Team 17 started life as a development studio back in the early 90s, and were responsible for such classic titles as the Alien Breed series, Superfrog, and Worms. Later moving on to publishing titles made by outside companies, Planet Alpha (from a Danish developer of the same name) marks Team 17’s 100th game.
And what an interesting game it is. A dude (or possibly dudette, we never find out) in a spacesuit wakes up on a strange planet. That’s it – there’s no story or lore to uncover, and nothing is ever explained. Just walk forward and see how the journey unfolds.
Planet Alpha is a 2D sidescrolling platformer in which players run from left to right (occasionally right to left), avoiding enemies and navigating a few simple puzzles here and there. Progression is completely linear and there are very few opportunities to deviate from the main path. Your character can jump, crouch, climb and push/pull objects, and quickly discovers the ability to manipulate time itself, changing from day to night and back again at will, creating new platforms from the surrounding light-sensitive flora.
No weapons are available in the game, and the sparse population of enemy robots and alien insects must be avoided rather than tackled head-on, usually by way of sneaking through the undergrowth. The majority of creatures in the game are confined to the background, and these will likely be your main source of distraction – not because they’re dangerous, but more because they’re so wonderful to look at.
Which brings us to Planet Alpha’s main strength – the environments are just stunningly beautiful, with a level of detail that’s rarely found in indie titles (or at least not achieved as effectively as this). Plants sway as you creep through the leaves, skyscraper-tall alien dinosaur creatures go about their business, gorgeous lighting effects bring the whole thing to life with incredibly vibrant colours, and something will always catch your eye wherever you look.
A few fast-paced set pieces keep things ticking along nicely and provide a little additional excitement to what is largely a very laid back game. Those familiar with platformers might find themselves wishing the gameplay was a little more involved, but anyone looking for a less taxing and more peaceful experience will find plenty to enjoy here.
PLANET ALPHA / DEVELOPER: PLANET ALPHA / PUBLISHER: TEAM 17 / PLATFORM: NINTENDO SWITCH, PC, PLAYSTATION 4, XBOX ONE (REVIEWED) / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
