Unoriginal but visually stunning and fun blaster
Utilising the isometric viewpoint of Zaxxon and mixing R Type, Gradius and pretty much every other scrolling shooter out there, The Reap is an action-packed blaster that is perfect for some old-school thrills. The game ignores anything approaching a story, instead focussing on providing solid shooting fun across a variety of graphically impressive levels. Environments include an Arctic-style frozen wasteland, an underwater section populated with submarines and genetically altered creatures, and finally a futuristic city filled with gleaming skyscrapers. The obligatory weapons and upgrades are available and include rocket blasters, lightning guns, bombs and shields, all of which can be upgraded and combined. Visually, The Reap really is quite gorgeous, with rich, vibrant colours, insane levels of detail which dare you to take everything in and every graphical effect you can think of. If anything, it's almost too much and things can get a little confusing at times, due to the sheer amount of sprites and effects filling the screen. The game's controls are fluid and responsive and the enemies to be faced are a varied and imaginative bunch, with some particularly impressive bosses. As shooters go, this is an unexpected gem. Although not very deep or original, simply combining elements from every other similar game as it does, it really delivers on the fun factor, providing levels which are intense, challenging and visually stunning. What more could you ask for in a blaster?
