Title: Crimsonland
Developer and Publisher: 10Tons Ltd.
Platform(s): PC (reviewed), PlayStation 4
Genre: Top Down Shooter
Price: $13.99 (Steam)
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Crimsonland seems to be a blissfully serene place whose name is intriguing since there is no trace of crimson in sight…aaaargh! A Monster! Pew Pew Pew. Pew Pew. Pew. Make that a dead Monster. One whose guts are bleeding out turning the ground into a shade of crimson… oh! So that’s why it’s called Crimsonland. You make it Crimsonland by killing all these monsters that appeared out of nowhere.
Crimsonland is a remake of an old school top down shooter by 10tons which launched on Steam on June 11, 2014. It is also coming to the PS4. It is a game of survival against waves of enemies whose bloody remains litter the ground long after they are dead. You have limited health but unlimited ammunition for the one weapon you’re currently using. You can only change weapons if you find a drop from one of your fallen foes. The game revels in its exaggerated blood splatter effects that usually leave your screen crimson at the end of a mission.
The key to survival in Crimsonland is effective kiting. You need to be able to clear a path through the hordes of enemies without finding yourself surrounded with no escape. You get a bonus Star if you can survive the level unscathed. You have a reticule that shows where you’re shooting as well as the area spread of your shots and the amount of bullets and powerup time you have left. Some enemies drop Powerups like health, shield, speed boosts for weapon firing or running, Nuke, fire bullets, plasma bullets, plasma spirals, Freeze, plasma blast, chain lightning and reflex while others drop weapons. A good strategy involves trying to use as many of these powerups as possible.
Your foes in Crimsonland include a variety of aliens, spiders, zombies, lizards and beetles, some of which can shoot back at you and some of which explode on death. There are also boss creatures based on these foes. Aliens, lizards and spiders have nests or lairs which spawn them on some levels. There is also a type of zombie that spawns other zombies. Some levels have shadow aliens that are hard to spot. Every enemy type is characterised by its unique movement style such as zombies that wander aimlessly in your general direction, spiders that move in short bursts, lizards that sprint towards you and beetles that crawl around in circular paths. Aliens follow their own path unless you provoke them or they spot you. A bar at the top shows your progress in the level.
The game has 6 chapters each of which has 10 missions with three difficulty settings. Everything needs to be unlocked including bonus survival modes that have specific rules as well as higher difficulty settings. You also unlock weapons and perks by beating missions. Most missions start you with a weak pistol though some have different weapons too. One soon learns to appreciate weapons that do area damage and kill quickly as well as the fire bullets perk. There is support for local coop for up to 4 players.
The game’s background score is suited to the intense action happening onscreen. The gun sounds are reassuring to hear, but the dying sound made by your character seems more like the groan of someone suffering from constipation and is quite amusing to hear.
The game should appeal to fans of survival shooters since it has plenty of entertainment to offer for hours as you try to unlock everything and get a star on every level. There is no regenerating health or cover to hide behind and the bloody artwork you paint by the end of each mission has a sense of satisfaction to it. Pew Pew Pew. Pew Pew. Pew.
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What’s iLL
+ Entertaining Gameplay
+ Huge variety of weapons and enemies
+ Multiple survival modes add twist to gameplay
What’s not
– Need to unlock everything only through progression
– Lack of customisation options for player character
