It’s Easy to Swallow this Polychromatic Game with a Small Dose of Wubs
By Shayne Mckay | GamerHub.TV (MCT)
INTAKE
Genre: Arcade, shooter
Platform: iPhone, Android
Publisher: Cipher Prime Studios
Ever wondered what would happen if you put “Dr. Mario,” “Ikaruga” and an EDM rave all into a blender? Well wonder no more because “Intake,” developed by Cipher Prime Studios, is exactly what you’ll get — a high-octane action shoot-’em-up game wherein quick reflexes and precision mouse movement are key to stringing along combos and stopping an overdose. With its simplistic but challenging gameplay, loads of unlockables and vibrant visuals, it’s no wonder your objective is to shoot pills because this game is addictive.
The object of “Intake” is quite simple but difficult to master and really tests your reaction time as pairs of colored pills will fall from the top of the screen and you have to switch your shooter to the corresponding color to destroy it, much like “Ikaruga’s” color switching mechanic. For example, the pills may be colored blue and orange; in order to destroy the blue pills you switch to blue and orange you use orange. If a pill gets by you, you can still be saved if you are still on that color, which is a helpful gameplay mechanic.
All the explosion of pills and vibrant colors take “Intake” from a simple shooter to one that feels reminiscent of what you might think of a stereotypical drug trip, which is exactly what it aims to do. Trying to stay focused as more and more pills fall from the top of the screen, all set to a thumping electronic soundtrack, really does rival what you’d expect for being under the influence without needing to be — although the music does get a bit repetitive, as the sample doesn’t last long and loops. As well, there are only five different songs to unlock, which could be better.
What keeps you coming back for more are the loads of unlockables available, ranging from buying powerups that show up during play (and upgrading them), to the full soundtrack, more than 20 color combinations and more, not to mention a quite impressive 77 Steam achievements for such a simple game. As well, there is a high-score board for players to compete against friends, along with various challenge modes to really test your skills and help keep the game fresh. The addition of colorblind modes for players with deuteranopia, protanopia and tritanopia are also a nice touch and help make the game accessible to anyone.
Although “Intake” is a classic arcade shoot-’em-up with a simplistic gameplay mechanic, it makes up for it with its fast-paced action, wealth of unlockables and gameplay that can be easy to pick up but hard to master. Currently available on Steam for $4.99, it’s hard not to recommend this for fans of the genre or anyone looking for a fun way to kill some time and maybe improve their hand-eye coordination in the process.
And remember, winners don’t do drugs.
