Must have. Must play.

Talk about a hidden gem. I have been a longtime subscriber to GameTap, and I don’t know how this one slipped through the cracks. This game was recently added to the GameTap library, and since starting to play it, I can’t put it down. The game I’m referring to, of course, is Alien Shooter: Vengeance from Sigma Team and CDV. This PC game came out in February of 2007 and it seems like I’m only hearing of it now. Either I’m out-of-touch or this game never became popular. If you’re into fun gameplay (which is a trait that is sorely lacking in most games today), you can find much enjoyment in Alien Shooter: Vengeance. First off, it’s an isometric shooter game with RPG elements. I describe it to friends as Diablo 2 meets Smash TV. It’s got great graphics, loads of varied enemies, wicked music, and simple controls.

You start off by creating a character and picking attributes that define how you’ll play. There are neat skills such as ‘enhanced learning’, which will level you up faster than normal and ‘vampire’, which lets you drain the life from enemies and add it to your own. Each time you level you earn a number of ability points, which you can then add to your skills.

There are numerous weapons in the game including, among others, flamethrowers, machine guns, pitsols, rifles, and shotguns. In addition to causing carnage with your handheld weapons, you will also be given the opportunity to pilot several vehicles including a tank and a jeep with a gun turret. This is the game that just keeps on giving.

I am still playing through the single-player story mode, but there are two other modes to go with including an arcade “Survival” mode (which I assume is wave upon wave of enemy until you perish), and Multiplayer. I can see this being a popular game at LAN parties.

If you have GameTap, I definitely recommend you download this game and try it today. If you don’t have GameTap, AS:V is available at many retailers and can be had for less than $20 in most cases.

Happy shooting!