A Sci-Fi Shooter with a Survivors Soul
If it is true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the guys over at poncle must be feeling pretty smug.
Yes, for the second time in recent times a game has plopped through the virtual letterbox that takes its inspiration from the amazing Vampire Survivors, and while I do like a bit of Survivors style action, I must admit to feeling a bit jaded at the prospect.
The question is, can the latest arrival from Tuatara and Digital Bandidos dispel my ennui, or is it just going to be more of the same in Let Them Come: Onslaught? The only thing I know about tuataras in general is that they are lizards with a vestigial third eye, and while this knowledge is not guaranteed to help me reach an opinion on the game at hand, hopefully I’ll be able to muddle my through.
So, let’s transplant Vampire Survivors into outer space and see what happens, shall we?
Presentation and Procedural Levels
Now, taking the Survivors games as a base is not a bad start, to be honest, and here the game’s presentation is reminiscent of that classic title. The action has been transplanted into more of an isometric 3D viewpoint, and this works pretty well. It’s certainly a lot easier to see what is sneaking up behind you from this viewpoint, let’s put it that way!
The enemies that we fight have the now traditional pixel art kind of look, and what is impressive is the sheer amount of foes that are thrown at you throughout each run. The effects from the various weapons we can equip all look very good too, with the Orbital Strike being a particular highlight for me. Whatever, the enemies are a mixed bunch, from tiny scuttling spider things to hulking bosses; all of alien life is here.
And then the layouts of the levels we attempt to have a go at are also pretty diverse, and best of all are procedurally generated, meaning that in theory you should never play the same level twice. Of course, it also makes it harder to learn where things are, but hey ho.
Sound works well, with the majority being that of your various weapons, from the autogun to the lightsaber like buzz of the Photon Sword – they all sound very good. Add in the squish as the various aliens are reduced to their constituent atoms under the onslaught, and all is rosy in the presentation garden. The music is apparently designed by someone called Cartridge 87 and is all jolly pleasant, in a synth heavy kind of way.
Experience Cubes and Strategic Perks
So, is there a story attached to all this shooting action found in Let Them Come: Onslaught? Well, the short answer is no, and the slightly longer answer is, of course not! We are on a planet, surrounded by aliens, and we have to stay alive. How much more motivation do you need?
That means it is probably time to touch upon the “fast paced roguelite shooter” gameplay that the store page assures us is in the title. And the news here is good: it appears that whatever pixie dust poncle sprinkled over Vampire Survivors to make it more addictive, there was some left over for Let Them Come: Onslaught.
We start, as is usual these days, at level one with a weedy gun for company, and from there can select from a variety of starting weapons, at least once you have unlocked them in the course of your runs. Obviously, his can make a difference. The default is the Autogun, which targets one enemy at a time (whichever is closest) shooting them until they fall over. And you’ll want to do this as often as possible, as defeated enemies drop experience cubes (to be that little bit different, I suppose). Collecting these cubes is the whole point of the game.
Every cube we collect raises our experience, and when we have collected enough, we can level up. Again, as is now traditional, we are offered a choice of three perks to choose from: should we get a whole new weapon, upgrade one we already have, or even pick a passive upgrade, like more health or an increased pick up range? Well, in the early stages, while experience levels are pretty cheap, I’d recommend making yourself as deadly as possible, before deciding which avenue you want to go down. You see, there is a kind of strategic procedure to go through with this game, and keeping the enemies as far away as possible is only the beginning. Getting weapons upgraded to a high level does make for a spectacular display, to be sure.
Blueprints, Shockwaves, and Longevity
Of course, there is also a permanent upgrade skill tree to unlock nodes on, at the end of each run. Certain nodes are locked behind finding blueprints, and others are tied to progress. As we explore the planet in our runs, supply crates are stumbled upon, and these contain, besides other things, a sum of money. This money is used to unlock new skills and perks; they make a big difference to your survivability.
I won’t go into spoiler territory, but one of the best early ones unleashes a shockwave when you level up, and the space that this creates can literally be the difference between success and failure! Add in new characters to unlock, and multiple arenas to have a crack at, and the news for the longevity of the game is good.
A Solid Shooter Worth the Risk
Let Them Come: Onslaught doesn’t quite hit the heights of its source material and inspiration, but it is a good, challenging blast nonetheless. If you want to try a Survivors style game, then there are much worse games out there to play, and Let Them Come: Onslaught is certainly worth a punt.
Now, that next level is calling…
Important Links
Survive Against Alien Swarms in Let Them Come: Onslaught – https://www.thexboxhub.com/survive-against-alien-swarms-in-let-them-come-onslaught/
Nuke ‘Em From Orbit! Let Them Come: Onslaught to Bring Sci-Fi Horror Bullet Hell – https://www.thexboxhub.com/nuke-em-from-orbit-let-them-come-onslaught-to-bring-sci-fi-horror-bullet-hell/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/let-them-come-onslaught/9pn37xxpv7m5
