes to download the
darn thing (wireless) so play something else while it downloads. Regardless
though, the game has pretty tight graphics. As you progress from moon to moon,
the landscape changes and the bugs get meaner and meaner. The facilities are
very modern looking with looks of steel walls and appearances, the game owes a
lot to the movies Starship Troopers and Aliens. Game speed is fast and furious
and there is no slowdown even when 60 bugs are roaming across the landscape.
Since the game is viewed from a movable 3/4 view, you can circle the playing
area and get a good idea of what may be in storm. Cool, "guts" effects, bright
popping particles and a nifty level design put this up with one of the better
looking downloadable titles. Honestly, they could package it and easily get
$20 for it, maybe even $30.

To go with these surprisingly good
graphics comes some surprisingly good audio. Insects will scream when turned
into bloody pulp and the tell-tale sounds of massive wings buzzing let you
know its time to look skyward. A pumping soundtrack and clean sounding sound
effects round out this game’s audio portion. I don’t understand how they can
get so much more noise to come out when the boxed titles drop the ball so
often.

There is lots to be excited about
with Savage Moon. I can’t say that it is perfect – a multiplayer option would
have been nice – but the game is what it is, and what it is is a good solid
title with plenty of life in it. Players will appreciate (I know I did) the
little things like the different weapon towers, the strategy you can
implement. Heck, even the bugs get smarter and will try circumventing your
defenses, and even start shooting back. The game can be beaten though, it is
possible and there is a way to ensure that the insect hordes find their way
to a fluid-like state permanently. Because in the end, you doing it for big
business, and nothing stops big business.

Gameplay: 7.8
Its got more depth than I expected; call in the enemies earlier with
technology, reinforce your weapons, heck even change things up so you make
more money. There is plenty to do in a title that you wouldn’t normally
expect.

Graphics: 8.0
Hey, I thought they were great –
the lava, the smoking terrain, the gun turrets smoking from all the shooting,
the anti-aircraft explosions, lasers, it gets crazy and I like crazy.

Sound: 7.4
"Squuueeeeeaaaaalllll" as the
insect do when they die a hot leaded death.

Difficulty: Medium
You may get frustrated, but its
worth the challenge to push past some of the stickier situations.

Concept: 7.0
It’s the second title I have
reviewed in this vein, but its all business, and baby, business is good.

Overall: 7.7
A fun and fast game, the graphics,
gameplay and sound are all above board on this one. Easily worth the ten
bucks.