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Assault Android Cactus is one of those games that’s been on my radar for quite some time. I nabbed a copy years ago but put off playing it because the battery feature turned me off. It’s a twin stick shooter that puts you in the shoes of one of multiple androids that run on a battery that drains at a fixed rate. If the battery drains before you complete the level, you fail and I just didn’t like the sound of that for some reason. I’m not saying the mechanic is bad or doesn’t work, it’s just that the idea didn’t sit right with me. But I finally decided to suck it up and give the game a chance. Developed and published by Witch Beam, Assault Android Cactus released for PC in September, 2015, PlayStation 4 in March, 2016, Xbox One in November, 2017, and Switch in March, 2019. For this review, I played the PC version, specifically Assault Android Cactus+ which is an expanded version of the game.
There isn’t much in the way of plot here. The game revolves around androids and their efforts to take back control of a space freighter from robots. The setup is conveyed in the opening of the campaign and the androids will interact with bosses but the campaign pretty much has you going from level to level with little exposition. There is a codex you can access which will give you more information on characters and enemies. The campaign is short and can be completed in a single sitting. But the game does come with plenty of replay value thanks to the scoring system, unlockable content, and numerous game modes including a Campaign+ mode which is the campaign again but more challenging.
Assault Android Cactus is a twin stick shooter. You get to run around levels and shoot all around you. You start with four playable androids to choose from but will unlock more as you progress through the campaign. Each android comes with their own primary and secondary weapon and they do feel distinct as a result. The campaign consists of numerous levels spread across multiple zones and most standard levels are like small arenas with waves of enemies to defeat. You are scored and ranked at the end of each level and every zone ends with a boss or Section Lord. As you progress through the Campaign modes, you’ll unlock different things like codex entries, music, movies, costumes, and earn credits that can be spent to unlock things like artwork.
One of Assault Android Cactus’ highlights is the gameplay and it does support cooperative play with up to four players. The difficulty ramps up nicely as you progress through the campaign and some levels can be extremely challenging. And the Campaign+ mode will really test your skills. The gameplay can become very fast-paced and hectic and victory and high scores will require practice and quick reflexes. The android’s primary weapon comes with infinite ammo and their secondary weapon has a cooldown period. Defeated enemies will drop energy that can be picked up to power up their primary weapon. If an android’s shield is depleted, they will be knocked down but they don’t actually fail or die unless the battery drains completely. They run on a battery that drains at a fixed rate and I see this as a kind of timer mechanic, basically. However, enemies will drop Battery Recharge pickups so it’s important to keep an eye out for these. Other pickups include temporary bonuses like friendly machinegun drones, increased speed, and one that disables enemies.
If you’re a high score chaser, Assault Android Cactus has you covered. Trying for the highest possible score in each level should keep you coming back for a while and it will come down to practice and memorization. You want to avoid the projectiles and mobs of foes coming from multiple directions so you’ll always need to be alert and aware of your surroundings. Killing enemies in succession results in a score multiplier chain and you obviously want to get the chain as high as possible and not lose it. While enemies and bosses can’t outright kill you, they can knock you down and that will result in time lost. In other words, it doesn’t stop the battery from draining. Being knocked down is time not spent shooting and killing enemies. Get knocked down enough and that time lost adds up. The battery mechanic basically adds a form of pressure to the gameplay and requires you to always keep moving and shooting. You need to kill enemies so they can drop the Battery Recharge so you can keep going.
In addition to the Campaign modes is Infinity Drive, Daily Drive, and Boss Rush. Infinity Drive is an endurance mode where you must defeat increasingly difficult waves or layers of enemies for as long as possible. Daily Drive is similar but comes with ten waves or layers and is more about skill and scoring than it is about endurance and a new drive is available daily. Boss Rush simply pits you against the campaign bosses back-to-back. As you play through the game, you earn credits and the amount earned is based on your scores. Credits can be spent to unlock EX Options. These are visual and gameplay modifiers to help mix things up. My two favorites are First Person Camera and AI Partners. First Person Camera is exactly how it sounds. You get to play in the first-person perspective like it’s a first-person shooter. It’s actually quite cool. Not ideal because you can’t see everything around you as easily, but still cool. AI Partners is a modifier that allows you to play with AI Partners. Like other gameplay modifiers, it does result in scores being disqualified from the leaderboards but can be fun and even helpful for solo play. I did notice that with additional androids, it can be easy to lose track of my own and what’s going on amid all the chaos but it’s still a fun time.
As I indicated earlier, most levels feel like small arenas. The objective is always to defeat all the enemies or boss. Each zone has it’s own theme going so the environmental or visual variety is pretty good. What really makes the level design stand out is that they’re constantly changing. As you’re running and gunning around evading foes and projectiles, the environment will change. The layout may change and/or hazards will appear, forcing you to be vigilant and ready to adapt at all times. In standard levels, you’ll always be outnumbered and new enemies are introduced as you progress. The bosses can be pretty tough and come with multiple phases and they along with some enemies will unleash bullets in a bullet hell style. The action in Assault Android Cactus can get pretty intense at times and some levels may be a trial and error process.
Assault Android Cactus showcases a very colorful and vibrant presentation. I like the visual style and effects and the visual variety the game offers across the campaign’s multiple zones. The animations are solid and the visual effects like muzzle flashes and explosions help make the action and combat feel satisfying. When things got really chaotic and busy, I found it easy to lose track of what was going on as I indicated earlier. But that typically happened when I played with AI Partners and I assume it would be a similar experience with multiple players but I didn’t get the chance to find out. For the most part, I was clearly able to identify everything on the screen when playing solo. As for the audio, the sound work is good and the action is backed by fitting tunes. On the technical side, the game ran smooth and I encountered no major issues.
I had a blast with Assault Android Cactus. In fact, I think it’s one of the best modern twin stick shooters available. The campaign is a bit on the short side but it’s a game designed to keep you coming back and it does come with enough content to keep things interesting. With the scoring system, unlockable content, numerous game modes, and EX Options, there’s plenty here to keep you occupied for a while. Assault Android Cactus is a fast-paced and hectic twin stick shooter that puts up a good challenge. It will make you work for those high scores. Things can get intense and become trial and error but with practice, mastery of the mechanics, and in some cases, memorization, you should be able to overcome any challenge the game throws at you.
I absolutely recommend Assault Android Cactus. If you’re not a fan of twin stick shooters, I don’t think this will turn anything around for you but it is a very fun entry in the genre. It’s a game that should keep you coming back and one that will require effort and practice to truly master. The gameplay is fun and challenging and an overall great time and it can be enjoyed with buddies. Definitely check it out.