Jets 'n' Guns

Rating Rating Pending Genre first-person-shooter Publisher Rake In Grass Games External Links Official Rake In Grass Website

Long gone were the days of games such as Defender and Gradius. Or so we though. Rake In Grass, creators of Larva Mortus have also given us a tremendously addictive, side-scrolling, starship shoot ‘em up with Jets ‘n’ Guns. Not one to waste time on fancy titles that have little to do with the game itself, Jets ‘n’ Guns developers get right to the core of what their title is about. You guessed it! Propulsion and pulverization!

As a no-named hotshot working for the Galactic Federation, in a loose sense at least, you are one of the greatest pilots in modern history. Or at least you can be with several devastating weapons to choose from. The idea is simple. The more you blow up, the bigger your budget gets. This title employs a unique monetary system which allows the player to sell back anything they purchase at full price, including upgrades. Building up a solid cash base during each mission will give you more variable options depending on the next level. You start out with a basic ship, one weapon and a starting allowance. From there, the possibilities are nigh endless, assuming that you can put enough credits away for a rainy day.

Each ship model has two basic gauges: hull integrity and heat. Hull integrity is pretty self-explanatory. Reach zero, go bye bye. You can choose to toughen up your skin, for a price. Some ships even have a nanobot option, which slowly replenishes your hull over time, assuming your heat is at its lowest level. Firing weapons generates heat, which can be regulated if your ship allows you to upgrade its heat sinks. Heat tends to go up as weapons are upgraded, so make sure your craft can handle what you’re packing. Bombs are helpful for destroying ground targets and missiles can deliver that extra punch that you may find yourself needing.

Jets ‘n’ Guns sports three difficulty levels, though the easiest is still quite the challenge for the most seasoned veteran. Skill, in combination with a well thought out battle setup, is absolutely key in winning even the most basic of missions. It took me well over a dozen tries to finish the second level on Normal. Even though I was frustrated at points, I kept coming back for more. That’s the strength of this game. That indefinable well of replay ability has been efficiently tapped, allowing players to drink freely. So few blockbuster titles ever approach this degree of novelty that it makes you wonder what the big secret is.

If you think the gameplay is enough to carry your interest, then the comic-book storytelling format, driving musical score and graphic prowess will prove to be gamer-worthy bonuses. Speaking of the music, for those who are interested, Machinae Supremacy was hired to provide the heavy rock tunes befitting of a carnage-fest. Be sure to check out their website, http://www.machinaesupremacy.com. Thirty bucks nets you the full game, while an extra ten will boost you to Gold status. Double the levels, more MS, and more things to buy. Granted, this is a little higher than most of the “casual games” out there, but its worth the investment if you hunger for action.