Blast Em!

About

Blast Em! is a single player action game. It was developed by Xiotex Studios Ltd and was released on January 22, 2014. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Blast Em!" is a fast-paced, action-packed shooting game where players navigate through levels while battling against hordes of enemies. Players can choose from a variety of weapons and power-ups as they try to survive and progress through each stage. With its retro-style graphics and challenging gameplay, "Blast Em!" offers a nostalgic and engaging experience for fans of classic shoot 'em ups.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

46%

Audience ScoreBased on 186 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

story4 negative mentions

Blast Em! is a simple and addictive game that can be enjoyed in short bursts, making it a good time-killer.
The game features a catchy soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Despite its flaws, some players find the challenge of achieving high scores and completing achievements engaging.

The game suffers from a lack of depth and variety, with repetitive gameplay and minimal content.
Many players experience frustrating bugs, including random deaths and issues with achievements not unlocking.
The mouse-only controls are imprecise and can lead to confusion, making the game difficult to enjoy.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
59%
13%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its simplicity and reliance on mouse movement for control, leading to a repetitive and mundane experience. While some appreciate the addictive nature and retro feel, others find the mechanics basic and the scoring system unsatisfying, with complaints about bugs and cluttered screens detracting from enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a straightforward but flawed gameplay experience that may appeal to some but falls short for others.
- “As for the gameplay, it is simple enough to understand and get used to.”
- “The addicting and challenging gameplay grows on you after you develop a strategy and come into your own play-style.”
- “Is an easy to get into, hard to master kind of game - its simple mechanics make it super easy to pick up, but the more you play, the more you learn that there's some mad skill needed to get to the end zone... if there is one.”
- “Mouse movement controls your ship and you cannot control firing at all; the screen becomes clustered very shortly into runs, gameplay itself is mundane, and the difficulty curve is considerably off.”
- “Combined with a clunky interface and minimalist gameplay, there were no shining elements that really make this game stand out, or even meet the par of similar games in this genre.”
- “Lame scoring system, repetitive gameplay, and that infamous bug that sometimes makes you game over even though nothing hits you at all... there are far better shooters out there on Steam, go for those instead.”
music
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
38%
14%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its enjoyable and engaging soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, while others find it repetitive and annoying. Many agree that the music is one of the game's stronger aspects, often overshadowing its simplistic gameplay and graphics. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated by some, it may not appeal to everyone due to its limited variety and potential for irritation over time.
- “The main key of the game lies in the music.”
- “In fact, I often find myself starting the game just to be able to listen to its great soundtrack.”
- “Love the music, the gameplay is rather addictive.”
- “Music is unbearable, art assets are non-existent, and the core 'auto-shooting, mouse-moves-ship, dodge-forever' game loop is phenomenally awful.”
- “The music in the game is terrible, the graphics simple and there is only mouse control - but what the hell, I paid less than a quid for it.”
- “For the most part, the music is bloody awful.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics of the game receive mixed to negative feedback, with many users describing them as basic, generic pixel art that lacks detail and variety. While some appreciate the retro aesthetic, others find the visuals unappealing and even disorienting, particularly in the backgrounds. Overall, the consensus suggests that the graphics do not meet modern standards and detract from the gameplay experience.
- “Great graphics and sound for a simple shmup; I would love to see the developer release a DLC for the soundtrack on Steam.”
- “Combined with the overall graphics style, especially in the background, it makes me wonder where this actually originates from.”
- “The graphics look average, but what's worse is that there's no real change of scenery; at least I didn't see it.”
- “The graphics aren't exactly next-gen, and the background makes you seasick if you stare at it too long.”
- “The visuals are extremely generic pixel art, the audio is utterly forgettable, and the controls feel stiff and unrefined.”
- “At first glance, this game doesn't amount to much; the graphics are terrible even at the highest setting.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The reviews consistently highlight a lack of story in the game, with many users noting that it is a generic shoot'em up with no narrative depth or engaging plot. While the Steam store page hints at a premise involving defending the universe from alien robots, players find that there is no actual story present in the gameplay. Overall, the game's focus is on action rather than storytelling, leading to a perception of emptiness in narrative content.
- “There is no story (not that this genre is known for its storytelling), no upgrade path, and extremely little variation in design from one minute to the next.”
- “There's no end game, no story, no other mode to play, no nothing.”
- “The Steam store page mentions something about defending the universe from evil alien robots, but there is nothing resembling a story once you start the game.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unnecessary, particularly noting that the final 25% of achievements require excessive effort and are plagued by frustrating bugs. Many feel there is little motivation to engage in this grind, as the rewards primarily consist of achievements rather than meaningful in-game benefits.
- “Unnecessary tedious grind achievements are included for those who wish to torment themselves.”
- “The last 25% of achievements are extremely long and grindy, and will repeatedly pit you against the random death bug if you try to aim for them.”
- “There is no motivation whatsoever, except maybe getting achievements for grinding up score.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers limited replayability due to its minimal variety, featuring only three power-ups and four enemy types, which may not provide enough incentive for players to return after completing it.
- “Little replay value; there are only 3 power-ups and 4 enemies.”
- “The game lacks variety, making it hard to find reasons to replay.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's not much incentive to go back.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is notably poor, with frequent stuttering and subpar performance on medium or higher settings at 1920x1080, even on hardware that exceeds the listed system requirements. This issue is attributed to potentially careless coding practices, as highlighted in multiple user reviews.
- “Performance on medium or higher settings at 1920x1080 is very poor, and stuttering is frequent even on respectable hardware that exceeds the system requirements listed on the store page. This is likely due to bad or lazy coding, as mentioned in other reviews and observed in the game's source code.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is perceived as lacking, with users feeling that it fails to engage or resonate on a deeper level, likening it to a poorly executed game jam entry.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews suggest that the game's humor falls short compared to other flash games, lacking both fun and complexity.