Backlog Conquering - Titan Attacks! - Part 2 – I Couldn’t Save The Moon

This is part 2 of playing the PlayStation 4 version of Titan Attacks!, from developers Puppygames, as part of Backlog Conquering. But it will also be the final video on this game.

The goal of Backlog Conquering isn't to finish a game, it's to play a game. Unfortunately, i've now played Titan Attacks! and i didn't end up enjoying it. There are some neat ideas, the music is great, and for the most part i do like the presentation of the game. it's just playing it that's the issue.

I found Part 1, https://youtu.be/i50TzJrbBcI, to be much more difficult than i expected for the first level of a game. and in that video i tried out the Moon stage and the jump in difficulty was surprising to say the least. What this part showed me is how the levels are more difficult. it's not just more enemies that need stronger weapons or more hits to destroy. there are asteroids, enemies dropping bombs, enemy vessels crashing, enemy drones crashing, enemies shooting down, aliens to capture or shoot down, and one of the more annoying additions were the bombs that let out a blast wave. Combined, these all felt like they were all randomly set rather than being crafted to work together or in tandem. this meant there were no patterns to learn and where you were or next to you were the targets for the enemies. Several times i found myself trapped, forced to take a hit, and when there were many enemies on screen i simply had to take many hits.

That randomness just didn't feel like fun, it felt like i needed luck more than skill. The game tries to even things out with an upgrade system, but it felt broken. i could never seem to earn enough money to get the required upgrades. it was luck whether or not the UFO that flies across the screen dropped money or something else.

I couldn't defeat the Moon boss and by the end of the video i had no interest in continuing. Titan Attacks! is an old game and this PlayStation 4 port feels old with old ways of doing difficulty. by the time of the console ports, it really should've been a "DX" style upgrade that would modernise the game's mechanics whilst keeping the art style, direction, and music that i enjoyed from my time with the game.

Next week's Backlog Conquering video will feature a "new" game.

Backlog Conquering -Titan Attacks! - Part 1 - More Than Just Space Invaders

I've started a new game from my backlog, now i'm playing the PlayStation 4 version of Titan Attacks!, from developers Puppygames, as part of Backlog Conquering.

Looking at my trophies, i have already got one for getting the max multiplier. but it looks like i never cleared Earth. And i did it many years ago. So i went and deleted that save file so i could go in to it fresh. I was surprised that when i started the game, i was straight into it. thankfully, i guessed what to do as there is no tutorial. the music is great, the graphics are cool, and it starts like Space Invaders. but it quickly changes that old formula and adds it's own twists and ideas.

because there's no head's up about what's coming, no tutorials explaining any of the systems, the first part of this video is more frustrating than fun. i can imagine that this game wasn't very approachable to a lot of people. if i didn't make progress, i would've ended this game with just one video. but thankfully, i managed to get past the first stage Earth.

Then it gets crazier on the Moon. immediately, as well as the aliens i also had to face off against Asteroid looking asteroids impacting the moon. But not long after the aliens also leveled up and starting dropping bombs. this was more difficult because of how busy the screen is. it's hard to pay attention to what's coming down whilst you're looking up to try and hit the aliens. during this stage, that's the thing i complain the most about and whilst i started to adapt in this video, i've got a way to go. 

Thankfully, i'm able to upgrade my own craft. but it's soo slow. plus, i'm spending most of my money trying to restock my shields. like i said above, i'm being hit and not knowing why and it's eating into my shields. it feels more unfair than just being hard with the game struggling to telegraph enemy attacks and what's happening in general.

I will do a second part. the goal will be to try and beat the Moon stage. But if it continues to feel unfair rather than hard, then maybe i'll leave it at two videos. i do enjoy the music and the look and feel. but it's the gameplay that's lacking and perhaps not living up to potential.