Rock, Paper, Lazers (XBLIG): "A Whimsical Shmup With A Unique Twist"

When it comes down to reviewing XBLIG titles there are certain things that I look for. The most significant thing of all though is originality. As we all have noticed by now there are copies  upon copies of indie games plaguing the XBLIG marketplace. Very rarely do I see an entirely unique, and well developed game on there. It's a sad situation that has become more prevalent as time has passed. Thankfully all is not lost. There are some indie developers such as Cubegg who try to at least put a new spin on an old genre. With their newly released title "Rock, Paper, Lazers" they have added some spice to the dull appetizer that is the XBLIG marketplace.

Rock, Paper, Lazers is a simple yet complex shmup (shoot 'em up) that borrows old ideas, simple graphics, and retro style music to make an entirely new experience. The concept behind this title revovles around the fact that the player controls an animated rock that's capable of shooting projectiles that can teleport between two pages of a book. Added in the mix are an ever-growing wave of enemies, and timed rounds which you/your rock must survive. That's the game in a nutshell.

Within Rock, Paper, Lazers you have two modes of play. There's a single player mode for those who wish to play alone, or a multiplayer mode if you wish to play with up to three more friends. Each mode is different in two significant ways though. In singleplayer you will be automatically teleported between the two pages multiple times as the timer on the screen counts down. In multiplayer this feature isn't automatic and will require the help of your friends to be able to teleport. The significance of teleporting is basically to keep you alert. If you're not paying close attention you'll be teleported to the next page, and get killed by the swarm of enemies waiting for you.

The ultimate goal of the game is to achieve the highest score by shooting down wave after wave of enemies. This is a timed event that increases in seconds the higher the wave is that you make it to (45, 75, 105). During the actual gameplay though the timer will be counting down making it more of a survival based shmup. You do have a set number of lives in the game, so time is not the only threat you'll face. When it comes to the enemies there are 6 types (Fly By, Attack, Bomber, Explosive, Totems, Totem Carriers).

The Fly By enemies are exactly as they sound. They fly across both pages trying their best to hit your rock. The Attack enemies are basic, and just chase you across each individual page. The Bomber is sort of like a plane dropping bombs. In that respect the name suits it very well. The Explosive enemy type is also as it sounds. It will explode when it gets close enough to your rock. The Totems, and Totem Carriers work hand in hand, so-to-speak. Totems themselves are basically like canons that shoot projectiles across the page. The Totem Carriers on the other hand actually place Totems on the page/s. There are only four Totems on a page at a time, and as with other more difficult enemies they only appear in the later waves of enemies.

Aside from the basic enemy types the game also features enemy themes. In total there are five enemy themes that each have their own distinct appearances. For example you have a Halloween enemy theme with ghosts, eyeballs, crossbones, walking pumpkins, and candles. Other themes included are Robots, Underwater, Sky, and Ninjas. All of the enemies are small, and have an animated avatar-like appearance. Their individual behaviors depend on what type of enemy they are, but they mostly all like to swarm in your direction. In the options menu of the game you can set which enemy theme you like to play against. This option also allows you to play against all theme types in random order if you so desire. When it comes to dispatching your foes with firepower there is a variety of power-ups that can be gathered as they randomly appear on each page. Among these weapons/power-ups are a triple shot, rockets, freeze spray, flame thrower, machine gun, speed enhancement, and even extra lives. These items will help you survive for the long haul.

The controls in Rock, Paper, Lazers are simple dual thumbstick controls. The only variation is that you are required to press the (Right Trigger) in order to fire your weapon. The (Left Thumbstick) is used for movement while the (Right Thumbstick) is used to aim. When it comes to graphical presentation the game is simple yet polished. The enemies, and the rock you control are simple pixelated sprites. The background of each page features a whimsical picture relating to each of the enemy themes adding to the games overall cute appearance. As far as the audio goes you'll notice that there is only one tune playing throughout the entire game. In some instances this may get annoying to players, but I had no problems with it. Aside from the retro tune that replays during each wave you will be blessed with some annoying "pew pew" voices, and various spurts of random noise oriented dialogue. This I have to confess is a little on the annoying side.

When it is all said, and done Rock, Paper, Lazers is a game that stands out from other copy cat shmups in the XBLIG marketplace. Cubegg (The developer) definitely did a good job in making a unique shmup that was both simple, and fun to play. The game as a package is delightful to look at, and listen to (... for the most part). I really liked how Cubegg incorporated the different enemy themes as well as a variety of different enemy types. The gameplay setup up definitely had me working hard for that high score even though I was playing on the "Easy" mode. This is a plus if you are a diehard shmup fan like myself. When it comes down to offering the player a proper challenge this game definitely delivers. If you don't mind repetitive tunes playing in the background, or annoying developer made sounds then this game might suit your fancy. It also helps if you are a shmup fanatic. As far as the price goes, 80 msp is not bad at all for this game.