Narco Terror (Video Game Review)

At first glance, Narco Terror looks like a typical twin-stick shooter, and the game does little to differentiate itself from this first impression. The game isn't terrible, but it is pretty short and doesn't do anything that hasn't already been done in nearly every game in the genre at this point. Two players team up to take out hordes of baddies with a pretty standard arsenal of guns all while exploding high-priority targets and gathering cash to purchase additional weapons and upgrades. Narco Terror will only last players a few hours, but it is available at a relatively low price of $10, so twin-stick shooter fans will definitely want to consider picking up this new release

Unfortunately for the game, one of Narco Terror's most unique features is in the game's storyline and characters. The title stars a renegade cop out to stop a dangerous drug cartel and rescue his damsel in distress. The game makes many references to 1980s action flicks and features some fairly humorous dialogue between the game's characters. The star of the game has arrogance and brashness that is seldom seen out of games not named Duke Nukem or Serious Sam. Still, Narco Terror is a twin-stick shooter first, and a quick one to complete at that, so the storyline available is very brief and obviously not quite as funny a second time around.

There are 12 stages and only a few hours of gameplay at most for the entire campaign featured in Narco Terror. This makes the title a good bet for friends wanting to get together and play through a whole game in a single day on the weekend, but it's also worth noting the game only supports up to two players, rather than the typical four-player carnage featured in most other games in the genre. This does allow players to more easily keep track of the hectic action on screen, and the game does allow players to join sessions with drop in/drop out cooperative play online or offline for some nice flexibility. Players likely won't revisit the world of Narco Terror after completing the game though, unless there are some personal goals that need to be set or Achievements to be unlocked. However, Narco Terror's multiplayer option allows a great deal of replayability than that of playing solo. After playing through the single player campaign and then jumping into the game with a partner--we found the multiplayer portion highly addicting and entertaining.

Progressing through a stage of Narco Terror is pretty standard fare. Waves of enemies pile from randomly placed warehouses and buildings and will need to be gunned down to continue down the linear path to reach the end of the stage and a boss encounter. Enemies in the game range from typical gun carrying drug dealers to gatling gun ninjas and army tanks, though all enemies are pretty easy to take out by firing nonstop and dodging a few bullets. Narco Terror is not a bullet hell title to be sure, and the game's difficulty is fairly low, so players shouldn't worry about becoming too frustrated with the game. To make things easier, players can purchase and upgrade additional weapons that include a typical arsenal of knives, shotguns, assault rifles and crazier things such as a laser rifle.



Narco Terror is a decent enough looking game. It can be easier to distinguish between player characters and enemies in the game, though that is likely due to there being fewer on screen at one time in this title. The level design and some of the environmental effects presented in the game are still pretty nice though. There are some graphical glitches present in the game though, and story driven cutscenes in the game seem to be the place where most problems pop up. Voice acting in the game is pretty average with some characters doing a pretty good job, such as the star cop, and others failing to impress. The game's sound effects are equally unimpressive but aren't a hindrance for the game either.

Narco Terror is simply a safe title, that introduces no new mechanics to the twin-stick shooter genre, and yet is still totally enjoyable. The game doesn't really do anything too terribly, but it can become a boring grind when a friend doesn't join in. Most players will only get a few hours of enjoyment out of the title, no matter how much they love the game and genre, but there are leaderboards to climb, Achievements to nab and plenty of upgrades to acquire for the game's weapons. If you're a huge fan of twin-stick shooters, you'll likely want to pick up a copy of Narco Terror; otherwise, you'll be better served picking up a new PlayStation Play game, Summer of Arcade title or preordering one of the great games coming soon to Steam such as PayDay 2. Check out Narco Terror on PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and Steam today, and kick butt like it's the 1980s, today!

Narco Terror is now available for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade & Steam and can be purchased for $9.99 or 800 Microsoft Points. Narco Terror is rated M by the ESRB for Blood, Drug Reference, Strong Language & Violence. For more information on Narco Terror, check it out on PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade & Steam.

Game Features:

Online Cooperative 1-2

12 Action-Packed Missions

Upgradeable Weapons

Online Leaderboards

Trophy/Achievement Support

Game Information:
Developer: Rubicon Organization
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platforms: PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade & Steam
Release Date: July 31, 2013

Score: 6 out of 10