A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda

About

"A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda" is a side-scrolling action game with robot-combat focused gameplay. As the titular character A.R.E.S., players must save humanity from extinction by battling enemies with an array of weapons and abilities. The game features hand-drawn backgrounds and detailed character designs, with a focus on fast-paced combat and exploration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 742 reviews

music56 positive mentions

grinding20 negative mentions

Nice visuals that combine 2D sprites with low poly 3D environments, creating a cool retro look.
Good soundtrack reminiscent of Megaman X, enhancing the overall experience.
Fun gameplay with a nostalgic feel for fans of classic platformers like Megaman.

The game is too short, with only a few levels that can be completed quickly.
Controls can be clunky, leading to frustrating moments, especially with jumping mechanics.
The crafting system feels unnecessary and hinders the pace of the game.

music
126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
2%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic and nostalgic qualities reminiscent of classic titles like Mega Man X. While some players find the soundtrack to be a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience, others describe it as hit or miss, with certain tracks being forgettable. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a significant aspect of the game, contributing to its appeal, especially for fans of retro-style music.
- “While the game is great, the music is what sells it.”
- “I would recommend this game on its soundtrack alone, especially if you ever liked the 16-bit Mega Man X music.”
- “One of the best aspects of the game is its soundtrack, which is free to listen to here: http://hyperduck.bandcamp.com/album/a-r-e-s-extinction-agenda. Electric guitar combines with industrial synth to amplify the already intense environment.”
- “The controls are stiff, level design that aren't very fun, finding secrets feel more like a chore, the characters are bland and uninteresting (not to mention the art style in the EX version is much worse), and the music is forgettable.”
- “Seriously, the jumping is wonky, the shooting handles poorly, and the art style is the definition of unimaginative (and pretty lazily animated in most cases), the music all sounds like drunken remixes of Sonic 2's casino levels, and the game's larger design concepts are a mishmash of thrown together ideas that amateurs would think are cool but just lead to a muddled mess.”
- “Music and sounds don't complement each other.”
gameplay
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
69%
2%
The gameplay has been described as a mix of fun and frustration, with comparisons to classic titles like Mega Man, featuring solid mechanics and a variety of weapons. However, issues such as floaty shooting, awkward controls, and a reliance on grinding detract from the overall experience, making it feel unoriginal and at times tedious. While the graphics and sound are praised, the gameplay's short length and some poorly integrated mechanics leave room for improvement.
- “The gameplay is nice and fun; just be sure that you have a gaming keyboard that allows you to press a few keys at once.”
- “It looks great, has solid gameplay featuring some cool weapons, and decent level design.”
- “Overall, the gameplay remains solid and plays to its best points, though there are speed bumps along the way.”
- “But I've had to stop myself short since the combination of the poor mechanics and design choices told me that this was going to be a game that was going to be a chore to go through.”
- “The gameplay is unoriginal, jumping between platforms is difficult at times, the enemies are boring, and attacks from the final boss are hectic and near impossible to dodge.”
- “The mechanics are a little tricky, particularly the grenade jump (combined with the fact that grenades are limited and a bit uncommon to find) can make some sections frustrating.”
graphics
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant and colorful art style, as well as high-resolution visuals that evoke nostalgia for classic titles like Mega Man. However, criticisms include inconsistent quality, janky animations, and a lack of visual clarity in certain elements, leading to a somewhat cluttered aesthetic. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good, they are marred by issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “Pros: the game is quite colorful, and sports a very vibrant aesthetic.”
- “The artwork is heartbreakingly beautiful and it controls very well.”
- “In screenshots and stills, the game looks marvelous, and rightfully so; the environments are carefully detailed, maintaining a consistent art style that's a pleasure to look at.”
- “The art style lacks visual clarity.”
- “Way too short, too boring, the customization is laughable, and the graphics look like cardboard cutouts pasted on top of each other.”
- “Seriously, the jumping is wonky, the shooting handles poorly, and the art style is the definition of unimaginative (and pretty lazily animated in most cases).”
story
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
66%
10%
The game's story is generally considered weak and underdeveloped, often described as forgettable and cliché, with many players feeling it lacks depth and engagement. While some appreciate the intriguing premise and the cutscenes that advance the narrative, the overall consensus is that the story is too short and simplistic, failing to leave a lasting impression. Despite its shortcomings, the gameplay and visuals receive praise, suggesting that the story serves more as a backdrop to the action rather than a focal point.
- “Ares itself is nice looking and the story is decent enough for the type of game it is; what will get you, of course, are the boss battles; they are fun.”
- “An interesting story, cool boss fights, and really great artwork.”
- “The 2.5D graphics are great, the controls are fun, the design is great, and the story intrigues me.”
- “The story is weak; the game is short and it is overly easy; however, the gameplay is colorful.”
- “The controls aren't great, the gameplay is repetitive, and the story is so boring they might as well have just left it out entirely.”
- “And the story is pretty forgettable, and ends on a cliffhanger that seems unlikely to ever be picked up again.”
replayability
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily due to its short 2-3 hour campaign, but players can find value in completing side quests, upgrading weapons, and achieving high scores. While some may find the experience enjoyable enough to revisit, others may feel that the lack of a compelling storyline and clunky controls detract from the incentive to replay. Overall, it provides a decent amount of replay value for those who appreciate challenges and collectibles, but it may not satisfy everyone.
- “All in all, I was able to finish the game fairly quickly, but for gamers that like completing all the side stuff and maxing out your abilities, this title will provide plenty of replayability without you having to sacrifice hundreds of hours.”
- “Although there is a lot of replayability if you want to upgrade all your weapons, find all the secrets, and get a perfect score on each level, along with other achievements.”
- “It's short, I will admit, but it is well worth it for the replayability, rocking soundtrack, crisp graphics, and polished gameplay.”
- “You can beat this in an afternoon, but there's really no replay value to it.”
- “Replay value: 2/5 (will likely get less frustrating as you learn to compensate for the clunky controls, and since the storyline isn't that great, a replay will likely be just to see if you can beat earlier runs)”
- “It's a short game but there is some replay value if you liked it enough to go back and find all the secrets.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, often requiring excessive time to upgrade weapons and characters. While the respawning enemies make grinding easier, the overall gameplay is described as frustrating due to clunky controls and a reliance on grinding to extend playtime. Despite some enjoyable elements, the grinding detracts from the overall experience, leading to a sense of stagnation.
- “The enemies do respawn as soon as they're off screen, so grinding is at least easy enough, but again it's not what I want from a game like this.”
- “Item/character upgrades are incredibly grindy and, for some silly reason, all require way too much of all three types of currency.”
- “The game relies on grinding to extend gameplay (what I call 'game time through attrition').”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that the character designs are exceptional, contributing positively to the overall experience of the game. While the focus is primarily on the visual aspect of character design, it is noted that this quality enhances the storytelling and replay value.
- “A truly amazing game, a good story, good character design, and best of all, it can give hours of replay time.”
- “Character designs are great.”
- “The character design is great nonetheless.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to have significant stability issues, with users highlighting numerous bugs and glitches that persist despite its age. Overall, the game's stability is considered poor.
- “It is years old, and it is buggy beyond belief.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is primarily derived from the comedic elements of shooting robot enemies and the amusing use of "Engrish," which adds a lighthearted and entertaining touch to the gameplay experience.
- “It's funny to shoot robot enemies XD.”
- “Also, the Engrish is hilarious.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is well-crafted and sets the stage for a deeper narrative, but players feel let down by its brevity, as it ultimately fails to expand on the intriguing hints it presents.
- “The atmosphere is appropriate, and the game feels like it should allude to much more coming. That said, the game is quite short and never goes further on the story.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Reviews suggest that the game's monetization strategy may prioritize profit over quality, with some players feeling it was designed to be short and lacking depth as a means to encourage quick purchases.
- “Sometimes it feels like the game was purposefully made short for the intent of a quick cash grab, despite having the bare minimum qualities to shine.”
- “The monetization strategy seems to prioritize profit over player experience, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “It often feels like the game is designed to push players towards microtransactions rather than providing a complete experience upfront.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartbreakingly beautiful artwork, which resonates deeply with players and enhances the overall experience. Additionally, the game's controls are noted for their effectiveness, allowing players to engage more fully with the emotional narrative.
- “The artwork is heartbreakingly beautiful and it controls very well.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is criticized for enforcing a ranking system that requires players to complete stages quickly while also necessitating grinding for enemy kills and achieving flawless boss fights, leading to a frustrating experience.
- “One of the worst things I hate in video games is getting ranked on my performance every stage, and this game does exactly that. The only way to get max ranks is to beat the stages quickly, but you have to grind enemies to kill to reach a specific quota. After all of that, you have to finish off the stage's boss without taking a single hit.”