From Flash to Fury: Alien Hominid HD Reloads the Nostalgia Cannon
Alien Hominid HD doesn’t just revisit a cult classic; it abducts your attention from the first pixel. This in-depth exploration of The Behemoth’s chaotic side-scrolling shooter reveals a game that’s equal parts nostalgia trip and twitchy test of reflexes. With hand-drawn mayhem, head-chomping hijinks, and a blaster that never quits, Alien Hominid HD is a sugar rush of arcade action that gleefully refuses to grow up. Whether you’re dodging bullets or digging underground to ambush agents, this alien invasion is anything but subtle, and that’s exactly the point.
Alien Hominid HD Review Pros
- Beautiful cartoon graphics.
- Download size.
- Platinum trophy.
- A tutorial-based how-to-play section and the controls double up by showing commands.
- Gore can be turned on and off.
- 3 game difficulties – Friendly, normal, and insane.
- Turbo fire option. (You can hold the shoot button down.)
- Hats! Collect and earn hats and have your character wear them in-game.
- 2D game world with glorious animated backdrops.
- Tight responsive controls.
- Run and gun shooter gameplay.
- Some of the best animated in-game cutscenes.
- Four-way shooting.
- Hunour throughout and is only elevated by the implementation and writing of said Hunour.
- Level select screen and you use this to continue a save.
- You can obviously replay levels.
- Eight mini-games to unlock, and honestly, some of them are worthy of a whole game on their own.
- Full online leaderboards support for the game and one mini game – Missile Mastar, in which you guide a missile past obstacles and blow up a country. It plays like an endless runner with simple 1-bit style graphics.
- There are mid, mid-level and end-of-level boss fights.
- End-of-level breakdown showing kills, accuracy, style bonus, level bonus, and score.
- Running out of lives lets you continue from where you left off.
- Each area has a handful of levels.
- You shoot your gun, but getting close has you doing a satisfying melee attack. (Be warned, it usually ends in a decapitation.)
- Pick up new guns that have limited ammo and shields.
- Use your gun to shoot down and do higher jumps, or stay in the air like hovering. In fact you can do head bites, carry enemies and till through them.
Alien Hominid HD Review Cons
- Very, very difficult. A valid strategy I use is to hold down, shoot and die over and over until the boss dies.
- No accessibility options like Colourblind, and it can make seeing projectiles hard as they don’t stand out well at the best of times.
- Boss battles are even harder than the main game.
- There really isn’t a good tutorial base for the game or the many mini-games.
- You don’t know what you have unlocked until you go to the menu option.
- You unlock the mini-games quite quickly, so you are then only really unlocking hats.
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Alien Hominid HD
Developer: The Behemoth
Publisher: The Behemoth
Store Link:
Alien Hominid HD Review
Summary
Alien Hominid HD – The Thrills and Highlights of Gameplay:
Alien Hominid HD bursts back onto screens with relentless 2D side-scrolling action, serving up nostalgic chaos laced with fresh polish. The core gameplay thrives on kinetic cartoon violence, oversized boss battles, and co-op mayhem, offering both newcomers and veterans a feast of explosive arcade intensity. The remastered version remains true to its roots, but now adds even more flair with additional mini-games, quirky challenges, and a rock-solid cooperative experience that enhances the manic energy.
Alien Hominid HD – Where It Falls Short: Key Negatives:
Despite its vibrant presentation and aggressive pace, Alien Hominid HD doesn’t always hit the mark with its difficulty spikes, which may frustrate less seasoned players. Some design elements feel like relics of the Flash era, nostalgic but occasionally clunky. While the chaos is its charm, it can also obscure clarity, especially during high-intensity boss fights or in tight platforming sequences where precision matters.
Alien Hominid HD – Immersive Story and Narrative Elements:
Alien Hominid HD isn’t out to spin a deep tale; it thrives on its simplicity. The story of a crash-landed alien pursued by relentless FBI forces is mostly conveyed through expressive animation and brief, humorous cutscenes. While light on traditional narrative, the game’s tongue-in-cheek tone and exaggerated enemies create a personality-rich experience that fits its anarchic gameplay perfectly.
Alien Hominid HD – Visual and Performance Aspects:
Visually, Alien Hominid HD dazzles with its signature hand-drawn cartoon aesthetic, now sharper and cleaner than ever before. The performance across platforms is smooth, ensuring the non-stop action never stutters, whether in solo runs or co-op sessions. The refreshed visuals bring a modern shine to the Flash-era chaos while remaining loyal to its original wild style.
Alien Hominid HD – Overall Verdict: Is It Worth Playing?:
Alien Hominid HD successfully reloads the nostalgia cannon with a frenetic, charming, and brutally fun experience that respects its Flash roots while modernising where it matters. It’s not for the faint of heart or those craving deep narrative, but for players seeking a tough-as-nails, visually striking throwback packed with creativity, Alien Hominid HD is a no-brainer blast.
Back of the Box Quotes:
“Cartoon carnage never felt so good. Alien Hominid HD delivers relentless 2D mayhem.”
