Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers

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Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers is a single player and multiplayer arcade shooter game with warfare and science fiction themes. It was developed by Fehorama Filmes and was released on September 21, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

UFOs! Aliens! Aircrafts! Resistance! SHOOT 'EM UP! Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers is a spaceship shooter with 2D gameplay and 3D environment. Enjoy a smart combination of a fast-paced shooting experience and the 1950's sci-fi movies aesthetic, with live-action cutscenes.

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers screenshot

+15

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 84 reviews

graphics21 positive mentions

Exceptional and unique 1950's black-and-white sci-fi B-movie aesthetic with high production values and cheesy live-action cutscenes that enhance immersion.
Fun and challenging side-scrolling shoot 'em up gameplay with a rewarding upgrade system that offers variety and progression.
Good accessibility features including infinite lives mode, checkpoints, local co-op multiplayer, and support for various controllers and Steam Deck.

Relatively short game length, typically around 3-4 hours, with limited levels and some desire for additional content or replayability features.
Visual style sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish between background, enemies, bullets, and environment leading to occasional frustration.
Uneven difficulty spikes and some gameplay mechanics feel basic or lacking impact, with a few reports of stuttering animations and frame-rate drops.

graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
43%
7%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their impressive and consistently executed 1950s sci-fi black-and-white aesthetic, evoking the charm of vintage B-movies and classic shoot 'em ups. The unique art style, combined with cinematic cutscenes and detailed visuals, creates a captivating retro atmosphere that many find visually stunning and essential to the game's appeal. Some reviewers note occasional screen clutter, but overall, the graphics and presentation are considered a standout feature that enhances the nostalgic experience.
- “A ton of effort was put into capturing the very particular live action 50s sci-fi schlock aesthetic, and it makes for a really charming experience.”
- “The art style is phenomenal and so consistently executed, it's truly impressive.”
- “The presentation is magnificent with a masterfully executed art style throughout the whole game, charming FMV cutscenes, great dialogues, and a haunting soundtrack wrapping the whole package into a very unique experience.”
- “This game has no "art-style".”
- “It makes sense for the scenario, but sometimes I can't really appreciate the visuals because there are always 20 things going on on the screen.”
- “There isn't much here, other than the black and white movie aesthetic, that might persuade you to play this side-scrolling shmup straight away.”
gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
55%
10%
The gameplay is generally solid, combining classic shoot-'em-up mechanics with challenging, varied level design and upgrade systems that add progression and replay value. While some find the forced ship-swapping and certain mechanics frustrating or less complex, many praise its fun, intuitive core gameplay enhanced by its distinctive 1950s sci-fi aesthetic and presentation. Overall, gameplay is enjoyable and engaging, especially for fans of the genre, though it might lack mechanical depth for some players.
- “I'm not a massive shoot-em-up fan but the aesthetics combined with the interesting gameplay kept me hooked.”
- “But the gameplay is great as well: there's lots of variation in the level design and plenty of different enemies and bosses.”
- “Controls, gameplay, restart delays - all is bad (except graphics).”
- “There is constant forced ship-swapping that makes things a little odd to get used to during a run, and it's not nearly as complex mechanically as other shmups, but for a first game from Loomiarts/Fehorama, this is an exceptional entry and I am dying to see more games from them.”
- “Then you switch to one of the smaller planes and it's like, 'oh yeah, I'm playing a so-so shooter without a strong gameplay gimmick.'”
story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
52%
11%
The story is praised for its authentic 1950s sci-fi noir atmosphere, combining campy, well-crafted narratives with cinematic cutscenes and live-action footage that pay homage to classic B-movies. While relatively short and straightforward, the engaging story presentation, voice acting, and vintage style elevate the experience, appealing especially to fans of interactive story-driven shooters. However, some find the story duration brief and desire additional content to extend the narrative.
- “Don't buy this if you're looking for a shooter, but do buy it if you're looking for an interactive story experience which respects and pays homage to the old 1950's science fiction movies: the noir atmosphere is very nice, and you can tell the developer loves the genre.”
- “Combining the difficulty of Ikaruga with the cinematic brilliance of 1950’s sci-fi movies, Squad 51 blends traditional 2D gameplay set inside photorealistic 3D environments presented in a vintage black and white style for both the gameplay and the insanely cool live-action videos that propel the story between missions.”
- “The story is told through great film snippets and usually flows smoothly into the next level.”
- “The basic shoot 'em up action is just that and it can feel quite boring to play at times with the predictable enemy patterns and long spots with nothing to shoot, often with lots of radio buddy plot explanation/setup instead.”
- “There aren't many clips, and only a few of them play between the 11 missions, which disappointed me.”
- “It's sad the story can be beaten in 3 hours, but the amount of care and effort that went into the artstyle, the tone, and the silliness with really good gameplay can make it fairly replayable.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Replayability in the game is driven by its challenging gameplay, unlockable planes, custom perks, and a fun resistance mode that encourages players to improve their scores. While some find the core gameplay less engaging, the stylish design and variety of options keep players coming back despite the short main story. Overall, the game offers solid replay value through customization and repeated play of earlier levels.
- “It is challenging, fun, and has enough replayability to keep returning for more.”
- “Squad 51 vs. the flying saucers is a fun, challenging side-scroller shoot 'em up game set in a 1950's atmosphere with great replayability.”
- “There's lots of custom perks and unlockables so you can customize and experiment with your ship and increase that sweet replay value.”
- “- For me, almost no replay value, because the gameplay itself is not that much fun.”
- “Or maybe some more unlockable planes to use could help make it more replayable.”
- “Coming to replayability, I found myself playing earlier levels to get better scores.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fitting and haunting quality, perfectly complementing the retro 50's sci-fi and cheesy B-movie aesthetic. It enhances the unique atmosphere alongside impressive visuals and live-action cutscenes, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersion.
- “A great sidescrolling shmup, with amazing retro aesthetic, great soundtrack and cheesy B-movies thematic (the monsters in the later chapters are hilarious).”
- “The presentation is magnificent with a masterfully executed art style throughout the whole game, charming FMV cutscenes, great dialogues and a haunting soundtrack that wraps the whole package into a very unique experience.”
- “Incredible challenging shoot 'em up, awesome graphics, love the black & white psy-fi 50's movie theme, amazing cut scenes, great music, smooth controls.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is rooted in a nostalgic, cheesy 50s B-movie aesthetic, featuring mismatched voice acting and over-the-top performances that evoke classic monster films. While the satire and campy presentation add charm and amusement, the humor is somewhat shallow and less impactful compared to similar titles like Destroy All Humans!. Overall, the comedic style complements the retro theme and adds enjoyable cheesy fun.
- “The cut scenes include actors but their voices don’t match their mouth movements, making it feel like an old foreign film, which is funny and reminiscent of old Godzilla movies.”
- “A great sidescrolling shmup with amazing retro aesthetic, great soundtrack, and cheesy B-movie themes; the monsters in the later chapters are hilarious.”
- “The developers really nailed the classic movie vibe with their FMV story campaign, including hilarious overacting and visible strings on the spaceships.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere excels in capturing the nostalgic 1950s sci-fi noir vibe, featuring black-and-white graphics with authentic vintage effects that showcase the developer's passion for the genre. This immersive setting enhances the interactive story experience and complements the challenging gameplay, making it especially appealing to fans of classic sci-fi aesthetics.
- “Don't buy this if you're looking for a shooter, but do buy it if you're looking for an 'interactive story experience' which respects and pays homage to the old 1950's science fiction movies: the noir atmosphere is very nice, and you can tell the developer loves the genre.”
- “I like the black-and-white style of 1950's graphics with the scratchy white line and spots that come and go, completing the atmosphere of the 50s era.”
- “Squad 51 vs. the flying saucers is a fun, challenging side-scroller shoot 'em up game set in a 1950's atmosphere with great replayability.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a wholesome and heartfelt experience, enhanced by light comedic moments delivered by real actors throughout the campaign.
- “A little comedy mixed in by the real actors gives a wholesome feeling throughout the campaign.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game runs smoothly and reliably on both PC and Steam Deck, providing a stable experience across platforms.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features performance rankings with scores and star ratings after each level, encouraging optimization for better results. Additionally, hidden collectibles in each stage add an extra layer of challenge for players aiming to fully optimize their gameplay.

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79%Critics’ scoreBased on 7 critic reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers is a arcade shooter game with warfare and science fiction themes.

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and others.

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers was released on September 21, 2022.

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers was developed by Fehorama Filmes.

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its replayability.

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Q-YO Blaster, HUNTDOWN, Steredenn, ROGUE FLIGHT, Iron Meat and others.

Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers

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