Crusaders of Space 2 Review

Written by: Dustin Arient Published: July 15, 2006 The classic Galaga formula of a lone starfighter pitted against hordes of alien battle drones was always irresistible when wrapped in a painted arcade cabinet and controlled by a joystick. Most mouse-controlled PC remakes, however, feel like soulless doppelgangers, acting out the motions of the classic. Not so with Alawar Entertainment's Crusaders of Space 2. It leaves the basic game mechanic alone while focusing on evoking, not replicating, the arcade experience. You move your ship left and right along the bottom of the screen as alien doom-bringers rush you in waves. Most of the time, all you have to do is shoot them down with your primary blasters, dodge enemy fire, and avoid succumbing to interstellar highway hypnosis from staring at the gorgeous animated backgrounds. I thought I'd seen some slick visuals from modern space shoot-em-ups, but Crusaders of Space raises the bar. Some modern gameplay conventions are added in, such as the ability to upgrade your ship after each stage, collect temporary weapon enhancements and freeze time during battles. Between missions, you can also view comic book-style cut scenes that advance the story. Crusaders of Space 2 is like a great cover of a good song. It'll never be the original, but it still deserves a place in your playlist. Scoring (out of five dragon heads): Graphics: Ease of use: Gameplay: Difficulty: Sound effects: Music: Final analysis: Click here to download the free trial version of Crusaders of Space 2.