Sea of Dreams Survivors

Basic yet decent survivors game that lets you rapidly shred through enemies with easy weapon access, though it’s held back by a frustrating visual bug and sluggish character movement. One of the first surprising things about this "survivors"-style game is that all nine characters are available right from the beginning. Each comes equipped with their own unique weapon and stats. However, while weapon descriptions are provided, character stats remain a mystery. Oddly enough, seven of the nine characters are visually identical except for the color of the ribbon on their arm. After selecting a difficulty level, you begin on the first of ten stages, which must be completed in order. Beating a stage unlocks the next. The goal is simple and familiar: survive an onslaught of enemies for around 10 minutes. The action ramps up quickly, throwing massive hordes at you within just a few minutes. Your main weapon fires automatically, though you can control its aim. Other weapons follow suit, activating on their own and behaving based on their type. For example, bombs are thrown randomly nearby, a machine gun shoots in a circular pattern, and a plasma gun fires orbs. As with most games in the genre, you’ll be collecting experience gems and occasional power-ups that appear around the battlefield. A helpful arrow points toward these items so you don’t miss them. When you gather enough experience and level up, you're given a choice of one perk from a random selection of three. This could be a new weapon or a stat-boosting item. You can carry up to five weapons and five items. However, to stand a real chance at survival, one of those item slots will need to be filled with a magnet because the default pick-up range is frustratingly small. If you choose the same item or weapon more than once, it enhances that item’s effectiveness, such as adding extra projectiles or increasing damage. Each item or weapon can be upgraded up to five times. Power-ups come in various forms: a screen-clearing bomb (best saved for when you're surrounded), a health pack, a magnet that pulls in all gems, and an instant level-up. Your character is protected by a shield that must be depleted before you take health damage. Fortunately, the shield regenerates over time, allowing you to withstand a fair bit of punishment. Regardless of whether you win or lose, you earn points that contribute to your overall rank. Advancing to a new rank unlocks a new weapon or item that may appear in future runs, along with a few gems. Gems are used to permanently upgrade five stats like damage or pick-up range. However, each stat has a limited number of upgrade levels, typically just two or three, so you can't become overpowered. Despite its simplicity, with barebones environments and repetitive enemies, the game delivers what you'd expect from a survivors title: the ability to mow down swarms of foes efficiently. Unfortunately, the experience is marred by a major visual glitch. After a while, dead enemies begin leaving behind glaring purple squares. Once the arena is covered in them, the game becomes nearly unplayable. Another downside is the slow movement speed of your character and the presence of cheap enemies who flood the screen with bullets, making dodging almost impossible. Your only hope in those moments is to rely on a bomb power-up.

Really fun game! Fast, addictive action with tons of upgrades to try. Every run feels different and keeps me coming back for more. If you like survivors-style games, this one’s a must-play.