by Don Hatfield
March 17th, 2008 -
Grab your laser guns and start shooting in Capcom’s Rocketmen: Axis of Evil, an RPG style shooter with 4-player co-op multiplayer. Your mission is to help Nick Sion and Alex Mink of the Alliance of Free Planets protect the solar system from the Legion of Terra.
The game looks like a comic book, the cut scenes seem as if they were pulled straight from a recent issue. Though the graphics may not be on the same level as a game you’d pay 60 bucks for at Best Buy, the game itself has a lot to offer. The AI does a great job of adapting to the number of human players by increasing the amount of enemies you encounter. So don’t assume that blasting your way through hordes of Martians will be any easier with a friend at your side.
Your adventure begins by choosing from 3 races and 3 classes to create your custom character. As you progress throughout the game you collect minerals which can be used to upgrade the armor, weapons and stats of your character. There are several weapons to choose from that can be picked up after killing enemies, including several guns, land mines and rockets, however the weapons you acquire are not kept throughout the game. Weapons must be found in each level and have limited use before they must be swapped out for another weapon.
Rocketmen’s controls on the Xbox 360 are very easy to get used to and make the game easy for anyone to just jump in and play. Rather than smashing the trigger button to decimate your Martian enemies, the right joystick is used to aim and shoot simultaneously while the left joystick moves you around the map. Throughout the levels you are required to complete different tasks, most of which can be accomplished simply by using the “A” button, just make sure the room is clear of enemies first, a bunch of laser blasts to the back with no return fire can make for a short life.
All in all this title makes for a great download if you and some friends want to jump into a game and start shooting. With character customization and a pool of upgrades this game provides a fair amount of gameplay and is a sure fire way to get your fix of alien killing for the weekend. Rocketmen: Axis of Evil is available for download on the Xbox 360 via Xbox LIVE Arcade, and Playstation 3 in the Playstation Store.
For more information please visit Capcom.com