In the face of a world food shortage, InGest thinks it has the solution.
By splicing together spider and dinosaur DNA they’ve created Spidersaurs, hulking creatures that can be farmed for their meat. It’s nourishing, too, with those who eat it finding themselves stronger and more capable than ever. There’s only one problem: the Spidersaurs have escaped their containment. Now it’s up to you to get things back under control.
Two interns have been approved for the task, and you can decide which one you take control of from mission to mission. Punk-rocker Victoria wields an axe, while officer-in-training Adrian makes use of a ball-firing gun. Their basic abilities are the same, but weapon power-ups benefit each character a little differently, making their gameplay somewhat unique.
Heading through Spidersaurs‘ story, playing alone or with a friend thanks to local co-op, you’ll find that there are six stages to tackle, each ending with an epic boss fight. And run ‘n’ gun fans will be in their element here, with enemies aplenty resulting in fast and frenetic action. Things start out pretty breezy, but the difficulty quickly ramps up even on the easiest of three difficulty settings. That said, Spidersaurs almost always feels fair, so even when you do run out of lives and have to retry, you won’t feel too aggrieved about it.
While your standard weapon gets the job done well enough, it’s the alternative fire types you pick up along the way that do real damage and spice up the gameplay. There’s spread shot, rapid fire, an electrifying bolt, and more, and you can have two equipped to your character at any one time. Die, however, and the one you’re currently using will be lost.
In any case, guns will only get you so far; making use of the abilities you gain while playing Spidersaurs is also vital to your success. After each boss you’ll be able to tuck into a nice piece of Spidersaur meat and gain a new trick. First is the ability to cling to walls and the ceiling, for example, then you gain the ability to double jump. Needless to say, over time you become much more capable of using the environment to your advantage – it’s just a shame that you don’t get much chance to use some abilities unless you go back to replay levels. At least in story mode, anyhow.
If you’re the type of player that calls their time with a game done once they’ve reached the credits, Spidersaurs may only offer an hour or two of fun. It does have much more to offer for those who want it though, thanks the previously mentioned difficulties, as well as unlockable Arcade and Speed Run modes. Both trim the fat, with Speed Run mode even giving you access to all abilities from the outset. Chances are players will want to return to play Spidersaurs, too, thanks to its beautiful Saturday morning cartoon-style visuals and fun soundtrack.
For run ‘n’ gun fans, there’s a hell of a lot to like about Spidersaurs. Its enemies are varied and fun, its boss fights are challenging, and it’s excellently presented throughout. Only the odd difficulty spike that feels a little unfair and the stickiness of your character are likely to frustrate a tad. And so for its very reasonable asking price, it’s easy to recommend to those who want some attractive bouts of exhilarating action.
Spidersaurs Review – GameSpew’s Score
