Kick Ass Commandos Review

What can I say about Kick Ass Commandos? Well, it’s played through the perspective of a top down camera... It has pixelated graphics… It’s very intuitive and easy to play on a keyboard… Oh, and is it worth mentioning that it’s absolutely jam-packed to the brim with non-stop action?

I'll start off by saying Kick Ass Commandos is so much fun to play. It’s the kind of game that just works from start to finish. It doesn't try to be too fancy and artsy - and nor should it. The game is exactly what the action genre should entail; all-out chaos and brutality.

Essentially you must go through each level attacking enemy bases and rescuing your commandos who have been taken hostage. For every comrade that is rescued, they join you in your battle, and it makes for some pretty intense gameplay. Sometimes your comrades can get in your way, and they don’t have a particularly high damage threshold so they can be killed much quicker than I expected, but the same can be said for the enemies. The overall feeling is one of utter chaos, and it’s great!

The soundtrack more than suits Kick Ass Commandos also, with the thumping heavy metal in the background as you traverse through levels looking to eviscerate the enemies. The game is intense on all the levels - with the background music playing a huge part in that. While some players may find this distracting, I found it made the game more enjoyable. It’s obviously designed to accompany and complement the gameplay, so turning the music down or even off would absolutely detract from the overall experience.

While the levels are action-packed, there are some levels that are a little lacklustre in appearance and length. Had this been the case for most of the levels the game would have encountered real problems, but it’s pretty much few and far between, so only a minor gripe. Speaking of the levels, it is completely up to the discretion of the player whether you want to speed your way through a level, or take your time and favour a more tactical approach.

As good as the gameplay is, do the graphics hold up in equal measure? For me, it’s a massive yes. Most of the levels look different and are really well designed visually. Having a top down camera you get to see a lot of the landscape around you. Even the character box in the top left corner of the screen adds a touch of individualism to the game. You have Lex Lightning and 6-Pack who have very distinct faces - and as small a detail as it might seem, having little character icons in the corner actually made a big difference.

Also, it would be cool if Kick Ass Commandos was multiplayer compatible. If I could think of just one thing that would improve this game immeasurably it would be to allow friends to play the game together. For some people the repetitive nature of the game could put people off, so being able to play it together could be a great addition. Also, I’d like to see more development of your weapons. Basically, you’ll find weapons during levels but I’d have preferred it if you could upgrade them in a store to add a touch of personalisation to the game.