Energy Invasion

 PlayStation 4
Energy Invasion Image
Metascore
  1. First Review
  2. Second Review
  3. Third Review
  4. Fourth Review

No score yet - based on 2 Critic Reviews Awaiting 2 more reviews What's this?

User Score
2.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: Energy Invasion — an arcade game inspired by the classic Breakout. Unlike the original game, your ball does not break blocks on its own, but can launch missiles in a chosen direction.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. Cubed3
    Jan 11, 2018
    80
    Against all odds, Energy Invasion manages to take its almost too simple Breakout-inspired premise and spin it into something truly original and engaging. Adding the ability to fire off miniature, bouncing balls from the main ball is an ingenious addition that elevates the gameplay from just a mere homage. While there are only 50 stages between Linear and Invasion mode, the difficulty curve allows progress to feel earned, and Endless offers an unlimited amount of levels to bounce through. Along with Nick R 61's fantastic soundtrack, Energy Invasion is a surreal, and strangely addictive, evolution of the Breakout formula.
  2. PlayStation Country
    Jan 8, 2018
    60
    Energy Invasion does a good job of bringing together two distinct genres into a cohesive game engine but doesn't do enough to keep it interesting beyond the first few screens. After that the game's samey level design and visuals make you feel like you saw everything the game had to offer in the first few minutes but there is definitely the potential here for a more compelling experience if a sequel ever comes.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 6 out of 7
  1. GBG_Jason
    Jan 11, 2018
    5
    If there’s a genre that you probably wouldn’t expect to take off, it’d be the brick breaker. I have nothing against games like Arkanoid, butIf there’s a genre that you probably wouldn’t expect to take off, it’d be the brick breaker. I have nothing against games like Arkanoid, but there’s not a whole lot of room for improvement. At least, that’s probably your initial thought. Recent years have brought some fantastic titles with the brick breaking base, such as Sidhe’s Shatter and Tribute Games’ Wizorb. As something that many new developers typically make as their first game, I’m always intrigued by what kind of new content people bring to the tried and true formula.

    The gimmick behind Energy Invasion isn’t that you break blocks with the ball you bounce back and forth, but rather with projectiles that ball emits. Essentially, the ball serves as a vehicle that you’ll be using to shoot from. So instead of merely aiming the ball, you’ll be timing the shots from the ball in directions with the right stick. Is there a block to the left of the ball? Shoot to the left. Are you above a ton of blocks bouncing between them and the ceiling? Shoot down. It’s nothing drastically different from the norm, other than the fact you’ll be utilizing a second analog stick.

    There are a few modes here, although none of them differ all that much. Invasion features enemies that will shoot projectiles that will kill you if they make contact. There are also some interesting graphical changes later on that will remove all your projectiles and probably result in your death as it’s much more difficult to see what’s happening unless you are prepared. Linear mode is basically invasion but without any of the extra difficulties. And like any game such as this, there’s an endless mode for those that want to just break some bricks. Once you die, you’ll see your score and where you place on the leaderboards.

    The amount of lives you are provided is generous as you progress through the game, although I can’t tell you when exactly you earn new lives. The game also has power-ups such as a bar that keeps you from needing to hit the projectile, as well as an extended paddle, but again, these aren’t obviously attainable. It just so happened I got them after breaking a block at random. If you die, some blocks will require more hits to destroy them, thus extending the life of the level and making you work for that life you just lost – these are the only obvious visual change. Perhaps a weird complaint, but one I realized I had while playing the linear mode – without seeing my score constantly while playing, I didn’t feel any sort of compulsion to keep playing. Seeing that with a “next highest score” sort of thing would drive me to keep progressing, but I found myself getting bored halfway through the levels (which I knew after quitting and seeing I had finished about 50% of them – my score didn’t count because I quit though).

    The soundtrack is fine, but it doesn’t grab me in the same way that Shatter‘s soundtrack did (or still does, as I have it in regular rotation in my music library). The visuals aren’t spectacular or out to do anything especially different, but they work for what the game is and does. Controls are about as basic as they come, although the shooting frequency can at times be sporadic and not necessarily make sense to the player without extensive time with the game – these are likely caused by power-ups and power-downs.

    If you’re hankering for a new brick breaking title, Energy Invasion is definitely an option you can consider. But if you are looking for something truly different in the genre and haven’t played the aforementioned titles in the opening paragraph, I’d say you should play those first. If you still need some bricks to break, then you can hop into this.    … Expand
  2. BlitZeR_95
    May 10, 2018
    3
    This is really a frustrating game. The controls are terrible and hard to control! There should be a setting for the sensitivity too becauseThis is really a frustrating game. The controls are terrible and hard to control! There should be a setting for the sensitivity too because sometimes it can be a little too fast… Expand
  4. Dragonfly44
    Oct 24, 2020
    2
    I actually kinda like the music and the graphics style, unfortunately this game is just horribly designed. Nothing works the way it should orI actually kinda like the music and the graphics style, unfortunately this game is just horribly designed. Nothing works the way it should or is supposed to and its both very slow and frustrating to play. 25/100… Expand
  5. Zequila
    Dec 22, 2019
    1
    No comment. Worst game ever. Totally randomic, boring and with an horrible music
  6. Jomarumu
    Nov 11, 2018
    0
    I can't see why someone would give more than 0 to this game.
    It was the worst game that I played this year.
    It is not Breakout inspired,    I can't see why someone would give more than 0 to this game.
    It was the worst game that I played this year.

    It is not Breakout inspired, it is Boringout inspired    … Expand
  7. blacksmithbl
    Sep 9, 2019
    0
    1. Music is terrible
    2. Gameplay is a dumpster fire
    3. Physics are literally random, no logic 4. Game design utter **** 5. All together a    1. Music is terrible
    2. Gameplay is a dumpster fire
    3. Physics are literally random, no logic
    4. Game design utter ****
    5. All together a straight up 0/10

    I've never hated a game more and I think it's because this game doesn't provide you a second of fun.    … Expand
  8. Rwmfilm85
    Jan 19, 2018
    0
    This game is fine if you have overfocused ADD or took too much of your medicine. Otherwise you'll lose interest fast.