X Invader

About

"X Invader" is a challenging 2D pixel art shoot 'em up game. Blast through hordes of alien invaders, collect power-ups, and dodge their projectiles in fast-paced action. With multiple difficulty options and a survival mode, there's plenty of replayability for both casual and hardcore players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features charming pixel art and creative character designs, making it visually appealing.
Gameplay is fun and addictive, with a variety of weapons and synergies that encourage experimentation.
The developers are active in addressing bugs and community feedback, showing commitment to improving the game.

The game can become repetitive quickly, with only a few levels to play through, leading to boredom.
There are performance issues and bugs, including crashes and unclear hitboxes, which can detract from the experience.
The lack of control customization and some unbalanced mechanics can frustrate players, making it feel less polished.

gameplay
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
6%
The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging loop, variety across different modes, and solid mechanics, with many players enjoying the fast-paced action and aesthetic. However, some reviewers noted a lack of innovation compared to similar titles, and expressed concerns about repetitive gameplay after a certain point, as well as issues with bugs and balance. Overall, while the core gameplay is fun and polished, it may not offer enough depth for long-term engagement.
- “Gameplay loop: 10/10 - changes with each difficulty and there's enough variety to keep going back in.”
- “3 different game modes with 15 levels each, a big variety of skills and evolution, characters, and weapons with a very solid gameplay of about 15 hours.”
- “This variety keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting, even after numerous runs.”
- “After just maybe 12 hours of gameplay, I feel like there is really no point in me continuing to play.”
- “I've had my fill of the core gameplay system and with no other levels to mix things up, there's really nothing else here for me to do.”
- “Even worse, the gameplay experience is marred by numerous issues, from bugs and glitches to unbalanced mechanics.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's story is primarily front-loaded with lore up to level 6, after which it becomes less central to the gameplay experience. While some players find the narrative intriguing, it is generally considered simple and not deeply engaging, with many noting that it does not significantly impact the overall enjoyment of the game. As the game is still in early access, the story remains incomplete, leaving room for potential development.
- “There is a simple plot that develops as you clear levels, 5 distinct weapons to pick from with their own in-run upgrade trees, a very large number of costumes with passive effects, equippable gear to upgrade select aspects, and an appreciable cast of supporting characters who offer interesting skill trees to you during runs.”
- “They've recently added in some story to the game as well, which is interesting.”
- “Just beginning, it seems to have some sort of story which already intrigues me.”
- “It's heavily front-loaded on lore/story up to level 6 of each stage, but once you get past that point, the whole game basically opens up.”
- “Okay, maybe it's not exactly about rescuing slime waifus, but the game is currently in early access, so the story is incomplete.”
- “The story is fine, don't expect something deep though.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant cyberpunk pixel art style, which is both beautiful and polished. Players appreciate the aesthetic, noting its engaging visuals and smooth controls, making it a standout title in the roguelike arcade shooter genre. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's fun and addictive nature.
- “[b]x invader[/b] stands out as a highly promising survivors-like in early access, featuring beautiful visuals and polished pixel art.”
- “Has a vibrant cyberpunk-ish pixel art style filled with references.”
- “Catchy music and sounds, amusing parodies, lots of homage and references to other great games, smooth controls and pleasing graphics.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The game offers significant replayability through its "pick up and play" design, challenging roguelite mechanics, and a variety of unlockable characters and upgrades. Players can create unique builds with random choices and rewards, enhancing the experience across multiple playthroughs. Additionally, the presence of three distinct main levels adds further variety to the gameplay.
- “This game is perfect for players seeking a challenging roguelite; it offers a lot of replayability and comes with a ton of cool unlockables, making it a great time killer.”
- “Unlockable characters and unlockable upgrades (soul codes) add to the replayability.”
- “The game's core concept of creating unique builds for every playthrough with random choices and rewards adds a layer of depth and replayability.”
- “Additional weapons could provide a more satisfying experience and enhance the game's replayability.”
- “Replayability: there's 3 different main levels to choose from.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
80%
The game's stability is inconsistent, with users reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including freezing issues when minimized for too long. While some players noted minor visual glitches that didn't significantly affect their experience, others faced more severe problems, such as unresponsive gameplay and slow level loading. Overall, the game runs well without lag, but the presence of numerous stability issues detracts from the overall experience.
- “Levels load a little slow, but the game runs great and doesn't lag at all.”
- “The game maintains a steady performance throughout, ensuring a smooth experience.”
- “Despite some initial loading times, the overall stability of the game is impressive.”
- “Even worse, the gameplay experience is marred by numerous issues, from bugs and glitches to unbalanced mechanics.”
- “I finished every run by stopping the process with task manager because the game simply wouldn't respond whether I won or not. If it is minimized for too long, it freezes completely. Some elements seem to be made without any thought put into them; for example, the second map is pretty much impossible to complete with rockets, and the translation is, at best, okay.”
- “There are some visual glitches, but those have yet to impede my playtime.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy tunes and well-executed soundtracks that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the amusing parodies and numerous references to other games, alongside solid sound effects that complement the overall presentation.
- “Catchy music and sounds, amusing parodies, lots of homage and references to other great games, smooth controls and pleasing graphics.”
- “I think the soundtrack for the stages is done well.”
- “Good soundtrack”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its balance and the amusing interactions, such as walking off the map behind a pelican. However, some find certain elements, like the repetitive laughter of a boss, to be annoying and detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the humor complements the game's strong art direction and encourages replayability through diverse character and weapon combinations.
- “And you can walk off the map behind the pelican, it's quite funny!”
- “The art direction is amazing, the humor is just right, and the selection of perks/characters/weapons and their combinations are outstanding and makes me want to try multiple runs with different setups.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has been noted for performance issues and occasional crashes that, while not game-breaking, can detract from the overall experience. However, the developers are actively addressing these problems with frequent patches and are responsive to player feedback.
- “Some players have reported performance issues and occasional crashes, which, while not game-breaking, can hinder the overall experience.”
- “There are some performance issues, but the devs are responsive in both the discussions and Discord, and they keep patching the game (sometimes multiple times a day) to fix issues.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overshadowed by frustrating gameplay mechanics, particularly concerning hitboxes, which detract from the overall experience and can lead to player irritation. This inconsistency in damage perception diminishes the emotional engagement players might otherwise feel.