
A PlayStation Vita hit makes it to XBLIG!
Originally released for the PlayStation Vita (where it continues to be a big hit: http://uk.playstation.com/psn/games/detail/item575041/Aqua-Kitty-Milk-Mine-Defender/ ), 'Aqua Kitty: Milk Mine Defender' is now also available on the Xbox360 XBLIG channel. The game has a very polished look and feel, with great attention to details and superb, retro-style graphics, music, and sounds, all of a quality you would usually only find in the more expensive XBLA titles. Aqua Kitty is a retro pixel art shooter supporting 1 or 2 (co-op) offline players (no online) and offering some modern twists on top of its retro skin. For example, we have a campaign map with multiple routes, an auto recharging secondary weapon that players need to manage using special powerups, varying sea depths on later levels (yes, the kittens in this game all play under the sea!), kill chaining to increase top scores, and, as the developer describes it, "an infinite mode for players in need of a super tough challenge." But even in standard mode and levels, this game can be quite difficult to complete. The settings have an option for Autofire ON, which should ease things a little bit (particularly when playing as single player in non-co-op mode). However, I would have preferred a dedicated 'game difficulty' setting, with an easy mode in which the AI is more permissive and a bit slower with less intensive waves of sprites to shoot at (and/or more power/lives offered to the player). This would make the game appealing to wider audiences, particularly children who can end up very frustrated with the current difficulty level of the game, despite the game's attractive graphics and music and its general "addictive" nature (which just add to the frustration that you can't complete a title you like so much). Then, in addition to easy difficulty, the game can also have higher difficulty setting(s), allowing those who have completed the levels under easy/novice difficulty setting to try some more challenging gameplay. I would have given the game 10/10 if an 'easy play' option was included, but with its current difficulty setup (version 1.05 as at 06-10-2013) and the frustration this may cause to some players, I can only give it 9/10 (as everything else in this game is excellent). The addictive and retro-modern natures of Aqua Kitty's gameplay are well captured in this short video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RnHTYC1Rbs