Crash Commando arrives on PSN in just in time for the new year

Posted by John as Shmups

Hands down to developer Epos and freshly released Playstation Store-exclusive Crash Commando. Crash Commando is as straightforward as it gets in a fast- paced mode for up to 12 players. The Playstation Network (PSN) opens up the new year of 2009 with an explosive and addicting game with plenty of ways to approach a match. Clearly there’s something here for everyone.

Crash Commando gives a twist on the 2d side scroller in many ways beginning with the multiplayer focus. It features two teams battling on dual-sided levels. The game is mainly 2d in nature with the use of the left analog stick moving your soldier while the right aims your weapon. You navigate a red or blue colored soldier between two parallel 2D planes. A variety of elements, to name a few are jetpacks, vehicles, pickups, to keep things fresh. One of the coolest elements of the game is the flexibility it provides through a jetpack. Simply press and hold L1 will send you hovering into the air. It then rests fast enough as if you almost have free-form movement. The vehicles equipped with jetpacks makes them more mobile than usual, makes navigating through levels much more easily. The platforms found in most levels can be used as cover, pilot vehicles to run over your enemies and turrets that you can use to shoot enemies on the other side of the level.

This 2d shooter places weapons and load outs of highest importance as any combat-focused game is. You can select between six primary weapons whether at the start of a match or after you die – a couple secondary weapons and the type of grenade or mine you wish to carry. Other weapons come in handy and only found in level that you can’t pick form the list such as deadly plasma rifle. Outstanding primary weapon offerings are limited to machinegun, grenade launcher, rocket launcher, sniper rifle, shotgun and the heat gun-esque CAB, while pistol or knife as secondary and couple various grenade and mine types for your third slot.

The dominant weapon out of all weapons in Crash Commando is perhaps the rocket launcher. It can be a mighty companion for direct shots but is slow to reload and splash damage isn’t exactly powerful as a direct hit. From the looks of it, the machinegun sure beats the rocket launcher because its constant fire permits you to adjust your aim on the fly. An interesting weapon is the CAB that basically fries your opponents after locking it on your opponents for awhile to actually take them out. The grenade launcher is deadly to your enemies and yourself. Yes, it could harm you given its rounds are slow to travel and can bounce off a wall and back to your face. Finally, there’s the sniper rifle that may sound like the dominant weapon out of the collection. It may really lead to some unfair fights for skilled players. It can be roughly a one-shot one-kill weapon provided you wearing armor. Be careful as this sniper rifle can get tricky to hit a shot due to its long reload times.

The success of Crash Commando lies in the satisfying burst of misty, red blood accompanying every kill. This 2d shooter gets a thumb up on several arenas. It succeeds in creating a fast-paced and super highly addictive multiplayer combat game. It is a basic looking game but the art direction works with the feel of heavy blood-letting. Forget about dealing with being stuck with empty servers since Crash Commando can be played against bots. The obvious downsides – the camera may not be your best friend and the pace is focused on the precision of the weapons that suffer from huge disadvantage. This multiplayer shooter pretty much appeal to anyone looking for a fun and addictive experience.

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