It’s a truism that writing up reviews on mediocre games is the most difficult aspect of games coverage. There is no reason to tear into them, nor do they inspire the author to invent new ways to praise. Despite the score seen below, Defenders of Ekron is not a mediocre game. Instead, it is either a great game with a lot of bad parts or a bad game with a lot of good parts.
Gareth writes: "I've always been wary of top-down shooters. They're like a double espresso, mixed with half a bottle of vodka - something that delivers an experience that is exhilarating for a moment, but then, when the comedown arrives, it hits you very hard indeed.
Defenders of Ekron is just like that - the initial thrill of shooting, dodging and having a hundred enemies on screen at once can be thrilling when you’re winning, but when it gets harder and you've repeated the same level over a hundred times, it feels like the worse hangover in the world."
XBA says: Another day, another shmup, but this one has some unique ideas.
"Game developers have been emulating classic games for years. In this collection of reviews, I'll take a look at four completely different old-school experiences that you can enjoy on your newfangled modern consoles." - A.J.
