Snops Attack! Zombie Defense (XBLIG): "The One XBLIG Shmup That Could Have Easily Been A Retail Game!"

DUDE!!! I'm so psyched to do this review! I've been waiting for what seems like an eternity to get my hands on this game! Ever since I watched the Mike Walz's/SnopsGames (The Developer) Youtube videos I knew this game was special, and in the end it did not disappoint. For those of you who are clueless as to what this game is about it's basically a bullet hell shooter, but a bullet hell shooter that is presented in the most grand fashion you could possibly fathom. What sets this gem apart from most XBLIG shmup titles is the breathtaking visuals, amazing character animations, and the superb soundtrack that each compliment the onscreen action in some truly awe-inspiring ways. This game, in all honesty could easily be marketed as a retail game if Mike just added some more features, and bonus material. It's seriously that good.

Snops Attack! Zombie Defense is a unique take on the bullet hell/shmup genre. It features a heroic dog pilot named Snops who seems to be inspired by the developer's real life pet of the same name. As Snops it is your duty to pilot a special spacecraft through zombie, and alien infested terrain in order to save humanity. Your ship is capable of firing two variations of standard weapon fire (Magma Beam & Spread Shot), and two variations of a hyper attack. As with any shmup you/Snops can pick up power-ups that enhance the power of your weapon fire (up to 7 levels) as well as assist weapons, or "buddies" that tag along beside your ship offering additional weapon fire/shields. Bombs can also be gathered along the way to help get you out of the more difficult, and crowded situations in the game.

There are four available difficulty settings (Weenie, Normal, Hard, Extreme) within the game that are each progressively more difficult than the one before it. For example the easiest mode available in Snops Attack! Zombie Defense is appropriately called "Weenie". In this difficulty setting Snops has more lives than the other modes offer, and is much easier to traverse than in any other difficulty settings. On the other end of the spectrum is "Extreme" in which you are given only one life with which to complete your playthrough.

Each level, or stage within Snops Attack! Zombie Defense consists of an incoming barrage of interesting creatures (Zombie Cats, Alien Fish, Easter Island Heads ...) that are all hellbent on your demise. At the end of each fairly lengthy stage/level is a boss fight that is truly epic. In most instances the boss character is a giant version of one of the enemies in the game with some enhancements added for originality. You can dispatch all of these baddies using the various weapons at your disposal. Your main weapons consist of a spread shot, and a concentrated beam called the "Magam Beam" which can be upgraded via power-up capsule up to seven times. When it comes to hyper attacks you have to earn them by collecting crystal skulls that are left by downed enemies. Collecting the skulls is done by simply releasing the auto-fire button (A). doing this will magnetize the crystal skulls attracting them to your ship.

At the top of the screen you'll notice a hyper bar that fills up as you collect the crystal skulls. Once the bar is filled with yellow you can press the (Y) button to release your hyper attack/s. One thing to note is that you actually have two different hyper attacks, and can switch between them when your ship is in hyper mode by pressing the (X) button. Switching between standard weapons is also done in the same way. When it comes to your "Buddy" system you can collect different parachute power-ups (Cannon, Side, Rocket, Pig) that change the two satellites that orbit your ship. The 'Cannon' gives your ship some extra forward spread fire, 'Side' shoots wave shots from both sides of the ship, 'Rocket' expands your spread shot coverage, and 'Pig' is actually a set of pigs in bubbles that double as shields. Activating the 'Pig' buddy is different from the rest in that you'll need to press (A + Right Trigger) in order to use the pigs as shields. Normally pressing that same button combination ( A + RT) with your standard weapons will cause the weapon fire to shoot backwards. This is helpful when trying to gain points, and when you're trying to finish off enemies that are lingering. Like the weapon power-ups, buddies can be enhanced up to three times by gathering three of the same type in a row.

Aside from the weapons you can also collect shield power-ups that will allow you to withstand extra hits from enemy fire, or enemy contact. Your ship's hitbox is color coded according to how many hits you have left. The actual hitbox is located just under the center cockpit of the ship. This is a good thing to keep in mind when trying to dodge bullet hell sprays. If you find yourself in a crowded predicament the bomb power-ups that you gather can help you out. By pressing the (B) button you will unleash a blast that will cover a wide area, and wipe out most enemy types in one hit.

As I mentioned earlier in this review the visuals in Snops Attack! Zombie Defense are truly stunning. The colors are vibrant, and the world/s below Snops are all layered with details that give the game a 3D appearance. The zombie cat designs, and the ship designs all seem to be of at least XBLA quality. As far as the soundtrack is concerned it's one of the best I've ever heard in an indie game.The soundtrack that plays in the background of each stage/level is so engaging that it will make you feel as if you, and Snops are actually performing amazing feats of heroism. I definitely got into the "groove" of things as I did my playthrough of the game.

Overall Snops Attack! Zombie Defense is an amazing gem of a game that I believe everyone should have in their video game library. There's absolutely nothing bad about this game. There's no slow frame rates, or lagging graphics to complicate gameplay. The developer behind this XBLIG title, Mike Walz is an experienced game developer (Atari 600XL), and definitely knows his stuff. His efforts in this game shine through in some truly awe-inspiring ways. Like I previously stated this game could have easily been a retail title with the addition of a few extra modes and some bonus features. It is actually many times better than "Akai Katana" which was released for the Xbox 360 earlier this year. If you remember 'Akai Katana' I praised that shmup for it's brilliant graphics, and stunning visuals. Even though 'Akai Katana' is among my favorites, Snops Attack! Zombie Defense is leagues better than it. In fact I'd go so far as to say it's at the top of my favorite shmup list at the moment. You'll definitely be interested to know that I chatted with the developer (via twitter), and found out that global leaderboards, and other extras are already in the works. If you haven't already got this game go get it! It's most definitely worth every point!!!