Destroy All Humans! (2020)

*3.5

i have fond memories of DAH2 on the PS2, and I never actually played the original so this remake was a perfect opportunity!

This game has some really great writing and satirises pretty much everything you can imagine about 1950s America. Gameplay-wise it falters a bit due to short missions and LOTS of loading, but the gunplay and destruction is as fun as ever. The story and narrative-world are very thin, and the game feels very AA due to the repetition of character models and dialogue lines, but there's a charm to its chaos that makes it worth playing. (Especially rec. for fans of series like Just Cause and Mercenaries.)

Unless you really, REALLY need to play this on the go, don't go for the Nintendo Switch version. Pop up architecture and low-res textures make this game look terribly ugly compared with other platforms.

It can still be fun. The levels where you're allowed to cause chaos are always a riot and the constant references to sci-fi b-movies and classics are a joy for cinephiles like me. It's a shame the mechanics could also be repetitive, the stealth systems are boring and the level design are no fun to explore.

I laughed a lot tho.

Read my full review in spanish in GamerFocus.

I never played the original but from what I’ve seen they did a fantastic job with this remake. It looks great and runs flawlessly at 60FPS on Series S at least to my eye.

Centered around a relentless, parody-style Cold War commentary, DAH is a game filled with personality, but one that never takes itself seriously which completely works to its benefit. In an increasingly politically correct gaming industry, I enjoyed the throwback to a not-so-distant past where games leaned heavily on social stereotypes and that was rarely seen as a bad thing - there’s always a message behind that strategy.

Gameplay wise, this was probably one of the most fluid experiences I’ve had in recent times in terms of movement, gunplay and mechanics. I also enjoyed the music, it really has an awesome old-school UFO vibe that fits perfectly. And take this with a grain of salt from a gamer who’s in his late 30s and never plays competitively, but even though most of the game is easy (and one you can finish in about 8 hours if you do some extra content), I actually felt a couple of missions were quite challenging to the point of becoming a bit frustrating. Mostly it was of course all about getting the hang of it, but it was enough to frustrate me nevertheless. I also had a couple of bugs show up on my playthrough, though nothing gamebreakinig at all.

DAH is one of those titles that seems custom made for Game Pass. If you’re looking to spend a couple of gaming sessions having some fun, enjoying intuitive gameplay mechanics that feel great, and wreaking alien havoc, then look no further, this is it. I give it a 7/10.

There's not much to say about this that can't be said about the original version. It is the same game, but with better graphics and a few of the extra bells and whistles that were added on as the series progressed. That being said, it's still a fun little arcade classic.

The humor is very much what makes the game, so long as you're into it. Crypto's delivery of his lines is a little flat, but Orthopox more than makes up for it since he's voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz (Invader Zim).

The game is also littered with era-appropriate pop culture references, which I just adored. The Village People, Happy Days, James Bond, Dr. Strangelove, and so many more than I can remember offhand.

Now go remake the second one so I can see the Burrow Beast in HD. I wanna sic my pet Graboid on people.