If I look back in to my gaming past, I remember Assault Suits Valken -  or as it’s more commonly known in the US/EU, Cybernator – as one of the most memorable games on the Super Nintendo. It was a remarkably well-made game for its time, and to this day one of my favorite console platform shooters. Joining this vast army of available platform shooters is A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda, the first in a five-part series of games by Extend Studio, which may very well have earned itself a place among my favorites.

You are A.R.E.S., a man-made robot at the absolute pinnacle of technology, built specifically to aid in the fight for mankind’s existence. You utilize a selection of weapons which are obtained as you procede through the infected Zytron space station, collecting spare parts as you go. These parts can be used to manufacture grenades and health packs, or to upgrade the level of your weapons.

The storyline for the game isn’t its strong point, and can feel a little too generic. It’s hampered further by a wishy-washy explanation of your starting situation, but in a way I feel it does well to retain the retro feel by not spending hours explaining every last detail. This sparse story telling does drive you onwards, not only to explore the space station, but also to unravel more of the storyline.

Graphics
For many will be a love it or hate it factor. Extend Studio has opted for 2D sprites rendered over a pseudo 3D environment. While the 3D environment can be interacted with (doors, destructable boxes, and objects which move in or out of the screen), the motion of the player is fixed to a 2D route, insuring the platform effect.

Visually, I find most of the levels to be appealing; they’re not bleeding edge or mindblowingly realistic of course, but that’s not the point in this game. The graphics strike a fine balance between modern and retro and for the most part, it works great.

There are some really nice effects in play throughout the game, with plenty of variety in both enemy sprites and the background environments. Cutscene artwork is nicely drawn, and completing the game rewards you with the title’s concept art, which displays in the background while the credits roll.

Gameplay
If you can imagine Assault Suits Valken and Turrican 2 having a lovechild, a lovechild that grew up to be a Japanese-style comic artist, then you’ll have a fairly good idea of what A.R.E.S. is like. Although progression sometimes feel slow, and there’s a few frustrating sections where you can feel like the level design could use tweaking, it’s no trouble to overlook these issue and continue onwards, blowing away your enemies.

Many games tend to take themselves far too seriously, and demand more attention from the player than is really required. This isn’t the case for A.R.E.S. It’s really easy to pick up and play for a few minutes at a time, and equally easy to dive in and play for a couple of hours.

The game suffers in longevity since it only has five levels. However, there are another four episodes in the series yet to go, and by the end the complete series should prove to be more than enough.

Sound
Frankly, about the only issue I have with the game in terms of sound is that on occasion the music gets a little repetitive, especially on sections you have to restart a few times to get right. Everything else like weapon sound effects, pickup sounds, etc. were spot on.

Conclusion
I really enjoyed A.R.E.S., there was plenty that impressed me considering it’s the studio’s first game, and I’ll definitely be playing it again in an attempt to unlock more of the game’s achievements. If there’s one thing I wish could be changed, in an ideal world, it would be to see the series available on not only Xbox Live but on the PlayStation Network too, because it’s a game perfectly suited to both environments.

I’m looking forward to the next four episodes, and indeed any future projects Extend Studio come up with. I just hope Dr. Carson makes an appearance in the future installments, because damn it Extend Studio, I now have a soft spot for her.

A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda is available right now on Xbox Live Arcade and PC, head over to x10studio’s website to download the demo or purchase the full game!