E308 hands-on: Galaga Legions
There's really no way to get around this, so here it is: Galaga Legions might as well be called Galaga Championship Edition. It's made by the same Namco team that made Pac-Man Championship Edition and it achieves the same success: reinventing an arcade classic and making it relevant again. At the same time, it is definitely still Galaga in much the same way that Pac-Man CE is still Pac-Man. It's new, it's classic, it's pretty. Period.
There probably isn't much need to elaborate on that, but I'm going to anyway. On the surface, Galaga Legions is the same as it's ever been. You're job is to pilot a ship and obliterate wave after wave of bug-like aliens. The ship can now move in all directions, not just left and right. The firing mechanics are still the same though; the ship can only shoot straight up. This is problematic, because enemies can come at you from all sides. How do you deal with this? Satellites.
The satellites are undoubtedly the biggest addition to the Galaga formula and the most fun. Satellites are deployed with the right stick and their direction of fire corresponds to the direction pressed on the right stick. Press up, and your ship will deploy a satellite that constantly shoots up. Satellites can be deployed in any of the four main directions up, down, left and right. Only two satellites can be deployed at any one time though, so strategy and quick thinking is key.
Aiding players with their strategy is another new feature. Before each wave of enemies hits the screen, luminescent lines trace the paths that the enemies will take. This gives you crucial seconds to place your satellites in positions where they will do the most damage. For instance, say an enemy path is traced through the center of the screen. Before they arrive, quickly place a satellite on either side of the path shooting inward. You've just created a funnel of alien death. Enemies come in multiple waves though, so satellites have to constantly be shuffled on the fly. Of course, you don't always have time to make immaculate plans, so sometimes a turret will be deployed simply to keep an approaching baddie off your tail.
Quite simply, Galaga Legions is beautiful, bright, frenetic fun. It's a must play. Thankfully, it shouldn't be long before the masses get to try it out, as we were told that it should be available in the next 4-6 weeks.
There probably isn't much need to elaborate on that, but I'm going to anyway. On the surface, Galaga Legions is the same as it's ever been. You're job is to pilot a ship and obliterate wave after wave of bug-like aliens. The ship can now move in all directions, not just left and right. The firing mechanics are still the same though; the ship can only shoot straight up. This is problematic, because enemies can come at you from all sides. How do you deal with this? Satellites.
The satellites are undoubtedly the biggest addition to the Galaga formula and the most fun. Satellites are deployed with the right stick and their direction of fire corresponds to the direction pressed on the right stick. Press up, and your ship will deploy a satellite that constantly shoots up. Satellites can be deployed in any of the four main directions up, down, left and right. Only two satellites can be deployed at any one time though, so strategy and quick thinking is key.
Aiding players with their strategy is another new feature. Before each wave of enemies hits the screen, luminescent lines trace the paths that the enemies will take. This gives you crucial seconds to place your satellites in positions where they will do the most damage. For instance, say an enemy path is traced through the center of the screen. Before they arrive, quickly place a satellite on either side of the path shooting inward. You've just created a funnel of alien death. Enemies come in multiple waves though, so satellites have to constantly be shuffled on the fly. Of course, you don't always have time to make immaculate plans, so sometimes a turret will be deployed simply to keep an approaching baddie off your tail.
Quite simply, Galaga Legions is beautiful, bright, frenetic fun. It's a must play. Thankfully, it shouldn't be long before the masses get to try it out, as we were told that it should be available in the next 4-6 weeks.







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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ben! @ Jul 17th 2008 6:26PM
Awesome. With the success of games like Geometry Wars, it seems like every space shooter that comes out is omni-directional; I'm glad to see a vertical scrolling shooter making its way to the service.
s.tillings @ Jul 17th 2008 7:00PM
What about capturing fighters? I still suffer nightmares from my very first Galaga game when my fighter was captured and I had no ships left thus rendering my game over!!!
al green @ Jul 17th 2008 7:21PM
"I'd buy that for a dollar." -Clarence Boddicker
magic whiskey @ Jul 17th 2008 7:25PM
...I'd buy it for ten:)
I'm really excited for a lot of XBLA games this year. Any new word about Dishwasher at all?
Bmurph @ Jul 17th 2008 7:43PM
I'm really excited, too. It's been a while since I've bought some XBLA games, but these look very promising.
Billy Dee Williams @ Jul 17th 2008 8:46PM
Looks to be an awesome addition!
Magic Whiskey @ Jul 17th 2008 11:15PM
Billy Dee! Billy Dee!
(Sorry..I tried to talk myself out of typing that, but..well..)
Trekster_Gamer @ Jul 17th 2008 10:02PM
I think this will be very fun, I hope they at least have kept the charm of the original intact. Other versions updated versions of this game had more graphics, more options more Sound FX and Music but always hidden within all of this was a look or sound that reminded you of the original Galaga.
nonono @ Jul 17th 2008 10:25PM
PS3 sold 405,488 systems, 84% higher than the Xbox 360 for the this year and it will continue.
Dimeadz @ Jul 17th 2008 11:14PM
go flame somewhere else.....
Magic Whiskey @ Jul 17th 2008 11:16PM
Um....what?
On second thought, nevermind. Go play Fl0w by yourself or something.
Kasey Johnson @ Jul 17th 2008 11:53PM
So you're saying the 360 sold only 65,000 in 7 months? Sure it did. Dream on 405,488.
jtedesco33 @ Jul 18th 2008 8:11AM
After Sony's E3 I think only the fanboy's that have been saving up for one will buy now. That was easily the biggest fail ever presented at E3.
pandlcg @ Jul 18th 2008 9:51AM
@Kasey Johnson,
I hate to be picky, cause the OP is obviously a douche, but what he's saying is the 360 sold 220,374 units. You have to take his 405,488 divided by 1.84 to determine his 360 assumption.
Sorry, i like math.
nonono @ Jul 18th 2008 2:14PM
Sorry I meant to say in june and so far in july the PS3 sold 405,488 systems, 84% higher than the Xbox 360 dont believe me go look it up.
EmptyEnergy @ Jul 18th 2008 11:37AM
Game looks good and glad to see the XBLA psychedelic color theme still lives strong on Live.
Where are the R-type and Lifeforce games at?
d3p0 @ Aug 18th 2008 8:58PM
Legions.. Kinda crappy.
http://croutondays.d3p0.com/galaga-legions-its-no-geometry-wars-1/