Onslaught (WW) Review

As originally written for my school newspaper...

WiiWare games, downloadable games available only on the Wii, have a very strict file size limit: 40 MB (megabytes). To get an idea of how small a file referenced here, a typical mp3 song file averages 5MB. The idea of fitting a First Person Shooter into this type of medium was unthinkable.

Enter Onslaught (rated teen), a game of this very kind, made by Hudson and released a month ago on Monday, Feb. 23 for 1000 Wii Points ($10). The title takes place in a fictional future where humans experimented with cyborg insects and left them on another planet. Years later, a team goes to the planet to see their progress and find the insects to be hostile. The task of meeting up with the other survivors and taking out the threat becomes the player’s task.

The premise ventures near goofy but works since the game’s focus remains on game play and not story. The player has a laser whip and mines as well as multiple versions of four different weapons: semi-automatic, shotgun, rocket launcher and machine gun. Each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses depending on the situation.

The main campaign spans 13 levels and includes several boss fights as well. This single-player mode can be conquered in about three hours. Most of the game has been fairly balanced. However, with the exception of the first one, boss fights are not and can be incredibly frustrating. Players must also wipe the acidic insect blood off the “visor” to prevent damage which turns out more annoying than innovative as close-combat quickly drenches the screen.

There are four different control schemes, but all involve aiming with the Wiimote while maneuvering using the control stick on the nunchuk attachment. This control scheme worked well in other titles, such as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and the only complaint in its use here being the slow walking speed and difficulty in side-stepping.
Players also have access to two different online modes using Wi-Fi, something most retail Wii games don’t even do. All 13 levels can be played in co-operation mode with up to three other players or in a competitive mode to see who can get the most points. A Deathmatch mode and split-screen offline multiplayer modes are both sadly missing from multiplayer.

Overall, Onslaught offers a lot of neat features while also missing some. The shooting gives a good time but could be improved upon. For $10, the title warrants a look. 4 logs out of 5.

Now with pictures and stuff, here:
http://www.nint3ndo.org/2010/09/wiiware-review-onslaught.html