2023-05-04 10:00:00
When all is lost, there is only one hope left: call the Wild Dogs
There was a time when the rise of run´n gun it was unquestionable. Sagas like Turrican, Contra or Metal Slug were born to stay in our memories, bringing with it many moments of frenzy either at home or in arcades. The study 2ndBoss He wants this experience not to fall into oblivion, and for that very reason he pays homage to all these great anthological games thanks to his latest work called Wild Dogs. Ready to blast the enemy with bullets?
fight tirelessly
As clearly seen in the pictures, Wild Dogs is an action proposal that takes us back to the glorious days of the first Game Boy. On this occasion, we will control a special command made up of an elite soldier, his faithful dog and his great arsenal of weapons and vehicles. We will be humanity’s last hope of stopping an alien invasion, so we will have to fight tirelessly to neutralize any threat that hangs over our heads. Those who follow the study will surely be familiar with this proposal, since it is about the biolab wars prequel other shooter developed by them and which follows paths very similar to those seen in this analysis.
license to annihilate
The game will feature five phases, each of them composed of several sequences. These sequences are highly varied, since apart from the typical moments of run´n gun of the time, we will have others that completely break with the monotony. From piloting a helicopter in horizontal scrolling, driving a motorcycle in a chase or even others where we drive the protagonist’s dog. At the end of each phase, we will have to beat the final boss on duty and we can prepare for the next level.
Along the way we will run into different types of shooting, each with its strengths and weaknesses. We will only be able to alternate between two of them, and the choice of the ideal type will be marked by personal tastes or even by the type of sequence that we are going to face. It is not the same to defeat aerial enemies with the flamethrower than to do it with a guided missile and the tri-directional shot, for example. Experience and testing each phase will give us some idea of the most suitable weapon.
Watch out for the walls
The difficulty is also very present in Wild Dogs. It is not an unfair game like many of the titles of that time, but it is we must tread carefully so as not to end up biting the dust. We will have three lives to complete all the sequences of the level. And if due to things of fate, we perish along the way, we will have no choice but to restart the phase again. This will generate extra attention because repeating sequences is never a good thing, no matter how fun the game may be. I also tell you that just as I say that it is fair, sometimes it is a bit “bastard”. Especially on a certain screen completely inspired by Battletoads. With that you will know where the shots are going…
You have to sweat every victory
Although visually it seems that we are playing with a Game Boy, obviously Wild Dogs does not have the performance that we would have on a Game Boy. It is very noticeable because of the fluidity of our hero, as well as the great diversity of situations that he will face. As a good title with a retro essence, there will be several filters to put on the screen: from the classic CRT lines, to that bulging effect that tube televisions gave us. In addition, within the game itself we can change the monochrome palette of the game, with an incredible variety of colors so that we are comfortable distributing shots.
And it is appreciated that they did not want to respect the controls and performance of the Nintendo portable console in a 100% reliable way. Here every hit of the enemy counts. The flow of the game can be the difference between reaching the next medkit or losing a life that causes us to restart the entire phase. Although it is not a bullet-hellwe cannot let a stray bullet hit our protagonists if we want to continue standing in front of the battle. And if we compare Wild Dogs with Biolabs War, the technical leap between both proposals is noticeable. Including, among other new features, the diagonal directional shot that becomes essential in certain situations, a highly appreciated aspect.
Wild Dogs Conclusion
Retro game lovers are in luck with the new work from the 2ndBoss studio. We are before a run´n gun set in the Nintendo laptop, although providing an exquisite variety in each of its five levels. We will no longer only have sequences of shooting and dodging the enemy’s bullets, but we will find situations where we will control motorcycles, helicopters, planes… even our labrador retriever. If you like challenges and also want to relive good memories in front of your GameBoy, don’t miss out on this little gem from the indie catalogue. Cinnamon stick full of bullets.
Wild Dogs
9.99€
Pros
- Great tribute to the classic run’n gun
- A wide variety of situations
- Lots of filters and color palettes
Cons
- Difficulty spikes ruin the experience
- A cooperative would not have suited him at all
#Analysis #Wild #Dogs #mercenaries #pixel