The enemy swarms are relentless. I get complacent with the timing of my laser strafe, and just when I think I’ve finally got the upper hand, the next wave comes tenfold and I’m back to square one. I kill them, but they come back stronger and overtake me, and our little dance begins again.
in is a playdate game from Pulp creator Sean Inman that pits you and an overheating space laser against the world. To quote from the game description:
The light in the sky is fading. A giant shell around a sick star is the last bastion of civilization that witnessed a cosmic extinction-level event. But on the edge of darkness, a crazed horde lurks in the dark, threatening to snuff out the last of the light.
Your job is to defend the sphere from oncoming attackers. Use the crank to control the direction of the laser beam and ‘A’ to fire. Holding down ‘A’ will fire the laser continuously, but this is a timed action. After a few seconds the laser will overheat and become unusable until it cools down, leaving you completely defenseless. To prevent this, you can save power by shooting in short bursts instead. However, small, fast enemies coming at you in swarms can be difficult to snipe individually. If all else fails, you can deploy bombs to take down large numbers of enemies at once.
There are ways to improve your sphere to increase your chances of stopping the swarm. After destroying ships, you can collect their materials and use the currency you get from them at the end of each level to buy upgrades or repair them. One add-on reduces the cooldown time of your lasers, while another strengthens your shields.
Overheat/cooldown mechanics make every decision count. Laser Sphere The result is a very engaging action game (with some pretty solid music from Mike Freuden). Enemies come in all sizes and types, all with different movement speeds, so you’ll need to stay alert at all times to make the most of your lasers against the most pressing threats at any given moment, or you’ll find yourself without a weapon when dozens of attackers are closing in on you. Laser Sphere It can be purchased from the Playdate catalog for $6.
