Undertow
Score: 90% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Chair Entertainment Developer: Chair Entertainment Media: Download/1 Players: 1 - 2; 2 - 16 (Online) Genre: Shooter
Graphics & Sound: I came away from my first few minutes of Undertow disappointed. But, much like another game I reviewed this month, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, I'm glad that I have to play a good bit of the game before putting words to paper (or text window, as the case may be) becuase somewhere in the hub-controlling chaos that is a typical game of Undertow, something just "clicked". Although Undertow is presented in 2D, Chair's artist team did everything they could to get the most out of the visuals. The only complaint I really have is that everything is so small. While I get that they're small to get the most out of the play field, unless you're using one of the bigger units, it is can be hard to find exactly where you are on the screen, especially when units cluster up around an area and start shooting. The accompanying explosions are beautiful, especially when set against the otherwise murky colors, though they do add to the clutter. Not being able to tell what is going on does, however, give the game a fun sense of suspense while you wait to see if your unit squirts out of the chaos, or is forced to respawn. The one element I like the most about Undertow's graphics is the feeling of depth in each level. The dark colors keep things from popping off the screen; instead they help create a feeling of depth. This is especially noticeable in later maps where you'll see units darting behind and between ruined temples. There's music is Undertow, though it isn't very noticeable, especially during gameplay. The only thing you'll hear throughout most of the game are explosions and the tell-tale chime informing you that you're either about to capture a spawn point or lose one. Though I couldn't begin to explain the game's story, there are story sequences inserted between levels. The voicework is okay, though some of the dialogue is unintentionally goofy or just overplayed.
Gameplay: Of the two play modes available in Undertow, multiplayer is the more entertaining. Unfortunately, it also seems like the least played since it has proven difficult to find a game. However, I've had this problem with a number Live Arcade games, or at least the ones I really like (Puzzle Quest in particular) since I can rarely find someone to play with. However, don't let the lack of hype fool you - Undertow is a great game. The concept behind Undertow is simple: shoot the other guy and control nodes on the map to cut off your opponent's reinforcements. Each side begins a match with an equal number of points that act as a sort of life meter. Each time you or one of your units die, they are respawned at a node under you control. Once an army reaches zero, or a side controls all the nodes on the field, they're defeated. Nodes constantly switch between sides, adding a fun tug-of-war element to gameplay. There are four units you can use during battle, each with their own advantages. Bigger units have more hit points and do more damage, but their movement and shot speeds are both really slow. Other units are powerful and shoot fast, but have limited range. As you destroy enemies and capture nodes, you'll earn points that allow you to upgrade units. Each unit can be upgraded a total of three times per match, granting it better stats and a visual makeover. The latter doesn't matter much to gameplay, but its cool seeing what looks like a dolphin turn into what looks like a hammerhead shark (arrg.. damn the small unit sizes). Undertow also features a few boss levels that feel like they were wedged in because someone thought they had to be. Except for the last boss, there isn't much strategy to boss fights since you're just swarming around them unit you can whittle away their life points. If I had to give a reason for not liking Undertow early on, it is the lack of an early punch. Gameplay starts slow, presumably to let players adjust to the gameplay. While there's merit to the practice, Undertow isn't that complicated a game, so all the slow start really manages to accomplish is keeping players from seeing what the game is really about. This is okay for "core" releases, but given the game's more casual feel, it really needs to be fun all of the time, not just towards the middle or end.
Difficulty: Undertow is a well crafted and balanced game. It is easy to tell that a lot of work went into making sure that all of the maps were fun, yet fair for each side. There are no map-breaking choke points or areas that immediately mean dominance if you nab them. There's a bit of strategy to deciding which nodes to grab since some are easier to defend than others - especially ones that are clustered together. Of course, the smaller areas are also where the game is the most fun since nodes will constantly switch ownership. Four difficulty levels are available and each lives up to its name. However, all four also suffer from one common problem, ally A.I. Your other units are really good about pitching in, but there are times where you'll feel like the only one doing any work. This isn't a problem in multiplayer; at least if there's communication on the team.
Game Mechanics: Undertow uses the now-familiar dual-analog shooter mechanic found in a number of games on Live Arcade, like Geometry Wars. The left analog stick moves and pressing the right analog stick shoots in whatever direction you're pointing. As with other games that use the scheme, this gives you the freedom to move in one direction while shooting in another - which comes in handy when enemies are attacking from below or behind. You can also use the right trigger to gain a boost of speed or the left trigger to drop a bomb that clears out any enemies unfortunate enough to be in the blast radius. Each of the four units is assigned a direction on the D-pad; you can swap out what unit you're play as at any time by going to a spawn point and pressing (A). If you earn an upgrade during battle, you just have to press (Y), though upgrading during battle isn't a smart thing since it takes your attention away from combat - usually resulting in your death. Though I can't think of a better way to handle it, leveling up is awkward and doesn't feel like it fits all that well. I really wish I saw more people playing Undertow online since it easily ranks among the Live Arcade's best games. Although I can see why few are playing (there isn't much that grabs you at the start), Undertow is still worth the time investment. Even if you already downloaded the demo and decided against a purchase, give it another try before completely writing it off.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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