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To make up for the lack of proper feedback on this game, I'll offer my best stab at a comprehensive review for the Atari / WayForward Technologies take on the classic arcade game with Centipede Infestation. In a short summary, for those gamers who like twitch-style twin stick shooters (Robotron, Smash TV, and the more recent Geometry Wars) with simple and intuitive gameplay, along with some good co-op, then you will find plenty to like in this now budget priced game.
For my in-depth review, I will look at the four major points of any video game, which would be Story, Gameplay, Graphics and Sound, and Replay / Fun Factor (ala Gamepro, RIP...)
STORY: While this game won't win any awards for its narrative, it does have a simple and workable premise that is built up along the various gameplay missions. Set in a post apocalyptic, war torn world, that is now overrun with mutated bugs of all shapes and sizes, you play the role of Max, bug killer extraordinaire, who happens upon a lady named Maisy, who is tending to the last gardens in the wastelands of the world.
Between each stage, the story is told through either anime-like cut scenes, or the more common still-frame animation dialogue exchanges between Max and Maisy, as we find out little by little more about the world they live in, their backgrounds, and their solutions to the problems they face.
It's completely innocuous, however it does give some minor incentive to see what happens next, as you tread from one battleground to the next.
GAMEPLAY: To reiterate my brief summary above, this is a twin stick shooter (when played with the Classic Controller, highly recommended) where you move around your environment in an isometric third person perspective, and take aim at anything that creeps, jumps, or flies your way. Each stage is set in a battleground (either fixed or semi-dynamic), where enemies spawn at regular intervals. There are a large variety of enemies to tango with, including the classic centipede enemies, which will spawn the trademark mushrooms upon their demise.
To give you an edge in the competition, spiders will drop down to offer power ups upon their destruction, which can be one of a dozen weapon power ups, or simple temporary modifiers like enhanced defense or increased movement speed. In regards to the weapons, you can hold up to four different types (flamethrowers, machine guns, laser beams, just to name a few), which can be used at any time by the press of a button, and will last for a short duration (or when you take damage). Any weapon can be upgraded to a more destructive version by collecting two of the same power up types, so it offers up some simple strategy as to when to best use your arsenal.
You are also given access to a stomp move, which will kill or at least knock back all the bugs in a set radius, a pseudo smart bomb if you will. This stomp will recharge over time, adding another simple layer of strategy.
A final notch of strategy are the seeds that will drop from select bug enemies, which will be mushrooms (which can either help or hinder), or more importantly stationary turret guns with a specific power up ability. These turrets will stay up for as long as they are defended, giving you both extra firepower and a distraction for the waves of bugs. Whether or not you wish to stay and defend these towers, or go off looking for more power ups, is a common choice you'll make when playing the game.
As for the mission objectives, basically you have to kill all the bugs in the stage before you move onto the next. Sometimes you will progress from section to section of the battleground, sometimes you will have to defend Maisy, and other times you will have to power on local generators (by using your stomp move, which makes absolutely no sense), but these are minor ascetics added onto the general bug eradication directive.
By the way, all the mission levels can be played co-op with another gunner, which works just as well as you would expect, and is recommended if you have the option.
GRAPHICS AND SOUND: For this kind of game, this category should have very little weight into your buying decision, but I can say that the quality of both aspects are at worst serviceable, and at best clean and attractive, but not outstanding. The environments, enemies and characters are all modeled well, though the detail involved is minimal. The sound effects and techno heavy soundtracks are pleasant and harmless, and they do a good job of adding to the experience. The still cutscenes are pretty basic and bland, but the voice actors enhance the experience. The game features widescreen and 480p output, and runs at a steady framerate throughout all the action (a necessity for this genre).
REPLAY / FUN FACTOR: After you have cleared all the missions (which there are about 40 of them), the only incentives you have to go back and experience them again are to get the gold medals for each stage (which is medal awards are based upon the number of hits you take), to fill out the achievements (don't lose a single tower, stomp 25 bugs in a stage, etc.), compete for the perennial high store, or play the game again on the Insane difficulty setting.
Once you've completed the game, achieve all the gold medals and checked off every achievement, there is little reason to boot up the game, though that alone should be enough content to keep you busy for 8-10 hours, not to mention the co-op mode to expand its lifetime. Personally I'd give the replay value a score of average / moderate, but that all depends on what makes you tick as a gamer.
It should be noted that the game is not entirely challenging as retro-junkies would have hoped, though this does open the experience as a more enjoyable and accessible package overall (especially in co-op). Designed around shorter game playing sessions, each 4-5 minute stage is fast-paced and engaging, especially the boss stages (which there are five evenly spaced throughout), which just about anyone can enjoy and is always a simple, pure pleasure. Blasting the various vermin is satisfying and primal, and using the various weapon power ups will put a child-like grin on your face as you mow down the waves of targets. That is what arcade games should be about, pure entertainment, plain and simple, and Infestation delivers on that front.
FINAL WORD: If this game costs $20-30 bucks, I would not recommend it as highly, as the lack of content would not justify the price tag. For the $10-15 price you can get it for now (and even cheaper used if you STOP at certain GAME retailers, hint hint), it is definitely worth the cost. Great gameplay with subtle strategies, a decent amount of content and replay value, coupled with an excellent co-op mode and a budget price, earn Centipede Infestation a 4.5 (rounded down to 4 for Amazon) star rating in my book.
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It is a nice remake for the classic Centipede. Atari could have done een a better job on its visuals and introductory scenes... but... they aren't really that nice to their consumers, after all. Great graphics and, well, for the kind of game that it is, we can/could expect more, but it is a nice game.
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