Brave Soldier - Invasion of Cyborgs

Aliens only want one thing, and it's disgusting. All joking aside the aliens or cyborgs in this run 'n gun action platformer actually want to steal Earth's resources, and destroy it after they're done ... which is pretty disgusting ...

As a lone gun toting soldier aware of this impending doomsday scenario you take up arms and face the threat as the would be savior of the world. Hence the title, "Brave Soldier - Invasion of Cyborgs". Spanning 30 stages of various terrains, and hazards you are tasked with clearing out the enemy, their explosives stockpile, and the bosses that lie in wait at every 10th stage. It's an undertaking made difficult by approach, bullet range, and limited health. Thankfully death is not the final nail in the old coffin though, and die as you might you can still pick back up with previous score in tow at the latest checkpoint. The reward for doing so? Saving humanity, and looting some priceless PlayStation trophies in the process ...

Playing out like a made for mobile kind of game, "Brave Soldier - Invasion of Cyborgs", offers what I like to call the budget Contra experience. Coming in at just under five dollars it is basic by Contra standards. Imagine a scaled down and pixelated version of Contra with major limitations. Done up in 16-bit graphics with a simple 2D design. In it there is no multi-directional aiming, no lying prone, and no real enemy variety. A very basic approach to an obviously inspired take.

What you have in "Brave Soldier", as the brave little soldier, is a gun that can be powered up by power-ups to shoot a few different types of bullets. This includes homing, spread shot, boomerang shot, and wave shot. That and a powered blast that relies on a meter that fills up as you clear the stages of enemies and explosives. Other than that you can do a single jump. That, and swing across ropes to reach other platforms. Leaving the bulk of your problems to be the ideal positioning, and precision platforming.

Facing the cyborgs on a per stage basis sees the nameless soldier going repeatedly from left to right positioning himself perfectly in order to take out enemy cyborgs as well as other damage dealing hazards without taking damage himself. The goal is to avoid pitfalls, getting shot, taking hits, and getting blown up while aiming for that wooden exit sign at the end. Between all that lies yellow flags for checkpoint sake. Making the layout of each stage the only true variable in design. And after you've made it ten stages in you'll meet the boss of that series of stages. 

By comparison the bosses are less on rails in regards to the lesser enemy counterparts. In fact the boss fights can be rather unpredictable as they do not adhere strictly to any given pattern. They will deviate ever so slightly in an attempt to sneak in that cheap shot, and prolong the fight more than necessary. Should you die at the boss though you will immediately return there to continue until you succeed.

The Verdict ...

One doesn't expect much from a $5 game, usually. For me though I started reviewing games back in the Xbox 360 XBLIG era, and there were some truly impressive games at well under five dollars. Comparing this release to those XBLIG indies with heart and soul poured into them is a huge contrast. By said contrast "Brave Soldier - Invasion of Cyborgs" seems more like a low effort mobile game cash grab. 

It lacks in quality, and presentation. The challenge outside of the boss fights is almost void, and the boss fights themselves takes the piss by deviating from learned patterns. It's like it goes from an on rails action adventure to something akin to a soulsborne game. Even at the low price of $4.99 I cannot readily recommend you throwing away your money at something that could have been done so much better. Unless you are into easy trophies you might want to pass this one up.