Info about Alien Hominid Invasion:

Official game description:
Steal intel from your enemies to sabotage their plans, observe the oddities of human life, blow up bosses, and mutate into a variety of powerful alien forms in order to take down the not-so-secret agents that are dead set on ruining your day.
Are you ready to assist your Mothership with the invasion of planet Earth?
*   Invade with up to four players through online co-op, couch co-op, or both!
*   Play across skill gaps with difficulty being set per player – one player can choose Friendly while another loses their mind on Insane!
    Choose from three difficulty levels and two life insurance modes:
*   **Mastery Mode** - earn more experience and better drops, but **lose it all on death… YOLO!!**
*   **Permakeep** - the standard alien invasion experience… There's nothing wrong with wanting to keep your stuff!
*   Unlock and equip an astronomical arsenal of unique weapons, boosts, and cosmetics to customize your alien.
*   Complete missions, level up, and **mutate** your alien to deploy new mechanics like super speed, healing, and flight!
*   Discover your preferred weapon, boosts, alien head, and mutation combos by experimenting with all the buffs (and debuffs) alien technology has to offer! What playstyle will _you_ choose?
*   Remember: **You can’t kill your agents if you don’t drink your juice!**  
*   Determine your own gameplay path with a non-linear leveling experience. Invade randomly-assembled neighborhoods from hundreds of hand-crafted city blocks to reach enemy headquarters.
*   Reach Sewer Kid Hideouts to unbox all your loot and spend your hard earned lunch money from your underground allies!
*   Unlock additional mutations after destroying each enemy HQ, get a holo-hug from Mama, and prepare for your next mission!
*   Redeem Mothership Data to load in bonus modifiers like extra lunch money, shield power ups, and more! Don’t forget to say thank you.

Release date: 1 Nov, 2023

Categories: Cooperative Multiplayer, Roguelike, Character Customization, Weapon Customization, Character Progression, Real-time Combat, Arcade, Procedural Generation


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Fun Co-op & Chaos (weight 0.45): The game is highly enjoyable, especially when played with friends in co-op, offering a chaotic and addictive experience. Its fast-paced gameplay and on-screen madness are a major draw.
- Signature Behemoth Charm (weight 0.21): The game successfully maintains The Behemoth's distinctive art style, humor, and overall charm, reminiscent of their previous titles. This consistency resonates well with fans of the studio.
- Engaging Difficulty Curve (weight 0.19): The game offers a challenging yet fun gameplay loop, with difficulty increasing over time through stronger enemies and stage hazards. This progression keeps the experience engaging and prevents boredom.
- Excellent Alien Hominid Sequel (weight 0.18): The game is praised as a fantastic sequel to the original Alien Hominid, expanding on its story and gameplay while retaining its charm. It successfully builds upon its predecessor, offering more content and a familiar yet improved experience.
- Extensive Customization (weight 0.16): The game offers a wide array of customization options for characters, weapons, and gadgets, allowing players to personalize their experience. The variety in weapons and perks makes each run feel fresh and unique.
- Great Value & Addictive (weight 0.16): Reviewers found the game to be well worth its price, offering an initially fun and highly addictive experience. Its simple yet engaging gameplay loop contributes to its overall appeal.
- Classic Arcade Shooter (weight 0.1): The game delivers a highly enjoyable arcade-style side-scrolling shooter experience, reminiscent of titles like Metal Slug. It features frantic action with many projectiles on screen, providing a nostalgic yet fresh take on the genre.
- Satisfying Gunplay (weight 0.05): The game features enjoyable and well-designed weapons, with reviewers appreciating the quality and feel of the gunplay. The new guns add to the overall fun.
- Engaging Abilities & Environment (weight 0.04): The game includes fun character abilities and interactive environmental elements that enhance the gameplay experience. These features contribute to a cool and enjoyable overall gameplay.
- Expressive Mothership Character (weight 0.04): The newly introduced Mothership character is well-received, noted for being expressive and adding to the game's charm. Reviewers appreciate its presence and personality.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive Core Gameplay (weight 1): Many players found the core gameplay loop, including missions, levels, and overall objectives, to be highly repetitive and monotonous. This lack of variety quickly led to boredom and a feeling that the game offered little new content after the initial hours.
- Unbalanced Difficulty & Grind (weight 0.58): The game suffers from significant balancing issues, with frequent difficulty spikes and a perceived lack of coherent difficulty curve, especially for single-player. Players also noted a tedious progression system that often required excessive grinding to make characters viable, rather than relying on player skill.
- Excessive Screen Clutter (weight 0.54): Players frequently report that the screen is overwhelmed with enemies, projectiles, and visual effects, making it difficult to see their character, identify enemies, or understand objectives. This visual chaos leads to frustration and a feeling of being lost in the action.
- Lacks Previous Game's Charm (weight 0.52): Many long-time fans expressed significant disappointment, feeling the game was a step backward and lacked the unique charm, fun, and depth of the developer's previous titles, particularly the original Alien Hominid. This sentiment often stemmed from changes in core mechanics and overall design direction.
- Flawed Roguelite Design (weight 0.39): The shift to a roguelite format with procedural generation was largely criticized, with players finding levels bland, repetitive, and lacking the charm or depth of a true roguelike. The random elements often felt uninspired or shoe-horned in, contributing to a frustrating grind.
- Minimal Story Content (weight 0.25): Players noted a significant lack of story or narrative content, contributing to the game feeling less engaging and more like a pure arcade experience. This absence was particularly disappointing for those expecting more depth from the developer.
- Unfun Boss Encounters (weight 0.19): Boss battles were frequently criticized for being frustrating, bland, and repetitive, often recycling mechanics or featuring obnoxious hitboxes and health bars. The addition of numerous smaller enemies during boss fights further contributed to the chaotic and unenjoyable experience.
- Uncomfortable Controls & Aiming (weight 0.14): Players reported that the game's controls were uncomfortable and a downgrade from previous titles, with issues like permanent auto-aim, limited aiming angles, and awkward controller aiming. These control limitations significantly hindered the gameplay experience.
- Ineffective Dodge Mechanic (weight 0.1): The dodge roll mechanic was frequently deemed useless due to the constant barrage of incoming bullets and unfair, undodgeable attacks. Players felt there was often no way to avoid damage once caught in a stream of projectiles, leading to quick health depletion.
- Initial Confusion & Stagnation (weight 0.05): Some players reported feeling lost and confused during their initial hours with the game, struggling to understand mechanics. They also felt a lack of meaningful progression, with no new game mechanics introduced to keep the experience fresh after the early stages.

Gameplay feedback:
- Core Roguelite Gameplay (weight 0.27): The game is a side-scrolling roguelite with procedurally generated levels and a core loop of running, gunning, and completing randomized objectives like gathering intel. However, this mission structure can become repetitive, following a predictable pattern of tasks.
- Flexible Death & Revival (weight 0.13): The game offers flexible death mechanics, allowing players to choose between permadeath (losing items/progress) or retaining progress, often trading off XP gain. A revival coin system also provides limited continues, but these can be consumed quickly by challenging tasks.
- Enemy & Level Design Issues (weight 0.1): While the game features various enemy types like FBI agents with different weapons and special level types (key levels, boss battles), some players found certain enemies (armored, snipers, AoE) and level designs to be annoying or obstructive, particularly clashing with the downshoot mechanic.
- Game Length & Pacing (weight 0.09): A single playthrough to the final boss can take around 30-50 minutes, with the overall story completable in a few hours. The game aims to provide new content to prevent boredom, suggesting a focus on replayability rather than a long single campaign.
- Alien Hominid Legacy (weight 0.08): The game is explicitly recognized as a roguelite sequel to the original Alien Hominid, incorporating its combat style into an endless wave shooter format. Players often compare its features, like vehicles and specific level designs, to the previous title.
- Difficulty & Accessibility (weight 0.07): The game is noted for having a low entry threshold, making it easy to learn, but a higher mechanical skill floor, indicating it's hard to master. Reviewers generally found the controls good and the difficulty less punishing than some similar titles.
- Cooperative Multiplayer Focus (weight 0.07): The game strongly emphasizes cooperative play, supporting up to four players in an online co-op mode. This feature is central to the game's design and experience.
- Weapon Reload Mechanics (weight 0.04): Certain human weapons require reloading, which can lead to a loss of control during critical moments. This mechanic is specifically highlighted as a potential drawback for some weapon types.
- Endgame & Replayability (weight 0.04): Players mention completing the game and aiming for 100% completion, indicating replayability. However, the final boss can only be fought once per save, which might limit repeated end-game challenges on a single save file.
- Engaging Gameplay Feel (weight 0.04): The gameplay is described as very active, with an animated rhythm that keeps players engaged. It generally provides a cheerful and dynamic experience.

Performance notes:
- Excellent Performance & Optimization (weight 0.05): Players consistently praise the game's strong technical performance, noting it is well-optimized with no stuttering. This includes specific positive feedback regarding its smooth operation on the Steam Deck.
- Minor Bugs Present (weight 0.02): Reviewers noted the presence of minor bugs within the game. While not game-breaking, these small issues were observed during gameplay.

Recommendations:
- Highly Recommended Purchase (weight 0.33): Many reviewers strongly recommend the game, citing its overall quality and value for money, often rating it highly.
- Prefer Other Behemoth Titles (weight 0.28): A significant number of players recommend other games by The Behemoth, particularly Alien Hominid HD, over this title, suggesting it doesn't quite live up to their previous works.
- Buy on Sale Recommended (weight 0.25): Many reviewers suggest the game is not worth its full price, advising potential buyers to wait for a sale or purchase it at a lower cost to get better value.
- Enhanced by Multiplayer Co-op (weight 0.24): The game is frequently highlighted as being significantly more enjoyable and a "perfect party experience" when played with friends or a partner, suggesting co-op is a key feature.
- Appeals to Roguelite Fans (weight 0.23): The game's roguelite elements are a significant draw for fans of the genre, though some negative reviews stem from players who simply dislike roguelites.
- Fast-Paced Action Shooter (weight 0.22): The game is characterized by its very fast-paced action, focusing heavily on shooting and combat, which appeals to players seeking intense, frantic gameplay rather than exploration.
- Requires Time to Click (weight 0.03): Some players noted that the game requires a significant amount of playtime to "find the feeling" or click with its mechanics, suggesting a learning curve before full enjoyment.
- Acceptable Short Playtime Value (weight 0.01): One reviewer found the game's value acceptable even for a relatively short 4-hour experience, suggesting that some players are content with shorter, intense gameplay loops.

Other player notes:
- Excellent Art, Humor & Audio (weight 0.16): Reviewers consistently praise the game's signature cartoonish art style, detailed animations, vibrant visuals, and well-developed environmental effects. The Behemoth's characteristic absurd humor and catchy, fitting music also significantly enhance the game's atmosphere.
- Direct Sequel, Different Gameplay (weight 0.12): The game is recognized as a direct continuation of the original Alien Hominid, taking place after its events. However, many note that it plays significantly differently from the original side-scrolling shooter, feeling more like a party game or a spin-off rather than a traditional sequel.
- Behemoth's Signature & Effort (weight 0.12): Players acknowledge The Behemoth's distinctive humor and graphic style are present. Many appreciate the developers' effort in creating diverse weapons, customization options, and ongoing updates, expressing continued support for the studio.
- Short Game Length (weight 0.08): Reviewers note that the game offers a relatively short experience, typically around 4 hours. This aligns with observations that The Behemoth's latest games tend to be shorter.
- Chaotic Arcade Visuals (weight 0.07): The game aims to capture an old arcade game feel with its dynamic, chaotic screen filled with action. While some describe the visuals as minimalistic or messy, others find them crispy, colorful, and contributing to the game's high energy.
- Absurd Alien Plot (weight 0.07): The game features a classically absurd, yet uncomplicated, plot centered around an alien invasion where players aim to conquer Earth. The overall alien theme is well-received and contributes to the game's unique identity.
- Gameplay Improvement Suggestions (weight 0.04): Players suggest specific improvements such as using collected heads as style options while retaining equipped stats, adding more objectives to play around with, and allowing returns to cleared hideouts on adjacent routes.
- Controller Recommended (weight 0.04): Reviewers suggest that playing with a controller is better for operation, with one specifically mentioning using a Steam controller.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.23): The primary causes of disappointment stemmed from the game's significant shift in genre to a roguelite, which many players found repetitive and lacking in depth, content, and replayability compared to previous titles. This new direction, coupled with issues like short length and poor progression, led to the game not meeting fan expectations. Specific concerns included repetitive gameplay loops, lack of variety in settings, and unfulfilled promises.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.21): Players expressed satisfaction due to the game's engaging and often chaotic co-op gameplay, which was enhanced by its distinctive art style, music, and customization options. The game was praised for successfully expanding upon the original while maintaining a fun, addictive, and challenging experience, offering good value for its price.
- Frustration (weight 0.19): Frustration primarily arose from the game's chaotic and visually cluttered screen, making it difficult to track characters and projectiles, leading to unfair deaths. This was compounded by repetitive missions, poor game balance with frequent difficulty spikes, and uncomfortable or imprecise controls, especially in solo play or with a shared camera in co-op.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement was driven by the game's frenetic, chaotic, and explosive action, particularly when experienced in multiplayer with friends. Players appreciated the addictive gameplay, tight controls, and the game's distinctive art style and soundtrack, which contributed to an overall epic and entertaining experience.
- Joy (weight 0.07): Joy stemmed primarily from the game's humor, engaging gameplay mechanics, and the positive experience of playing with friends in multiplayer. The game's overall fun, silly, and lighthearted nature, consistent with the developer's classic style, contributed significantly to player enjoyment.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment was largely driven by the game's engaging and often chaotic co-op gameplay, complemented by its distinctive art style, humor, and catchy soundtrack. The addictive gameplay loop, combined with satisfying gunplay and character customization, made for a fun and personality-filled experience, especially when playing with friends.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger was primarily caused by frustrating gameplay mechanics such as a lack of health recovery, tedious grinding, and harsh death penalties. Players also cited unavoidable obstacles or debuffs that felt unfair.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia was evoked by the game's connection to the developer's previous titles and its ability to bring back memories of the first game. This was particularly true through its art style and overall 'Flash Game' or 'Newgrounds' aesthetic.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom was a direct result of the game's extreme repetitiveness, lack of depth, and limited variety in gameplay and enemy types. These factors caused players to lose interest quickly.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement stemmed from the game's distinct humor and absurd elements, particularly highlighted by its unique death animations and cartoonish violence.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arose from the game's fast-paced gameplay combined with frequent deaths, making it difficult for players to understand what was happening. This was compounded by unclear game mechanics.
- Acceptance (weight 0.01): Acceptance was noted when players acknowledged the game's differences from the original title. They chose to accept its inherent repetitiveness rather than being disappointed by these aspects.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game was expressed as a strong personal enjoyment derived from the overall game experience. This positive sentiment was often tied to the game's perceived potential.
- Challenge (weight 0.01): The emotion of challenge was directly caused by the game's overall difficulty.
- Regret (weight 0): Regret was specifically tied to players wishing they could obtain a refund for the game.
- Fun (weight 0): The feeling of fun was primarily experienced when playing the game occasionally with friends.
- Loyalty (weight 0): Loyalty was attributed to the developer's strong track record and previous successful games.
- Sadness (weight 0): Sadness was caused by the inability to play the game with friends, either due to a lack of co-op partners or friends losing interest in the game.
- Engagement (weight 0): Engagement was driven by the game's satisfying loot loop and progression systems.}