Even when total chaos ensued, we never lost focus, a testament to the readability of Assault Android Cactus+ ’s action. I chose to play the laser-shooting Starch, while she preferred the spread-shot of Lemon. The generous helping of playable characters to choose from, each with a unique weapon and special ability, complemented each other well when paired. Playing with the better half proved to be a good time, and we each delegated a section of the level as “ours” to clear. Of course, there’s local four-player multiplayer as well. It just goes to show that a bit of earnestness and quirk can bring to life some simple designs. This isn’t meant to sound patronizing to the game’s art style, what I mean is that it captured some long-lost nostalgic feeling. Then again, everything is very deliberately designed in a way that exudes heart, and I found it all very endearing. Characters look like the goofy mascots of a children’s show, and textures aren’t exactly eye-popping.

Something interesting I noted about Assault Android Cactus+ was its PlayStation 2-era charm. The controls are tight, everything feels responsive, moving on. The heat gauge, which dictates dodging and each character’s special weapon use, is a simple and effective way to balance simple movement and shooting with flashier techniques.

The simplicity to its design in much to the game’s benefit and even the most casual companion can jump in for some quick action. There’s not much to the core gameplay - shoot with the right bumper, move with the left stick, and dodge or switch weapons with the left bumper.

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