Perhaps you’ve heard the term “SIG”. It stands for “Special Interest Group”, right? Well usually; but not today. In fact, very little is usual about the game we’re here to review. It’s called Super Intergalactic Gang (SIG); developed by Martin Cerdeira and published by Black Shell Media.
At its core, this game is a fast-action, side-scrolling bullet hell. Think you’ve seen it all before? Not likely in this case. Almost every aspect of SIG is riddled with innuendo, tribute, or reference to some other product. The opening sequence begins with “A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away…” and one of the playable characters is named Luke Skycrawler. It’s actually quite fun to just scroll through their names before even starting the game. Recognize the gentleman pictured below?
Once you figure out which spoof character you’d like to play, it’s off to battle. Level 1 is fairly straightforward. Dodge enemy bullets using either a controller or keyboard arrows, and return fire; again either with the controller or with the “Z” key on your keyboard. Pressing and holding the fire button will generate a super shot, which deals extra damage. Press “X” on the keyboard to activate the “time distort” feature. This slows time; handy in moments of the heavy barrage.
As you progress, a large variety of power-ups will appear. Don’t make the mistake I made and grab everyone that floats by. Only the most recently collected power-up counts, so watch your surroundings and let some go untouched. The exception is the “heart” power-up; it grants you an extra life. Always take that one!
Every level ends with a boss fight. The first boss is relatively easy; the second not so much. When you defeat a boss, you’ll be offered a choice of two super-duper power-ups; one offensive and one defensive, for use in the next level. Choose the item that best suits your play style. Trust me, you’ll be glad you have it.
Occasionally, you’ll run across some very odd creatures, such as Grip Face and Turret Turtle. I was unable to destroy these guys, so I simply flew around them.
So is Super Intergalactic Gang worthwhile? Yes, it is. Priced on Steam at $4 (USD), the title is a great value. Simply remember that unless you’re using a controller, the only keys available are the arrows, “Z” and “X”; these are not configurable. So if you’re an A, W, S, or D player, you’ll now be using your right hand to navigate and your left hand to fire. Another issue is the lack of save slots. When you lose all your lives, you start over from scratch. Just a few things to be aware of as you blast your way through the intrepid unknown!
-Chris Roberts-
An autistic gamer with opinions on games who also enjoys making dumb videos on the internet!