Invasion Machine
- February 26, 2020
- Pixel Machine
- 31h median play time
Get on Steam"Invasion Machine" is a pixelated, side-scrolling shooter game where players defend against an alien invasion. Utilize a variety of weapons and power-ups to fight through levels filled with unique enemies and bosses. With retro-inspired graphics and fast-paced action, it offers a challenging and engaging experience for fans of classic shoot 'em ups.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a unique concept that focuses on counter-insurgency gameplay, which is rarely seen in RTS games.
- There is a lot of potential for the game to evolve into something great, with interesting mechanics like civilian interactions and hearts and minds strategies.
- The developer is responsive to community feedback and actively working on updates, showing commitment to improving the game.
- The UI is clunky and difficult to navigate, making it hard to issue commands and manage units effectively.
- The AI pathfinding is poor, often resulting in units getting stuck or behaving erratically during missions.
- There are numerous bugs and technical issues that hinder gameplay, including crashes and unresponsive controls.
- gameplay57 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title presents a unique concept with potential, featuring counter-insurgency mechanics and a variety of interactions, but is marred by significant AI issues, bugs, and a lack of depth in mission variety. While some players find enjoyment in the core mechanics and appreciate the ongoing updates, many express frustration over the game's current state, citing poor user experience and limited objectives. Overall, the gameplay shows promise but requires substantial refinement to reach its full potential.
“Very few games specialize in the counter-insurgency gameplay like this game does.”
“Amazing mechanics that keep you on your toes as you try to appease the locals and keep the peace, definitely worth a buy.”
“The game's functions are easy to recognize and cope with, and the gameplay is an interesting experience on its own.”
“The AI is laughably incompetent, with both enemies and allies behaving in completely nonsensical ways that destroy any semblance of tactical gameplay.”
“There’s no depth to the mechanics, no variety in the missions, and the story is virtually nonexistent.”
“The gameplay experience is so frustrating that after I played it and got back to YouTube, I could understand how much frustration the streamers are hiding and how they try to stick to working mechanics like creating a convoy.”
- story44 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 86 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting that it feels virtually nonexistent. While there are missions that involve humanitarian efforts and interactions with locals, the overall narrative is overshadowed by gameplay mechanics that are often frustrating and buggy. Players express a desire for a more structured campaign and richer storytelling elements to enhance the experience.
“There's a focus on the mission on a larger level with the opinion of the locals and your command coming into play as you run humanitarian aid and establish a presence in the region, managing your rules of engagement and the impact your tactics have on the local population.”
“In the beginning, you control a small squad of soldiers that you have to use to conduct missions such as engaging a known hostile position and conducting hearts and minds operations, all while traversing an evolving battlefield.”
“Your actions have consequences, and you will earn or lose reputation with your commanders and the local populace depending on how effectively you are carrying out your missions.”
“There’s no depth to the mechanics, no variety in the missions, and the story is virtually nonexistent.”
“Sometimes missions cannot be completed as people don't live in the house you are supposed to send an interpreter to, and there's no way to automate the distribution of aid to a town.”
“Another potential issue I have noticed is that after playing a new game for a particularly long period of time, no new missions are generated and it is stuck on general search and destroy.”
- stability30 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, making it feel unfinished and clunky, which significantly hinders gameplay and user experience. While players acknowledge its potential and express hope for future updates, the overall consensus is that it is too unstable and unrefined in its current early access state to be fully enjoyable. Many recommend waiting for further development before diving in, as the game is still a "buggy mess" with significant issues in UI and AI pathfinding.
“The concept is awesome and I would love to see them build upon this, but the UI and the gameplay are very buggy and unrefined.”
“It sadly seems abandoned; it still has no content and is overall very buggy.”
“This is the most basic, buggy, and undeveloped early access game I have ever tried. If you cannot put up with that, do not get it at this point in time.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their overall quality and visual appeal, particularly in terms of shooting effects and artistic design. However, some users report performance issues, such as low framerates and bugs, which detract from the experience. While the game shows potential for impressive graphics, concerns about its development and technical execution remain prevalent.
“The graphics are good; the graphics of shooting smoke and overall appearance is beautiful.”
“Graphics are good, sound is on point, and it's an interesting premise.”
“It is visually appealing with graphics options included.”
“Dead project filled with bugs and the team isn't working on it anymore. It had potential; maybe someone else will take their place in the future with better graphics.”
“This is more of a personal dealbreaker, since Unity and fancy graphics tech is a recipe for disaster in my experience.”
“The graphics are terrible.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is currently lacking, with users reporting significant performance issues, a buggy user interface, and poorly optimized AI pathfinding. While some players have noticed improvements, particularly after hardware upgrades, there is a consensus that extensive bug fixes and a more intuitive design are necessary for a better overall experience. The game shows potential, but optimization remains a critical area for improvement.
“Overall commands by keyboard should be optimized and designed more intuitively.”
“The performance also seems way better; however, I did upgrade my GPU about a week ago, so I can't tell for sure.”
“The UI is horrible and it has a noticeable impact on performance.”
“This ranges from a buggy UI to poorly optimized pathfinding in the AI.”
“Has a great deal of potential if the bugs, UI, and optimization are ironed out.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, particularly when managing large numbers of troops and performing repetitive tasks like corpse collection. Suggestions for improvement include implementing automatic or simpler commands to alleviate some of the monotony.
“It gets very tedious and becomes a headache very quickly.”
“The resource system needs automatic and/or simpler commands for tedious tasks like corpse collection, and the bug fix for social work doesn't automate for me, like delivering items to civilians.”
“When you have a lot of troops on the ground, the gameplay gets a bit tedious, but manageable.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is often likened to the hopeful and fresh themes found in popular high school musicals, suggesting it sets an optimistic tone that resonates with players.
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users indicate that the game has high replayability potential, with some expressing confidence that future updates will enhance this aspect further, making it worth the investment.
“I didn't refund to support the developer, and if they continue to update it, I believe it will eventually have enough replayability to be worth the price tag.”
“The replay value is very high.”
“I only didn't refund to support the dev. Plus, if he/she doesn't abandon it, it will eventually have enough replayability to be worth the price tag.”
“Replay value is very high.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is widely criticized as exploitative, with many users labeling it a "total cash grab."
“This game is a total cash grab.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative and unfair.”
“I can't enjoy the game without being bombarded by ads and in-app purchases.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing bugs, such as traffic glitches and entertaining ragdoll physics, which add a comedic layer to the experience. Despite these issues, players find a charming quality beneath the chaos.
“The game is filled with hilarious moments, from unexpected glitches to quirky character interactions that keep you laughing.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with witty dialogue and absurd situations that make every playthrough entertaining.”
“I love how the game embraces its silliness, turning bugs and glitches into laugh-out-loud moments that add to the overall charm.”
