Destructivator SE

 Switch
Metascore
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  1. Finger Guns
    Nov 23, 2021
    70
    A retro inspired run and gunner that’s as tough as an old boot, Destructivator SE harks back to a time when games had just a single weapon and we were happy about it. There’s a few random difficulty spikes and you won’t see anything new for the genre here, but it’s still a rewarding experience worthy of your time.

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  1. SyndicateY
    Nov 28, 2021
    6
    Imagine it is lunchtime, and everyone runs outside to the playground; except you, you decide to take the other turn and head to the computerImagine it is lunchtime, and everyone runs outside to the playground; except you, you decide to take the other turn and head to the computer lab and play a game called Lode Runner. Why am I saying this? Well, Destructivator SE reminds me a lot of Lode Runner. I wouldn’t say it is Lode Runner, but the level designs and what not is similar.

    Destructivator SE is set in the year 2145 when the Earth lies in ruins from a war between Zallagor and his army, which makes me think this is a sequel, but I could be wrong. Now that Earth is literally on fire, and you have found the home planet of Zallagor, Zerkl; now it is time to take the fight to them. Playing as a soldier in a green jumpsuit, which is most likely a cyborg, players will need to shoot their way to victory.

    Players who have played Lode Runner can see the resemblance straight away as the camera viewpoint is similar to the Lode Runner games, with players able to navigate the level how they see fit, backtracking when needed. To progress a level, players must kill all enemies that occupy the screen. This isn’t too difficult at the beginning, but combine that with a Switch lite screen, and you are in for a fun and brutal time.

    Divided into six worlds, with each world having roughly nine levels each, players will need to go in, kill all the enemies and at least earn one star. That is easier said than done as the game only included three difficulty settings which were normal, hard and brutal, and knowing how bad I can be at some games, let’s just say I had a lot of trouble with this as the enemies come hard and fast when learning the ropes. I know what you are thinking, and sadly there is no way to unlock easy mode, but I did find a setting that helped me a little for beating some levels, which was to slow bullet speed. I found that once I slowed the bullet speed, I could finish some levels, except the damn boss on the first world.

    To make it easier on players, each level has a number of checkpoints scattered around it. The checkpoints allow the player to continue from the checkpoint they passed instead of the beginning of the level. The checkpoints don’t change much because once an enemy is dead, they are dead; it just means the player is closer to where they died, which could be handy or not, depending on where the next batch of enemies is before finishing the level. Player’s will also need to beat levels within three lives; when all lives are lost, the level is failed. It also means the more you die in a level, the lower your rating will be out of five stars.

    During my time playing Destructivator SE, I did find a glitch that would always close the game. The glitch in question always happened whenever I paused the game, pressed the plus button as anyone would to go back into the game and then because that does nothing, I press A. The game closes down, and I need to restart; the simple fix for any player experiencing this issue is not pushing the plus button to resume. This was hard for me as it is a basic instinct which meant my game closed constantly. Apart from that single glitch, the rest of the game played fine and was enjoyable. As I said, it is like Lode Runner mixed with Contra.

    If Lode Runner and Contra had a baby, this would be their hybrid baby with fast-paced action and strategic elements. Highly recommended for fans of both games.

    Destructivator SE is now available on Switch.

    A review code was provided by Thalamus Digital for the purpose of this review.    … Full Review »
  2. GamingCouchSpud
    Nov 9, 2021
    8
    Destructivator SE is a 1990s style arcade run and gun shooter. Playing this brings me back to playing similar games like Contra on theDestructivator SE is a 1990s style arcade run and gun shooter. Playing this brings me back to playing similar games like Contra on the original NES.

    Let's look at the story.

    "The year is 2145. Earth still burns. Zallagor and his army have been vanquished, but at great cost: the once great cities of Earth lie in ruin, its population hungry for revenge.

    Zallagor’s home planet of Zerkl has been located. Zallagor has gone, but somebody will rise to replace him. Maybe they already have. The Destructivator is ready – it is time to strike!

    Take on the role of a tiny super-solider decked out in lime green spandex! Blast and melee your way through hordes of alien soldiers, robots, spaceships, traps, bosses – and more! Fight on foot or commandeer an enemy ship to take out Zerkl’s defenses and ensure that the alien menace won't threaten Earth ever again."

    Sounds fun right!?

    Straight away for those of you old enough, you will think of Contra, and this game certainly pays homage to such great games from the past. But with clear graphics that despite being simple 2D, do really look great, everything is colourful without becoming overwhelming or blinding.

    There are 6 missions with over 50 levels to complete.

    The game starts off pretty simple, you have one gun, and you have to kill all your enemies, once you have killed everyone, you have "cleared" the level, and you move onto the next. As you move around the levels there are checkpoints that once passed, you will return to if you die, but you can return to a previous checkpoint, activate that, and then you will respawn there if you die. Of-course there are the obligatory boss and mini boss fights, and a decent learning curve.

    One nice touch is that you can steal mini flying ships, and use them to move about too, all the while watching out from fire from all angles.

    There are 3 difficulty levels, but it is worth noting that the game doesn't just throw enemies at you for the sake of it, even on the Brutal skill level, if you take your time, and think about what you will do, then you can still pass the level.

    I played this on the Nintendo Switch Lite, and at times the smaller screen wasn't the best to play the game on, however it did not become a hinderance, I do think perhaps playing on a bigger screen would be a benefit. Especially as the camera view point does feel quite far away, with a lot on screen.

    This is a decent old school run and gun shooter, which would satisfy the older gamer like myself, as well as younger gamers, well if they don't mind retro graphics that is.

    The Good
    A challenging game, that never becomes too frustrating, brings back great memories from the 1990s arcade, while also being a decent 2021 game in its own right.

    The Bad
    Some enemy bullets are tiny and hard to see, even more so on the small screen.

    Overall
    I enjoy classic run and gun shooters, and I am happy to add this one to my collection.

    I score Destructivator SE a healthy 8/10    … Full Review »