Assault Android Cactus

Developer Witch Beam’s Assault Android Cactus is a simple twin-stick shooter with a goofy name. But what happens when you aren’t shooting is what sets the game apart.

You play as Cactus, who is an assault class police android. When investigating a stranded space freighter, you discover that all the workers have malfunctioned and are now wreaking havoc. You're trapped on the inside, and in need of some serious backup, so you recruit androids along the way to aid in your survival. 

Early on I was worried about being able to distinguish the friendly white upgrade orbs from the blue bullets of enemies. This led to an odd realization; there is a lack of bullets in the game, at least compared to the typical bullet-hell shooter. I was expecting the screen to be flooded with projectiles, and my movement heavily restricted and choreographed to scarce bullet-free locations. Instead, I was able to freely run around most of the screen, as long as I destroyed the enemy robots attempting to surround me using their numbers instead of deadly projectiles.  

This surplus of freedom plays a big role in Assault Android Cactus; being good at shooting enemies isn’t enough. Position plays a big role, as getting surrounded will quickly reduce your health to zero, but success also requires acquiring power ups. There are three combat power ups and a battery that can be picked up. The combat-related ones increase your running speed, add flying turrets that shoot extra bullets, and temporarily shut down enemies similar to an EMP. These aren’t just fun bonus items; they are necessary to survive. There are certain levels and bosses that have moments where escape is simply not possible without the power ups. Grabbing them can often be a risk, but I found almost always pays off. 

The battery drastically changes how Assault Android Cactus is played. Battery life is reduced as time goes on and when you revive yourself. When the battery level hits zero, it’s game over. If a battery pops onto the screen, you absolutely need to get it, as it will otherwise disappear. This made the game frantic; I couldn’t afford to take my time and play it safe against bosses when strategy was needed. The rate of these batteries appearing is sparse, but well timed. They always seemed to arrive just as I needed one. 

There are initially four available characters in Assault Android Cactus (more are unlocked after boss battles), each of which has a different main and special weapon. The game’s titular character Cactus has a basic gun that shoots in a straight line; other characters sport weapons that have homing bullets, a slight spread, or a short-ranged shotgun blast. The special attacks offer a powerful punch for when you’re in a really bad situation, or just want to wreck a larger enemy. Cactus has a short-ranged flamethrower to complement her basic long-ranged weapon. Each character feels distinct enough where it’s fun replaying levels with them, or testing each of them out when stuck at a tricky spot.

One specific character, Aubergine, caught my eye. She launches a twin-blade helicopter instead of a conventional weapon, which can be controlled based on where you’re aiming and by using the trigger button as a sort of gas pedal. Her secondary weapon shoots a vortex that will draw enemies into it like a black hole and makes an incredibly lethal combination with her helicopter. I quickly adapted to her unusual weapon set, and appreciate it as one of the most creative weapons I’ve ever used in a shooter. 

The two other standout features in Assault Android Cactus are fluctuating level designs and boss fights. The beginning levels are your run-of-the-mill battle arenas found in a lot of shooters, but I was soon thrown into arenas that were constantly changing. Stages where walls would pop up out of nowhere forced me to adapt and be ready at any time. One arena, a circle with different sections spinning in opposite directions, was particularly tricky. Running against the direction of the stage would barely inch my character forward, but was necessary at times, and whenever I was lucky enough to pick up the speed boost, it was a total game changer. 

The bosses themselves are comparable to something out of Mega Man or Contra. They’re difficult, and it took my several attempts until I beat them, but it was all about learning their patterns. Even still, mistakes are even more detrimental against the bosses, since you can only get a battery after each stage of the fight. The bosses are also easier when playing co-op; they aren’t able to target everyone, since some of their attacks are mono-directional. This made inflicting damage much easier since one player could just sit behind the boss and fire away without consequence. 

I experienced a lot in the two hours I had with Assault Android Cactus, but I want more. There were still stages to complete, and I walked away leaving some pretty embarrassing scores on certain levels. Developer Witch Beam plans to add two more characters to the game, making a total of eight, and a slew of other additions, which I can’t wait for. Assault Android Cactus is currently available on Steam early access (PC, Mac, and Linux) and will be releasing early 2014 on Steam, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, and Wii U.