Biolab Wars + Soundtrack
Biolab Wars for Switch game reviews & Metacritic score: An alien lab experimenting on Earth? It's time to call the mercenary team on duty to sweep the invaders by firing, beating and bombing. Inspired by the 8. There’s also the soundtrack to mention, which is brilliantly evocative of the chiptune music you’d expect on the NES. From a gameplay point of view, again we’re in familiar territory. Unlike Contra, as an example, the characters in Biolab Wars (of which there are three, including a dog in a cybernetic suit – though I couldn’t find any. Buy The Biolab Book: Laboratory Studies in Life / Edition 2 by Robert Elgart at Barnes & Noble. Our Stores Are Open Book Annex Membership Educators Gift Cards Stores & Events Help All Books ebooks NOOK Textbooks Newsstand Teens Kids Toys Games & Collectibles Gift, Home & Office Movies & TV Music.
Developer:Kolibri Game Studio
Publisher:Forever Entertainment
Platforms: Switch, PC
Reviewed On: Switch
Release Date: 14/11/2019
Price:£1.79/$1.99
Reviewed By: ChickenPrem
Review Rush was supplied with a review code.
It is time to get your flex on, 80’s action hero style! Biolab Wars takes inspiration from movies such as Commando and Rambo but also video games like Contra from the same era. It is time be a total badass, blow sh!t up, and what the hell, save the world too!
Aliens have been experimenting on Earth, so it is time to call in the heavy artillery so save the planet. Finn, Becca and Teddy are the best mercenaries and the only hope for humanity. Finn is a former Marine and bodybuilder AKA the stereotypical 80’s hero. Becca is the toughest and deadliest female on the planet, she reminds me of Sonya Blade. For Teddy, it is personal because he is an armored robotic dog that was the result of an experiment by the aliens and separated from his owners. We all know once those damn aliens start messing without pups they have crossed the line!
Biolab Wars offers a simplistic classic 2D side-scrolling shooter much like Contra. You can play as any of the three heroes, and there are four different gun weapons that can be changed as they appear like other shooters. Along with the action there is platforming to enjoy in the levels.
The game features seven levels, and each level is broken up into three stages. At the end of every level, there are big boss fights that are very entertaining. I will be honest and say that there is nothing really trailblazing about this title. If you enjoy previous games of this genre, then you will enjoy this one though. I did think the characters felt a little stiff, but I really enjoyed the gameplay overall.
8-bit graphics are used to present the game. It is a true call back to the NES classics visually. Despite the appearance being simplistic, the use of contrasting colours in the fore/backgrounds makes the environments fantastic looking. It is almost on par with The Messenger in my opinion in regards to recent Switch releases. The aliens, monsters and large bosses are designed well.
No performance issues to report.
The audio perfectly matches the looks here. The soundtrack is exactly what it should be given the homage Biolab Wars provides. It is upbeat and puts you in the mood to blast everything away.
My bottom line is this, yeah it is a simple 8-bit NES type game that is not perfect or very innovative, BUT did you notice the full sale price? Biolab Wars is only $1.99 at full price! I saw this title was even on sale for 99 cents around the release too. The value is out of this world, in my opinion. The gameplay is solid along with the sights and sounds. It pays a great tribute to classic action games and movies; many of us grew up on. You can probably get this game entirely with your gold coins you have saved up on your Eshop and forgot about. I highly recommend adding this little gem to your Switch collection it will not take long to beat but just very enjoyable and affordable.
Check out this review of EarthNight for something a little different HERE!
The Switch has a barrage of retro-inspired titles and Kolibri Game Studio have added to the fun with Biolab Wars. An 8-bit style platform shooter where you play the hero taking on an alien invasion. You will not find anything new with Biolab Wars but if you’re looking for a quick budget blast this could be just what you need.
We picked this up on the Switch Black Friday sale and knew we couldn’t go wrong for 89p. You have seven levels with three characters and several weapons. There is not a lot to this game but you do get a lot of bang for your buck. Each level looks very different from the last and the end of level bosses have different phases that make you think. You can jump, shoot, duck and hang off rails. It is devilishly simple, very 8-bit in nature.
Your game is saved with each level conquered so this is a perfect on the go experience. You can tell that the developers are mobile gaming experts due to the short bursts of action Biolab Wars lays out. During our first playthrough we made it to level three and was glad to be able to start here again after losing all our lives.
The controls are responsive and basic enough that any gamer can pick this one up and have fun. You will have the odd niggle on some platforms but nothing that spoils the simple blasting action. You will notice that there are not a lot of enemies on screen at once. The game is not trying to overload the player but instead allow progression without frustration.
The graphics are great, gorgeous pixel art with blocky lines and bold colours. The odd explosion and special effect give a little wow factor and the animation is decent for a budget title. There is nothing groundbreaking here but you will appreciate the attention to detail. We were most impressed with level two that is a motorcycle chase with enemies from above and below.
The sound will not get your nostalgia gland pumping but it does its job fine. The basic nature of the sound effects is fitting with the games inspiration and style. You may be disappointed with the lack variety in the music. We would like to hear something that distinguishes each area but a lot of the tunes sound very similar. But we must remember that this is a budget indie game and does not have the backing of larger productions.
Biolab Wars is a short game with only seven levels and we did complete it within an hour or so. This is not always a bad thing however, as its quick blast nature is great for the price. If you enjoy games that you don’t have to put many hours into this is exactly the sort of title you should be looking at. You will have it finished quickly and it will be there if you ever wish to improve your score.
Biolab Wars + Soundtrack List
Overall you cannot go wrong with Biolabs Wars. It is the exact kind of game that makes the Switch so appealing to mobile gamers. A quick blast on the go that has just enough challenge without getting bogged down in content. If you have some spare change in your eStore account we recommend checking out this little gem.