X Invader

Starting at $4.99Buy now

"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

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 103 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features charming pixel art and creative character designs, adding a unique aesthetic appeal.
Gameplay is fun and addictive, with a variety of weapons and build options that encourage experimentation.
The developers are active in addressing bugs and community feedback, showing commitment to improving the game.

The game suffers from repetitiveness, with only a few levels leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
There are performance issues and bugs, including crashes and unclear hitboxes, which can detract from the experience.
The game lacks sufficient content and variety, making it feel limited compared to other titles in the genre.

gameplay
25 mentions
40 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging loop, variety of modes, and solid mechanics, offering around 15 hours of fun with diverse skills and character upgrades. However, some players feel it lacks long-term appeal due to limited content and a lack of meaningful innovation compared to similar titles. While the core gameplay is enjoyable and polished, issues like bugs and balancing concerns have been noted, suggesting room for improvement.
- “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
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game's story is heavily 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 and appreciate the addition of supporting characters and skill trees, others feel it lacks depth and relevance to the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, the story is considered simple and not a primary focus, with players looking forward to its development as the game progresses through early access.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
graphics
10 mentions
70 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
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, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. The combination of catchy music, amusing references, and a well-executed art style contributes to a highly enjoyable atmosphere.
- “x invader stands out as a highly promising survivors-like in early access, featuring beautiful visuals and polished pixel art.”
- “If you're a fan of cyberpunk aesthetics and enjoy the roguelike arcade shooter experience, this game is worth a try, especially as it continues to evolve in early access.”
- “Has a vibrant cyberpunk-ish pixel art style filled with references.”
replayability
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through its "pick up and play" design, challenging roguelite elements, and a variety of unlockables, including 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 further contributes to its replay value.
- “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.”
- “The game's core concept of creating unique builds for every playthrough with random choices and rewards adds a layer of depth and replayability.”
- “Unlockable characters and unlockable upgrades (soul codes) add to the replayability.”
- “Additional weapons could provide a more satisfying experience and enhance the game's replayability.”
stability
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report minor visual glitches and slow level loading, others experience significant issues such as unresponsive gameplay and freezing. Despite these problems, many users find that the game runs smoothly without lag during play.
- “Levels load a little slowly, but the game runs smoothly without any lag.”
- “The game maintains a stable performance throughout, providing a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is; I rarely encounter any crashes or bugs.”
- “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
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
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 aesthetic. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, contributing to the game's enjoyable atmosphere.
- “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
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its balance and cleverness, though some find certain elements, like the first boss's laughter, to be grating. Additionally, the game's art direction complements its humor, and the variety of perks and character combinations adds to the overall enjoyment, encouraging multiple playthroughs.
- “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
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has faced criticism due to reported performance issues and occasional crashes that can detract from the experience. However, the developers are actively addressing these problems with frequent patches and are responsive to player feedback.
- “The developers are highly responsive in both discussions and Discord, frequently releasing patches (sometimes multiple times a day) to address performance issues.”
- “Despite some performance issues, the ongoing support from the developers significantly enhances the overall experience.”
- “The commitment to optimization is evident, as the team actively works to resolve issues and improve performance.”
- “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 developers are responsive in both the discussions and Discord, and they keep patching the game (sometimes multiple times a day) to fix issues.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by frustrating mechanics, such as inconsistent hitboxes, which can lead to feelings of unfairness and annoyance among players.