The phrase, “Save The Last Humans,” echoes from the weighty Dualshock 4 as you start the game and serves as a reminder as you enter each new level. More than simply a quest, a mission, or a mantra, these simple sounding four words define your existence within Resogun and, to a point, decide how far you progress and your ultimate fate.
Taking its cues from the shoot em up games of old and new, Resogun puts you in control of several flavors of aircraft, each with their own stats in agility (overall maneuverability), boost and overdrive.
The game is played on a cylindrical shaped field (just go with me on this), and you pilot your ship left or right around the field, a bit like a moon orbiting a planet. Along the way, you shoot pretty much anything that moves, collecting power ups and watching things explode into bright colorful firework-like bursts. You can use bombs, which clear the screen of enemies, as well as boost, which sends your ship into Warp 9 mode for a limited time, slicing through enemies like a hot knife through butter. You also have access to your overdrive, which is like your ships’ ultimate weapon, so to speak. It can easily clear out groups of hostile forces and recharges over time, plus it can also be upgraded to cooler looking and more powerful versions.
Its actually an ingenious way to play a shooter, as the play field itself expands during certain key moments, like larger than life boss battles, which fill up the entire screen. Saving tiny humans from the threat of ever looming flashing UFO’s is always one of your primary goals, so you have to be constantly on your guard, lest one of the little fellows gets nabbed and you’re rewarded with a somber, “human lost” message. There’s a certain irony in portraying the humans as little green men.
Graphically, the game is a feast for the eyes. A myriad of colors pop out of ships, both large and small, whizzing onto the screen. Many ships, referred to as “keepers” in game have a radioactive like green glow around them, making them easily identifiable, while also contrasting nicely with the blues and purples of their hulls. Explosions are always a treat, the bursts from downed ships sometimes falling to the ground like tiny dazzling multicolored stars. Boss battles are epic in scale and scope, with those explosions filling the screen like a fourth of July spectacular.
The backdrops are an interesting blend of locales, like ruined cities and power plant like structures. You’ll watch day turn to night and rain pound the pavement as you soar along, never more than a mere moment from your next fleeting victory or agonizing defeat.
Aurally, everything sounds quite nice. Laser blasts bounce off heftier ships’ hulls and tear through weaker ships with a satisfying blast. The background music serves to keep your heart pumping and your ship moving, lest you fall prey to one of the hundreds of swiftly moving enemies, always on the lookout for their next kill. The on your toes score changes to a more ominous version when a boss battle starts, often setting the stage for an appropriately challenging fight.
There are a few different ways to enjoy your Resogun experience, however. Whether its straight up Arcade mode, pick your poison by selecting your level, or enjoying some old school style Online Co Op, there’s fun to be had by almost anyone.
With only three ships and five levels, you may think that Resogun would be short lived, but you would be wrong. With multiple difficulty levels and a dazzling visual style, Resogun is a game that almost begs to be replayed. Long after the final explosion has faded to black, you’ll still be soaring above the rain soaked ruins, your ships’ laser tearing through hordes of enemies. “Just one more human,” you’ll think. “Just one more.”