Puzzles and Shooters are two very distinct genres, and one would not think they can be merged well. But not only is it possible, its actually happened several times like with the Sega Saturn game Twinkle Star Sprites. The two genres are actually a surprisingly good fit to mix together, and the developers of Galacide have taken them own crack at it.
Galacide has some basic shooting mechanics, with one firing shot that goes in a spread pattern and does not have the usual limited supply of super bombs or new powerups to give you a permanent new weapon. You instead pick up items and go all out to kill enemies to improve your weapon power, but this only lasts for a limited time. The changes will affect the power of the weapon and occasionally changes up the type of firepower you have for a limited time. This does drain though, so you need to and, in most cases, increases the power of the spread pattern. You will need to keep defeating enemies and picking up items to keep the your weapons, and if your weapon drains, it is back to basics.
In terms of puzzle mechanics, Galacide is simple to understand and complete. You will run into Bit barriers consisting of three different colors that can be dismantled by launching colored debris at it. You will need to hit four parts of one color in any way except diagonally in order to destroy it. You can be creative with how you do this though, and there are tricks you can find along the way to make things easier. Of course, solving the puzzles is half the fun, so finding new ways to accomplish this is rewarding. One method is achieving an instant match which can clear the barrier faster and get you some powerups.
Sadly, as a game, Galacide feels somewhat lacking. The puzzle mechanics and enemies do not feel overwhelming, which is good, but at the same time it also feels a bit tame. The game slows itself down at times to help you with the puzzles, and while there are some good boss fights, the overall game just feels like its half developed. There is a sense that the developers wanted to keep things balanced, but ended up playing things a bit too safe for my liking. There are three modes however, and these do offer some variety in how you play. There is a Puzzle mode that gives 25 different levels, not including bonus ones. all based around the puzzle elements, and this is much more to my liking. It leans far more to the puzzle section, but still feels like its only half a game. There is a good challenge here, though and its this mode I spent the most time in.
The other modes include Endless mode, which is all about the action. Its decent for a time but I got bored of it quickly. This mode is a score attack mode and you have three lives to last you against endless waves of enemies. With how lackluster the shooting mechanics are, this mode really did not impress me and is only useful for unlocking other ships. Lastly there is the campaign, which is pretty decent but like endless mode, gets old as you go on. The levels are divided into puzzle and action sections, and I really feel the concept was not utilized well here. The campaign is six stages and a tutorial, and sadly I had no desire to keep playing it. Puzzzle shooters can be very creative, as with the aforementioned Twinkle Star Sprites, but Galacide, despite having an interesting premise, just does not do enough with what it has.
Galacide has good ideas, but fails use them to their fullest and falls flat in most areas. Aside from the Puzzle mode, I was mostly bored rather than drawn in. I wanted to like this, but sadly, I just could not get enjoyment from the majority of the game.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
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