Indie Look: Polygon Attack Review

Indie games on Steam tend to fall into two categories, either disgustingly bad, or a revolutionary masterpiece. Polygon Attack is neither, as it lacks the creativity or the drive to make an engaging experience. While not horrible, Polygon Attack is dull and tedious, relying on bright visuals to distract from its average action.

A Challengless Experience

Polygon Attack thrives on competency. Movement is not only intuitive, but easy and quick. With this, most projectiles can be easily avoided, only causing problems in large numbers. Each weapon is adequate in destroying the opposition with the exception of the laser. It is completely overpowered and makes the game a cakewalk until the final level. All that’s really needed is to hold down the fire button and shoot everything as all weapons destroy enemy attacks. This turns the game into a dull exercise in patience as you quickly become bored with the flashless carnage.

These enemies you are demolishing are boring as well. Most move incredibly slowly and none require a change in tactics. Again, only until the last chapter are you actually in real danger, especially with the abundance of health pickups making getting hit a non-issue. There is even a recharging shield that temporarily blocks all incoming damage and is available from the very beginning of the game. Unlike other shmups (shoot ’em ups), such as Gradius or Soldier Blade that create constant engagement through challenge and style, Polygon Attack barely engages the player in any way.

Colorful Yet Dull

Polygon Attacks presentation follows its pattern of being competent but average. Everything is distinct and colorful, yet generic and simple. This basic polygon art style is incredibly dull when compared to the exciting visuals of Geometry Wars, a shmup that uses the simple polygon graphics to convey intense firefights and explosions. Polygon Attacks lacks the originality and intensity to make it engaging.

The sound design is even duller. Weapons sound empty and lacks any “oomph” that would give satisfaction in using them. Only the explosions have any power to them, and only the once created by the boss at that. Again, it lacks the intensity that makes shmups so much fun. The music is forgettable; everything is so generic that it all blends together. Individual tunes are lost in the great mass that is this dull game. It cannot make a name for itself.

So Much Potential

This game frustrates me as it could have been Steam’s killer indie. It provides decent graphics with responsive controls that only needed some creativity or polish. Polygon Attack however lacks either, and relies on referencing classics of the past rather than becoming a classic itself. It is a generic game that will be forgotten among Steam’s more memorable titles. If only it had that drive.

Polygon Attacks is avaliable on Steam, and was developed by Magnolia Art.