After Wave: Downfall | PS4 Review

Enter a futuristic world guarded by helicopter carried MegaCats. A world plagued by an alien invasion of the Deathrix kind, and the resulting cataclysmic flood the likes of which have not been seen since the days of Noah. That is what awaits the brave souls willing to take on the upstream challenge that lies in wait within 7 Raven Studios', "After Wave: Downfall". Through three tiers of story inclusive challenges, a brutally difficult arcade experience, and four extra gimmick filled bonus modes you take control of the world's last surviving heroes, and heroines. A ragtag group of kids on militarized jet skis that aim, not only to take down the Deathrix, but the mutated animal and plant life that was created due to a release of toxins from meteorites that were a prelude to the invasion itself.

In true shoot 'em up fashion gameplay in After Wave comes at the player full throttle with plenty of modes to play through, and options galore. At heart the experience is that of a bullet hell shmup, but with twists on how you approach each given mode. Story mode, for example, has you selecting a named pilot, and facing off against three different tiers of difficulty wherein the amount of meteors that struck the planet effects the amount of stages you get. Each difficulty rated set of stages getting increasingly more lengthy, and challenging due to the ramped up and buffed enemies that you encounter. Adding extra layers of health to the mutated fiends as well as more projectiles to their arsenal. 

To counter the threat your heroes and heroines each have a standard shot, two skills reliant on energy, a bomb, and the ability to slowdown or speed up movement. The catch being that each character you play as has a unique base shot type and skills. Things that are upgradeable through a skill tree system that requires the pearls you collect from mid-bosses, and end stage bosses within Story mode. Upgrades are divided into two separate categories in the game including the character specific, and general kind. The former allowing for specific buffs to character skills/abilities, and the latter an across the board upgrading of everything from health to shields, and bombs.

The Story mode itself plays out in an auto-scrolling manner, vertically. Only stopping for boss fights, and the end tally in which score is rewarded for HP, kills, and combos. As with any shmup it all plays out in phases with waves of lesser enemies coming first, mid-bosses second, and a final boss, last. Killing off lesser enemies will reward you with dropped stars of varying types that have increased point values the bigger they are. Keeping the combo up without getting hit is the key to obtaining more stars, and more score in general as it ups the combo multiplier. Only counting down in times of stage transition. Like the lesser enemies the mid-bosses, and big bosses also drop stars, but of a greater value. They also drop medkits, and pearls which act as the game's only upgrade currency. Something that can also be spent on repairs, or revives when you take a final hit in Story mode. Ultimately the end goal in Story mode is to best all of the bosses allotted per difficulty without dying or exhausting repairs. Making your way to the final bit of story driven dialogue, and end credits.

Beyond the story lies the brutally challenging Arcade mode, that unlike said story, gifts the player three lives with which to make it as far as they can through the bullet hell madness. There are no difficulty selections here, and it seems the mode is set on hard by default. In arcade the gameplay is continuous, and only ends when you die all your lives. Making it more of a survival mode, but with a definitive ending. No story elements included. 

Both Arcade, and Story are made accessible from the start, but the additional Extra mode that is tacked on is only made available by completing Story on easy and normal. By completing the required story playthroughs you gain access to four alternative score based modes with varied approaches to scoring. There's Raft, Defense, Score The Highest, and one other I cannot remember off the top of my head. In the Raft mode there's no shooting. You can only dodge as you travel upstream, and can collect dropped stars from a Goldfish that appears on occasion. Defense, on the other hand, is more static, and requires you to not let enemies get past a barrier. Lastly, 'Score the Highest' is as it sounds. A mode where highs score matters. These extra modes are basically there for after you've maxed out upgrades, and experience all that story and arcade has to offer.

For those looking for a Practice mode there is that too. And it is also available for the start allowing you to test run playthroughs of stages you have played through. A way to hone your skill, and find the best way to gain the highest score. It also helps you learn the enemy layout, and what to expect.

Additional content beyond the gameplay elements can be found in the game's Collection menu where characters that are unlocked, and enemies that are encountered can be seen in a sort of bestiary, or glossary with added visual depictions. Something extra for completionists looking to 100% the game. There's also a local leaderboard for all modes, and difficulties. As a side option to each mode you can even choose to play singleplayer or local co-op, if you so desire.

The Verdict ...

For the most part "After Wave: Downfall" is a competent shmup of the bullet hell kind. It's mechanics fall inline with most classic bullet hell shumps, and do not really innovate too much beyond that. The presentation, and setting are unique to this game though, and chosen visual style definitely sets it apart from the competition. Giving it an early PlayStation look that is heavily on the retro side of things, the polygonal side of things. While it plays smoothly with the occasional framerate slowdown during stage transitions it falls apart on some boss fights leading to unfair situations where the boss attacks become unavoidable. Forcing you to either resort to using bombs to deal big damage or risk losing the run altogether due to the slow burning slogfest that these encounters can be. While I admire the boss attack variety, and transformations they do tend to overstay their welcome, especially as the difficulty is increased. Overall it's not too bad of an experience, and though it has some issues it is passable as a game that can be recommended unless you are the hardcore high score hound that loves your shmup with online leaderboards.