Winter Uprising Hands-On: Break Limit

I'm not going to lie, of all the quality games on the Xbox Indie service many of them are shoot-em-ups or shmups. With really good ones released by developers such as Radiangames and Mommy's Best Games, I really did not expect Zombie Monkey's Break Limit to do anything different or even compete with what was already on the service. What can I say, I'm a pessimist. Happily enough, I was wrong and this new indie can hold its own with the big boys. Hit the break to read my impressions.



The first thing you'll notice when you boot up Break Limit is that it has a smooth menu interface. Simple selections get you into the game fast. With the option of three difficulty levels, this shmup novice chose the least trying option at first.

Wanting to get right into the action, I chose to receive the Cliff's Notes version of the tutorial. All of the writing in this game is really well done and, in many cases, humorous. The tutorial explained that you can shoot straight in front of you by pressing "a" or the right trigger. Also, it described the interesting option of shooting in different directions with the right stick which brings a twin stick shooter element into the game.

The tutorial explained the games core addition or twist, the Break Limit, as well. While flying through space, shooting asteroids, and avoiding obstacles, you collect orbs that fill your Break Limit Meter. To use the break limit ability you simply press and hold the left trigger. As you hold your left trigger two things happen. First, you speed up and become invincible. You are able to fly through walls, asteroids...anything while you are in the break limit mode. The second thing that happens is that your break limit meter decreases. When you run out you stop your fast, frenzied flight and resume your normal speed and taking damage. ProTip: Don't run out of your break limit while flying through a wall!

Obviously, you try to avoid damage in a game like this. You try to get as many points as possible and try to survive. Break Limit initially sticks to this classic shmup formula. Fly straight up, shoot, dodge, destroy. However, a little bit into the game you come up to a turn that flips the screen 90 degrees and you are flying horizontally, either to the left or right.

Break Limit is a good purchase. 80 msp for a shmup that does enough different to make an interesting addition to an ever-growing collection of indie shooters.

[Zombie Monkey Games released Break Limit on December 1, 2010 for 80 msp ($1)]

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]