Octogeddon

Octogeddon is a cute and irreverent arcade game that combines colorful cartoon graphics with frenetic gameplay. If you just glanced at the graphics behind Octogeddon, it might look like another dime a dozen game. Its goofy Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic has become the house style for countless would be developers, and that's due in large part to the rise of Plants vs. Zombies. What started out as an unconventional tower defense game launched one of the first and most successful mobile game franchises in the world, and it's since expanded into half a dozen different genres. And while Octogeddon may look like another game cashing in on the PvZ aesthetic, it's quite the opposite. Octogeddon was envisioned by the same man who created Plants vs. Zombies, and this constitutes his first return to the world of game development in nine years.

Octogeddon doesn't catch lightning in a bottle in the same way that PvZ did nearly a decade ago, but there's a lot of fun to be had in this little action throwback. And while Octogeddon is unlikely to launch its own billion dollar franchise anytime soon, it certainly gets credit for being creative. The DNA of Rampage is strong on this one, as you play an unnamed octopus who decides to wreak havoc on mankind. It's a silly premise but one that works well with the game's mechanics. As an octopus, all you can really do is rotate, and you have to stop upcoming threats by lining your tentacles up with oncoming enemies. Levels are split up between underwater and above ground settings. In the former, you simply spin in place and have to position your tentacles to face down the waves of enemies attacking you. In the latter, you're rolling towards a landmark you've set out to destroy, and the tentacles available to you in any given moment are dictated by the position of your body.

It's a simple premise that really starts to shine once you take into account the upgrade system. As you continue through levels you'll collect gold, and this gold allows you to purchase new tentacles with new skills. These vary from the basic to the absurd, but each comes with its unique assault capabilities and tactical advantages. What at first seems like a simple action arcade game develops a significant puzzle element the later you get in, as combining complementary tentacles together become critical, and you have to learn to think about the weapons that are best equipped to confront the enemies you'll be facing. Octogeddon is designed to be replayed again, as you restart each time with the upgrades you've already acquired. To counter this, the enemies from later in the game appear more earlier. In this way it resembles a roguelike, and the relatively short length of the game is justified by the sense of play.