Game Details
| Size | 232 MB |
| Region | USA |
| Genre | Action, RPG |
| Format | 7z / ISO |
| Year | July 24, 2007 |
| Console | PSP |
Alien Syndrome (2007) is a modern reimagining of Sega’s 1987 arcade classic. While the original was a frantic, timed “run-and-gun” shooter, the PSP version (and its Wii counterpart) transforms the series into a top-down Action RPG, playing more like a sci-fi Diablo or Gauntlet.
The Plot: Ailen Harding’s Mission
Set 100 years after the original arcade game, the story ditches the duo of Ricky and Mary for a new protagonist:
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The Mission: You play as Aileen Harding, a specialized soldier sent to investigate the Kronos, a terraforming station that has gone silent.
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The Mystery: Aileen discovers the “Alien Syndrome”—a biological infection turning humans and machines into grotesque hybrids. She must fight through the station to find the truth behind the outbreak and the fate of her boyfriend, Tom.
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Atmosphere: The game trades the original’s bright arcade colors for a grittier, industrial sci-fi look inspired by movies like Aliens.
Key Features: The RPG Makeover
The biggest departure from the original is the depth of the character systems:
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Five Character Classes: At the start, you choose a specialty that determines your initial stats and starting weapon:
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Tank: Heavy armor and melee focus.
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Firebug: Specialist in flamethrowers and area-of-effect damage.
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Sharpshooter: High accuracy with long-range rifles.
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Demolitions: Expert in grenades and explosives.
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Seal: A “jack-of-all-trades” focused on survival and stealth.
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The SCARAB Drone: You are accompanied by a robotic assistant that acts as your inventory, mobile shop, and combat support. You can upgrade its AI to make it more aggressive or defensive.
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Loot & Crafting: There are over 80 weapons and hundreds of armor pieces to collect. You can “DNA Augment” your character using mini-games to boost specific stats like strength, speed, or accuracy.
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Lock-on Strafe: The PSP version uses a unique control scheme: moving the analog stick aims, but once you start firing, your direction is “locked,” allowing you to strafe around enemies while maintaining fire.
Gameplay Structure
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Campaign: Features a lengthy 40-level story across various environments (spaceships, terraformed planets, and alien homeworlds).
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Multiplayer: Supports up to 4-player Ad-Hoc co-op. Teaming up with different classes makes the boss fights significantly more manageable.
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Bosses: Retains the series’ tradition of “Giant Grotesque Bosses,” though many are reimagined versions of classic 1987 enemies.
Short Review: A Solid, If Repetitive, Crawl
The Good
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Addictive Progression: If you enjoy watching numbers go up and hunting for rare loot, the RPG elements are surprisingly deep for a handheld title.
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Co-op Potential: The game shines in multiplayer. Coordinating a “Tank” to draw aggro while a “Sharpshooter” picks off enemies from afar is very satisfying.
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Replay Value: With five classes and a massive amount of gear, there’s a lot of reason to go back and try different builds.
The Bad
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Repetitive Environments: Many levels consist of similar-looking metallic corridors, which can lead to “corridor fatigue” after 20 levels.
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Spawning Issues: Enemies often “materialize” out of thin air right next to you, which can feel cheap compared to the more logical spawning of the original arcade game.
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Slow Start: The first few levels are notably drab; the game doesn’t really get interesting until you unlock better skills and weapon variants.
Screenshots
