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Alien Hominid Breaks New Grounds In Console 2D

Posted by simoniker on from the that's-a-pun dept.

Thanks to GameSpot for its first look at GameCube/PS2 side-scrolling 2D shooter Alien Hominid, an interesting-looking title that had its genesis after "a rough prototype for the game was uploaded in 2002" to the Newgrounds Flash movie/game website. The article notes: "The core [game] mechanics are clearly inspired by classic 2D shooters such as Contra and Metal Slug. However, while Alien Hominid has obviously been influenced by those games, it doesn't end up being derivative", and concludes of the The Behemoth-developed, American-created title, due out this October: "The straightforward, accessible gameplay found in the various game modes is rock solid and a blast to play. The multiplayer modes are an awesome addition to the mix, and the level editor in the PDA [sub-game] is icing on the cake."

22 comments

  1. Re:Goddam it!! by Inda · · Score: 3, Funny

    First post in the games section?

    You suck.

    Best regards,

    Inda

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    This post contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
  2. This game looks great by DourSalmon · · Score: 4, Insightful
    By which I mean the graphical style is amazing. It's like you're watching a cartoon. I've seen cel shading before, but it is really well done in this. Adittionally, there are a whole lot of subtle animations that make it more cartoony, like when the hominids are biting the spooks in half (one of many, many apparent attack animations) the spooks actually see it coming and panic briefly. Tycho of PA plugged it a few days ago, apparently looking forward to it with much anticipation. It looks very quirky, fun, and cool. Hopefully the game will live up to the (as of yet fairly limited) hype.

    --

    I have little to say, but even less to lose by saying it.

    1. Re:This game looks great by tarun713 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Actually, it doesn't qualify as cel shading. The official site said they tried cel shading, but resorted to completely hand drawn animations and sprites instead.

      Cel-shading, on the other hand, "is a style of rendering computer-generated imagery that resembles hand-drawn, cartoon images".

    2. Re:This game looks great by veritron · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You sure that's cell-shading?

      I'm pretty sure it's an honest-to-god (gasp) 2d game.

      Who would'da thunk it?

    3. Re:This game looks great by Lisandro · · Score: 1

      For an excellent PC game using cel-shading, check XIII (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/xiii/review.htm l). Great fun, and the cel shading works very well in such a game; it gives it a great comic book look & feel.

    4. Re:This game looks great by zonker · · Score: 0

      reminds me a bit of earthworm jim.

      --

      Large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

  3. The original Flash version by mobby_6kl · · Score: 5, Informative

    is here, 1903 KB

    1. Re:The original Flash version by spoodie · · Score: 1

      That is very hard.

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      I don't need a compass to tell me which way the wind shines.
    2. Re:The original Flash version by mobby_6kl · · Score: 2

      It is... took me a while to get through the first level, but I found that walking and shooting while crouching gets you killed much less. Also don't forget you can shoot in any direction while in the air, so you can jump over the bad guys while shooting at them.

  4. Crazin'! by Yodzilla · · Score: 2

    Man, it seems like years since I played that game on Newgrounds. I loved it. Old school, hard as hell side scrolling action. True, the graphics are cartoon perfect and fit the gameplay perfectly. If I remember correctly, biting heads off of G-Men was a real pleasure. If only Gordon Freeman could do that. Or at least Morgan Freeman...

  5. Finally.... by Elmdor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    More small companies are getting some publicity, and showing everyone that it doesn't take $5,000,000 to create a great game. This is yet another small example of showing how self-funded companies can truly experiment with game-play & graphics, and remind the world why games are fun to play. (I'm wonder how difficult it was to self fund for console)

    1. Re:Finally.... by 88NoSoup4U88 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      "This is yet another small example of showing how self-funded companies can truly experiment with game-play & graphics"

      er, Can you tell me what experimenting they do with gameplay ? It seems to play exactly like games as Contra.
      i'm not saying it's a bad game ; i enjoyed the flash version : I just don't think it's justified to call this 'experimenting' with graphics and gameplay : it's just one other game of the millions out there.

    2. Re:Finally.... by Elmdor · · Score: 2

      Sure.... You are completely correct in your statement, and I would agree that Alien Hominid does not appear to be anything new in terms of game-play. My post was not very clear in that self-funded companies in general have more lean-way to experiment with different game-play & graphical elements than does a commercial company. This is because commercial companies have to answer to financial backers, and they USUALLY want to play it safe and make lots of $$$. Indie companies don't have to answer to backers usually, and are therefore more free to experiment.

    3. Re:Finally.... by 88NoSoup4U88 · · Score: 1
      Yep, defenitely agree with this : The mod-scene (for First person shooters) has so much influenced the commercial gaming developers ; by either picking the moddevelopers up, or by just straight out copying (proved) concepts to their game.

      I'm not too known with real indie developers, but once and awhile i bump into cool games.
      One , i think winning, entry for the last indie-gamedeveloper's contest, is a great game : It's called Bontago, and it is one of the few games that uses gravity for gameplay, instead of a gimmicky add-on to their game.

      YOu can download the (free) game at Bontago.com : Multiplayer included :)

      And to add to your comment that most commercial developer's dont dare to experiment : I hope this barrier to do so will be broken in the future, as more (indie) companies don't have to rely on a distributor anymore, but can more and more rely on online distribution (for example, the game 'Savage')

  6. ... it doesn't end up being derivative? by PongStroid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Read the article and am wondering - how exactly does it not "end up being derivative"? Almost every feature mentioned has been seen in a game in one form or another. I'm not knocking derivative here - I love games like this. I just want something more concrete to substantiate the statement.

    1. Re:... it doesn't end up being derivative? by Karma+Farmer · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well, in normal games, you're a little human who runs, ducks, jumps, and shoots at little aliens.

      This game is totally different, because you're a little alien who runs, ducks, jumps, and shoots at little humans.

      Also, the music and graphics are much better than they were on my old Nintendo in 1986.

    2. Re:... it doesn't end up being derivative? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Based on the demo video and explanations, the range of abilities in Alien Hominid greatly surpasses the range in Metal Slug. Digging underground and pulling your enemies under, for one. (Read from the AH website)

  7. I hope this games does well by hal2814 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I for one welcome our new 2D overlords. I hope this game does well enough to convince other development houses to dust off their 2D gaming knowledge and bring back this wonderful gaming genre.

  8. I love this kind of games by Lisandro · · Score: 1

    I mean, those with a "cartoony" feel to it. Gish was great in this regard as well. I just downloaded the flash version to play it at home. I just love when the lil' alien pops up the knife ;)

  9. Comic-Con by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I played this game at the Comic-Con, where it was stationed right across from the Mega64 booth. When it was watching it, it was great, but once I got into it, it seemed like something I should be playing on a computer, not on console. The controls weren't bad, but the gameplay wasn't all that great for a console game. It started out as a computer game, and IMHO, it should stay as a computer game. But that's just my opinion. Try it for yourself.