A fun and cartoony shooter is a bit of a rarity these days. Most shooter games tend to be grimdark and gritty. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but sometimes it's just fun to be able to sit back and enjoy a nice fun round of shoot endlessly spawning monsters. With Assault Android Cactus, that's exactly what you're going to get. Assault Android Cactus is an action game developed and published by Witch Beam. Addictive and satisfying, this game is a top choice for game nights with your friends. 

Premise and Presentation

In Assault Android Cactus, you play as the eponymous Junior Constable Cactus as she shoots her way out of a horde of mechanical monsters after having crashed into a disabled spaceship. She is accompanied by eight other heroines, giving the player a total of 9 heroines to choose from. 

The art and music of the game are pretty good. The design of the characters might be a bit contentious as some will enjoy the chibi look while others will find it uncanny. The music is just so catchy and upbeat that it will no doubt fuel the player's fighting spirit. All of the characters are voiced and the acting in the game is perfectly done. 

Difficulty and Enjoyment

Android Assault Cactus has a very simple gameplay. Your job is to shoot as many monsters as you can before the time or your battery runs out. Your battery is your unique health bar in this game. Getting hit by enemies will render you immobile for a few seconds, but you won't lose unless your battery runs out. Enemies drop items that can replenish your battery. They can also drop stat and weapon boosters, so make sure to get them before they disappear. 

The game is a twin-stick shooter which means it's really meant to be played with a controller rather than a keyboard and mouse. It's notorious enough for being so difficult as it is, but not being able to play it on a controller makes it twice as hard. There's really no linear improvement progression in this game, so if you want to advance, you'll have to practice a lot. For some, that's what makes it fun. For others, it's just frustrating. Still, its simplicity in gameplay makes it enjoyable even if you lose a lot. 

Challenging, But Fun

Android Assault Cactus is a challenging twin-stick shooter, but it's really fun when you learn the basics. It's highly addictive and a great choice to play with friends thanks to its fast-paced gameplay and non-linear progression. Playing it with a controller is highly recommended, and it may not be suitable for people who don't have fast motor skills or reflexes. Nevertheless, it's a wonderful time-killer for both single and multiplayer gaming.