A few weeks ago, iPhone developer Eurocenter brought the classic sidescrolling shooter Abuse to the iPhone under the title of Alien Abuse [App Store].
The game may be familiar to many as it’s been around in various forms since its original release in 1996. Bungie Studios even brought Abuse to the Mac (where I was first exposed to it). The game has since been released into the public domain and is now available for the iPhone.
Abuse is a side scrolling platformer in which you fight off hoards of monsters while trying to escape a prison complex. You can run, jump and climb while directing gunfire in any direction. While we tried the game right after its release to the App Store, we felt the iPhone game really suffered from the initial control system offered. In a game like Abuse, independent control of firing and movement is critical to gameplay. This, for example, allows you to run in one direction while firing at your chasing enemies.
Fortunately, the developer has been quick to provide a control update and now offers a dual-analog sticks as an option. Left wheel controls movement, while right controls firing:
This small change upgrades the game from tech demo to a fun experience. The game, of course, still feels like a port, because — well, it is. Still, for only $0.99, we think fans of the original version will enjoy this iPhone version.
This developer video shows the original control system (which remains default):
App Store Link: Alien Abuse, $0.99
