Fans of Blaster Master should give this one a try. Helena the 3rd combines 2D and 3D platforming with first-person shooting, paying big homage to Blaster Master while also bringing something new to the table.
Helena the 3rd has many things that you would expect in a Blaster Master-type game. Tank upgrades include “hover” thrusters that rocket you upward, a more powerful shot for your cannon, and underwater turbines for increased mobility. You can also exit the tank to explore smaller areas on foot, which is necessary to snag those sweet upgrades or to fight the game’s boss. Plus, Helena the 3rd pumps out some music that, while not quite as sweet as the tunes from Blaster Master, is still catchy enough to get stuck in your head.
It also offers some nice design features that made Blaster Master a headache. You can save or load at any time, returning you to the last gate you passed through. Death works in the same way, taking you back to that last gate, and lives are infinite. When hover runs out, it will refill automatically after a short time, which is a huge improvement over searching out items to charge the meter back up.
There is one world in particular that has a really cool mechanic. It is very low on light levels, but shots from your tank and use of your hover blasters will create localized lighting. Very creative.
Helena the 3rd does have some downsides. The 3D platforming can be difficult due to the camera, though thankfully your tank has a shadow to help with landing. When in FPS mode, the controls are somewhat awkward, as you can’t mouse-look, but at least there’s strafing to help dodge enemy attacks and your shots will automatically track vertically to hit enemies above or below, like in DOOM. The enemies don’t offer much variety and sometimes can shoot you through obstacles, such as when you’re on thin ground and they’re firing at you from below. The micro level design sometimes make for frustrating platforming, though the macro design has “loop back” parts that can cut out a lot of backtracking after new upgrades are found. The lack of a map can sometimes be confusing, especially in the 3D platforming sections.
There are a few other nice features to the game, though. You can play local co-op if you have two controllers or if someone is willing to use the keyboard. There’s a built-in map editor that allows you to make your own levels. You can also resize the game’s window to any dimensions you want, which can be good for a quick laugh.
Helena the 3rd clocks in at around two hours. A demo can be downloaded for free for either Windows or Ubuntu Linux. Grabbing the entire game will only cost you $2 to $5, depending on how much you feel like spending to support indie game development. In the current version of the game, your dough will net you four worlds to play through. You can also download future versions of the game for free after buying it once. As of yesterday, the developer is looking for assistance with designing more levels, so you could even help shape the progression of Helena the 3rd if you have the right skills.
Interested? Check out Helena the 3rd for yourself.
Image Sources: Screenshots
We feel our scores are accurate in reflecting a game’s general satisfaction of play but understand that some might prefer to see a more detailed explanation of our rating system. Click here to learn more about our game rating methodology.
See Helena the 3rd in action:
Platform: Windows
Also available for: Ubuntu Linux
Related posts:
