Plot: What’s it about?
The first person shooter genre is insanely popular, but most games stick close to the basics. So while the time period, enemy type, and weapons change, the core game experience rarely does. Xotic goes against the grain to offer a new kind of FPS, but does the experiment work? The game tasks you to focus on score, rather than just surviving or killing waves of enemies. You’ll still gun down the bad guys, but they’re more of a distraction than the primary mechanic. As you progress through a level, you need to shoot score orbs, which increase your multipliers, while killing the enemies and grabbing valuable power-up items. You can place holograms under you to enhance your movement abilities, but you need to pick up batteries to power the equipment. So you have a lot to manage if you want to climb the leaderboards in Xotic. As if the pace weren’t frenetic enough, you’re always under a time limit as well, so Xotic is one kinetic experience.
If you love speed runs, then you will be head over heels for Xotic. The game challenges you to keep finding ways to shave precious seconds from your performance, or milk just a few more points out of a level. While the game is fun just to have a brisk run through with, the real allure lies in crafting the most efficient runs possible. This means mastering the game’s nuances, knowing the level designs like the back of your hand, and a flawless overall performance. This is punishing for some, but can be incredibly fun for those who love to compete to be the best. The game has great level designs that let you experiment to find the best routes, and the mechanics are deep enough to really reward those who invest time and practice. That’s not to say a casual player won’t enjoy Xotic, as they will, but the dedicated gamer will get a lot more depth from the experience. I am always glad to see new twists in genres and Xotic pumps some much needed fresh blood into the FPS realm. So if you like to show off your skills and prove you’re the best, Xotic is well recommended.
Video: How does it look?
Xotic really stands out from other shooters in terms of visuals. Unlike most shooters, this game sports bright and vivid graphics, loaded with rich colors. The visual design isn’t on the same level as big budget console shooters, but it looks good and has a very creative texture. The level layouts are well crafted, with plenty of room for experimentation, while character designs look unique and effective. The animation is rock solid as well, from your transforming weapons to the enemies that try to take you down. Xotic looks quite good and I am glad to see some color in a shooter for a change.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sound design of Xotic isn’t that memorable, but it is solid and bolsters the experience. The sound effects are rather basic when compared to the striking visuals, but get the job done. The same holds true for the music. I suppose this is a case where the visual design is so creative, I wanted to find that same level of creative drive in the soundtrack. So while the audio isn’t bad at all, it seems unremarkable because the visuals just grab your attention. All of the bases are covered here, I just wish the audio stood out a little more.
