I stumbled across this gem of a game while searching for something to play on my old laptop. AstroMenace is an overhead shooter that plays a lot like the arcade shooters of old, but with all the graphical bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from newer games. Like Galaga you’ll be blasting wave after wave of enemies who, luckily, only seem to attack using very specific patterns.

If you’re looking for something revolutionary, this game may not be your cup of tea. This is an old school arcade style shooter through and through. You’ll see different baddies coming at you as you progress through the game and you’ll be blasting away with different coloured weapons, but for the most part you’ll be doing the same thing through each level. If you’re of the mind that modern games are getting too complicated this may be just the game for you.

Where AstroMenace manages to differentiate itself from old school shooters (apart from sexy 3d graphics) is in the weaponry. Players obtain money for each ship they manage to blast out of the sky which can be spent between levels on a very extensive list of upgradeable weapons. You’ll start the game with a simple homing missile and standard laser blasters mounted to your ship, but it won’t be long before you’re packing enough heat to take on an imperial starship. That’s when things get really fun.

As I mentioned previously, AstroMenace is very solid graphically. In fact, it’s one of the best looking indie games I’ve ever seen. Perhaps it’s not quite on the same level as something like Super Stardust HD, but it’s easily on par most modern shooters. One thing I noticed that really made the graphics stand out was that the levels don’t all feel the same. This is a problem with so many shooters that’s easily remedied here by simply changing up the terrain now and then.

There’s an AstroMenace demo available on the official site. The full version costs $19.95 US and can be downloaded on the official site as well. Lucky Linux users can pick up the whole game for free, but of course, donations are accepted. The demo is a small download and the system requirements are very light. Give it a try if you’re up for some old school shooting action with a modern twist. You might just like what you see.

Download It Here