AIPD
- January 29, 2016
- Blazing Badger
An Exercise in apathy, neither solid nor liquid. Not exactly bad, but not very good either. Just a bit 'meh,' really.
AIPD by Blazing Badger is a top-down coop twinstick shooter, where the player can design his own game mode out of 100.000 possible combinations. The visual style of AIPD is a hommage to 80’s neon art styles, pioneered by games like Minestorm on the Vectrex console system or feature films like Tron.
Reviews
- The game features six distinct unlockable weapons and passive abilities, allowing for interesting gameplay combinations.
- The fast-paced action and customizable gameplay provide a fun experience, especially in local multiplayer settings.
- The visuals and soundtrack are impressive, creating an engaging atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- The game is very short, with most players able to unlock everything within 2-3 hours, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- There is only one arena and one boss, resulting in repetitive gameplay without significant variety or additional modes.
- The lack of health regeneration and pickups makes it difficult to recover from mistakes, which can lead to frustrating gameplay.
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is reminiscent of classic arcade shooters like Geometry Wars, featuring a manageable difficulty curve and enjoyable visuals. While it may lack diverse game modes, it compensates with customizable options and a straightforward design that allows for quick entry and hours of fun, making it ideal for casual play with friends.
“The game shows a much more manageable pace and difficulty curve than many comparable titles, with arguably better visuals and gameplay.”
“A fun classic styled arcade shooter in design is similar to Geometry Wars if you like that aesthetic, the music is great, and the gameplay is simple enough for hours of enjoyment.”
“The gameplay is straightforward enough for players to get into the game quickly while having a fair amount of customizing options to make each game session different.”
“Though I will say that it doesn't have as many modes of gameplay, but the difficulty settings can make up for that.”
“The gameplay is straightforward enough for players to jump into the game quickly while having a fair amount of customizing options to make each game session different.”
“It feels a whole lot like a gameplay mode you'd find in Geometry Wars, which isn't a bad thing, particularly if you enjoy Geometry Wars.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally praised for being visually appealing and better than many similar titles, contributing to a more manageable pace and difficulty. However, some players feel that despite the nice visuals, the overall experience lacks enjoyment.
“The game shows a much more manageable pace and difficulty curve than many comparable titles, with arguably better visuals and gameplay.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its great soundtrack and ability to enhance the overall ambiance, contributing to an enjoyable experience reminiscent of classic arcade shooters like Geometry Wars. Players appreciate how the music complements the simple yet engaging gameplay, making it suitable for extended play sessions.
“Great soundtrack and overall ambiance.”
“A fun classic-styled arcade shooter with a design similar to Geometry Wars. If you like that aesthetic, the music is great, and the gameplay is simple enough for hours of enjoyment.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect appears to be limited, with users expressing frustration over restrictions on advertising their achievements and badges within the game. This suggests a lack of clear avenues for players to showcase their accomplishments or engage in promotional activities.
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by the introduction of negative modifiers, which heighten the sense of challenge and tension. Players experience increased frustration and urgency as they navigate obstacles that complicate gameplay, evoking a mix of anxiety and determination.
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely absent, with players noting that despite the trailer suggesting a narrative, it ultimately offers only a vague premise centered around shooting luminous polygons.
“The trailer made it look like there would be some form of story attached to the game, but there is none outside a vague premise to shoot luminous polygons.”
“The narrative is incredibly shallow, offering no real depth or engagement with the characters.”
“I expected a rich storyline, but instead, I was met with disjointed plot points that failed to connect.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for not allowing players to recover from poor performance, resulting in a lack of excitement and missed opportunities for comebacks, which diminishes the overall gameplay experience.
“The game lacks any real ability to bring yourself back from poor performance, so it misses out on the rush of a comeback that games like 'Crawl' do so well.”
“The optimization is severely lacking, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.”
“I often encounter performance issues that disrupt the flow of the game, making it hard to enjoy.”
Critic Reviews
AIPD Review
AIPD is a solidly-made twin-stick shooter with some nice ideas. The problem is that it just isn't fleshed out enough. Outside of the shooting action itself, the presentation is lacking to the point of being non-existent and unless you become hooked relatively early on and become determined to beat it on the hardest difficulty or are absolutely dead-set on getting to get to the top of the leaderboards, it isn't going to be on your playlist for long. What's here is great, it's just that there isn't enough of it.
60%Review: AIPD - Artificial Intelligence Police Department
An Exercise in apathy, neither solid nor liquid. Not exactly bad, but not very good either. Just a bit 'meh,' really.
55%