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Brandeis University's Community Newspaper — Waltham, Mass.

Inside Crash Commando

Published: January 23, 2009
Section: Arts, Etc.


diverse-city-1-23-09_page_3_image_0001Crash Commando, a Playstation Network game, offers the quick pick-up-and-play style that works perfectly in downloadable form. Developer EPOS created a no-thrills game with great gameplay. There is no fluffy storyline to worry about; your goal — kill the enemy.

This simple game is a 2D shooter with a zoomed out viewpoint. The camera makes your character extremely small, but this was likely done to showcase the backgrounds, which are absolutely beautiful. The colors jump off the screen and are extremely detailed. They also have many platforms, caves and vehicles to use to your advantage. A final aspect to the levels is the flip. There is action on the other side of the plane, and doorways can transport you to the action there (or mow people down with a turret).

The variety of weapons is plentiful. There are six primary and a few secondary choices and grenades to accompany you into battle. These weapons are well-balanced and you will want to try them all out before deciding on a favorite.

Though there is no traditional jump button, all soldiers are equipped with a jetpack. By holding L1, players can fly for a limited time. This leads to hectic battles both on the ground and in the air.

Controls are simple, with the left analog stick moving the character and the right serving as an aiming mechanism.

The main attraction of Crash Commando is the multiplayer mode with up to 12 players. The main (and most popular) mode is Deathmatch, but Capture the Flag is also available. The single player contains 16 short missions that will only last just over an hour.

Crash Commando is a great shooter exclusive to the PS3, including trophies. Although a full-fledged single player campaign would have been nice, Crash Commando still provides hours of gameplay at the bargain price of $10.