Kick some alien butt!
If this looks a little similar to the likes of classic platformers such as the original Duke Nukem and Commander Keen, then there's a very good reason for that. It's from Apogee, and once they found a formula that worked, they milked it for all it was worth. This one is actually the sequel to the fairly obscure Halloween Harry but it's quite different from that but it remains a slick and enjoyable experience. The story here relies on that old chestnut, the alien invasion, and finds the Earth under threat by a race which turns its inhabitants into zombies, with the overall goal of making them into slaves. As Harry, the only man brave enough to stop this heinous act, it's up to you to step into the breach and blast the aliens back to where they came from. This basically involves venturing through a series of multi-directional scrolling levels, tracking down humans to rescue, while shooting up those pesky aliens and grabbing any weapons you might find. There's actually a good range of these and they make the action both a little easier and a lot more satisfying. Alien Carnage is far from being anything original, but it's a pretty decent slice of platforming action and makes for a entertaining ride. The visuals stand up particularly well, with some lovely chunky sprites and detailed environments that feature bold and appealing color schemes. The controls are tight and responsive, while the various levels offer lots of opportunities for exploration, and when all this is considered together, you're left with a simple but slick romp.
