Review for Earth Atlantis. Game for PC, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 05/10/2017 The version for PC came out on 29/01/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 01/06/2018 The version for Xbox One came out on 01/06/2018
The future has arrived and unfortunately it is not exactly what we expected. Climate change due to the neglect of mankind has made itself felt, upsetting the ecosystem of the entire planet. Waters now cover 96% of the Earth's surface and machines and animals have found a way to merge into a single, dangerous entity. This is the opening words of Earth Atlantis, a new indie born from the wise minds of Headup Games, software house known for pearls such as Terraria, Another World, The Binding of Isaac, Limbo and many others.
But let's leave the past alone and dive headlong into the apocalyptic future that awaits us in Earth Atlantis.
Let's start first by explaining the atmosphere that the guys from Headup wanted to convey. The game moves almost exclusively in a false black and white on a sepia background with strokes that outline the typical game elements of Indian ink. All this, to understand, gives the idea of Leonardo da Vinci's sketches made on paper yellowed by time. All this in fact goes well with the plot of the title, science fiction but obviously steampunk taste, a genre that lends itself to indie titles in an exceptional way.
We find ourselves at the controls of a submarine in the search for mammoth and dangerous creatures to restore a compromised ecosystem. Dozens of huge monsters await us on our underwater journeys in a submerged seabed studded with debris and remnants of the time when humans ruled the food chain.
The genre represented in Earth Atlantis is a mixture of indie, roguelike and shoot 'em up with strongly steampunk hues, without however expressing itself fully in this direction. The controls, reduced to the bone, only provide the ability to move, change direction, and, of course, shoot. The only variations on the theme are given by the power ups - obtainable by massacring enemies - which increase the power of the primary area and provide a secondary one, and the possibility of unlocking different submarines that start with different basic equipment and weapons.
As always, Headup makes the simplicity of its titles a strong point. The map is boundless and the various sections are unlocked only after killing the creatures in the explored section. All sea monsters are present on the same map and all will be faced, even if not always in the same order. Staying alive and strengthening properly therefore becomes an imperative, especially given that even if it is possible to continue the game indefinitely, facing some sections of the map without being adequately prepared only amounts to lengthening the list of game over.
The roguelike component is therefore evident and predominant: all creatures respawn in a very short time and being surrounded by enemies is a constant threat, moreover even the marine mastodons that we will have to defeat should never be taken lightly. Completing the main campaign, even in easy mode, requires training and time and offers hunting mode as a reward. The latter represents a boss rush that puts in series a sequence of sea monsters to be killed in the shortest possible time.
While reducing the title to these few elements, it must be admitted that, as always, the work done on Earth Atlantis by Headup games is flawless. This indie is addictive and turns out to be as always well structured and executed. Some sore point derives from the impossibility of customizing the controls and from some elements in fake 3D of the backdrops that are not always made clearly, leaving the player convinced that he is at a blind spot when instead he can simply pass behind a debris or a scrap.
Earth Atlantis is a great indie title that can hypnotize the player for hours, be it for the excellently crafted graphics, for the inviting soundtrack or simply for its well crafted roguelike component. Fast-paced gameplay makes it a great companion for both short sessions and to pass the time on long winter afternoons. The very few flaws are not enough to penalize the title, which turns out to be yet another excellent job done by the guys at Headup Games.
► Earth Atlantis is an indie-Roguelike-shooter game developed by Pixel Perfex and published by Headup Games for PC, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 05/10/2017 The version for PC came out on 29/01/2019 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 01/06/2018 The version for Xbox One came out on 01/06/2018
