Scurge: Hive
Score: 70% ESRB: Everyone 10+ Publisher: Southpeak Interactive Developer: Orbital Media Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 Genre: Action/ Adventure
Graphics & Sound: Scurge: Hive is a bit of a visual throwback. The game is presented entirely from an isometric view, calling to mind games like Landstalker. Visually the game doesn’t surpass what could be done on a GBA, though in the long run, this is only a minor issue. Sprites are colorful and very animated – sometimes to the point of being overly so, such as with Jenosa’s hair, which moves around even when she isn’t. Enemies are just as well drawn and have an almost “cute” look to them. You’re not shooting the cast of Hello Kitty or anything, but compared to other sci-fi adventure games, Scurge has a very Saturday morning cartoon type appeal. Sound isn’t spectacular, though it isn’t something that you'll want to turn down either. Background music can become annoying at times, especially when you're at a loss as to where to go next, though it still helps to generate an appropriate atmosphere.
Gameplay: Scurge: Hive follows the exploits of a bounty hunter named Jenosa who is sent to investigate a mysterious distress signal. Upon reaching the signal’s source, a hidden lab, she discovers that it has been overrun by a virus-like species of aliens call Scurge. Scurge plays like Metroid only from an isometric view and with a more frantic pacing. Early in the game, the Scurge infect Jenosa. As she takes damage, the infection becomes worse, causing her to have to find sick bays scattered around the lab and decontaminate. This concept plays a major part of the game as most of the time you’re either trying to work your way towards the next sick bay, or rushing back to one you already passed before Jenosa mutates into a Scurge. Infection is a clever idea, though it doesn’t work out as well as you would hope. Although Jenosa takes on more of the infection with each hit, it is always growing at a small rate – so even if you somehow manage to not get hit, you’ll still run the risk of mutating. If Scurge was a run-and-gun shooter, the mechanic would have worked out brilliantly, but it is more of an exploration game. This introduces a rushed feeling. There are times where you could be in the middle of solving a major puzzle, but need to turn back in order to decontaminate.
Difficulty: Nearly every chamber Jenosa enters has some type of puzzle in it. Most are reflex-based puzzles that either require you to shoot so many pillars before time runs out or hit certain jumps. Generally, puzzles are easy to figure out, though they aren’t all that well crafted. Some feel overly complicated, so it isn’t uncommon to find yourself wandering around the same three rooms trying to find that one clue about what to do next. Younger players, especially, will probably run into a few areas that will seem overly complicated.
Game Mechanics: Jenosa’s main weapon is her gauntlet that can be upgraded throughout the game. Each weapon type causes massive damage to certain types of enemies, but at the same time it can power up others. The mechanic forces you to really think about which weapon you are using rather than picking the strongest one and blasting away. And, since some weapons have a chain reaction effect, you have to be careful about where you shoot, otherwise you might inadvertently power-up an enemy. Combat mechanics do show some major flaws. For one, the controls aren’t all that precise, so you end up shooting a number of practice rounds to make sure you’ll be able to hit the target. Each shot drains Jenosa’s energy, so once she’s out, you’ll have to wait for it to charge again. As a result, Jenosa ends up taking more damage than she should, which brings us back to the whole “infection” problem. Scurge: Hive has its problems, but it isn’t a complete disaster. Even with its issues it is still a fun game, at least if you’re in the mood for a Metroid-styled adventure.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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