Five dollars isn't a lot of money by any stretch of the imagination, but Get Even's limited offerings will make you wonder why its content wasn't bundled together and offered as a single game. It's a huge bummer that the pay-to-play extra missions are a necessity if you're going to pick up this table-turning homage to the timeless shooter, because as a complete package, Space Invaders Get Even is an arcade delight.
Flying around as a UFO and wrecking everything in sight is absolutely awesome. If you spend the full $20, you get a mighty fine, if overpriced, single-player game. Since the majority of the gameplay is only available when you buy the downloadable content, Get Even feels like a demo with a price tag on it.
GDN writes: "With easy controls and fast-paced gameplay, Get Even is a lot of fun. The only real problem is that it is extremely short; the three stages included in the main game can easily be beaten inside of fifteen minutes or less. Those minutes will be very enjoyable, but whether this game is right for you depends on one major question: How far do your gaming dollars need to go? If you have plenty of Wii Points lying around, then this is a nice choice and you'll enjoy it. On the other hand, if you have to be very careful with your purchases, then even your 500 points would probably be best spent on another game that will last longer".
Unfortunately, the game you get for your $5 isn't at all like a full game. You are given three short missions that, if you can manage to beat them on the first try, will last you about fifteen minutes. The game instead gives you the option to pay another five dollars for one of their three extra mission packs, which contain six missions each. The Wii doesn't offer demos like the other two major consoles, but this feels like paying 5 dollars to play a demo. Be ready to pay all 20 dollars if you like it, or else you'll feel cheated when you see credits roll after only playing for half an hour.
It's a great reimagining of the franchise and if money is no object to you you'll have a blast. But when most people buy a game, even if it only costs $5, they expect more than a half hour of gameplay. The meager three levels you get for downloading Get Even is a joke. IGN gives props to the developers for creating something unique and fun from a 30-year old game, but whoever made the decision to chop it up needs to be a little less stingy.
Presentation - 4.0
Graphics - 7.0
Sound - 8.0
Gameplay - 8.0
Lasting Appeal - 4.0
Overall -
