Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Colony 28 delivers a tense, side-view shooter experience that hinges on strategic positioning and smart resource management. As the protagonist—a hybrid human‐alien cyborg—you navigate claustrophobic corridors and open battlefields using a “Hide and Shoot” approach. Enemies patrol in predictable patterns, so timing your emergence from cover is crucial: pop out to dump rounds from your multi‐type machine gun, then duck back behind crates or bulkheads to reload or let your obedience chip cool down.

(HEY YOU!! We hope you enjoy! We try not to run ads. So basically, this is a very expensive hobby running this site. Please consider joining us for updates, forums, and more. Network w/ us to make some cash or friends while retro gaming, and you can win some free retro games for posting. Okay, carry on 👍)

The arsenal offers three distinct ammo types—ballistic, plasma, and electromagnetic—each effective against different alien armor classes. You can switch ammo on the fly, allowing for quick adaptions when stronger foes appear. When you’re fresh out of bullets, your cybernetic fists can still deliver satisfying melee combos. The combat loop balances aggression and caution: charging in head-on often spells doom, while overly timid play can leave you cornered by relentless patrols.

Beyond shootouts, Colony 28 includes a modest inventory system and environmental puzzles that break up the firefights. You’ll collect keycards to unlock new sectors, reroute power to open pressure doors, and hack terminals to gather intel. These light puzzle elements are never too obtuse—hint logs and clear visual cues guide you—yet they add a welcome layer of variety, making each new room feel like a mini-challenge in its own right.

Graphics

The visual presentation of Colony 28 combines gritty industrial backdrops with neon-tinged alien technology. Corridors are lined with flickering lights, steam vents, and scorched walls that evoke a world teetering on collapse. Character sprites are sharply animated: your cyborg’s hydraulics hiss and pistons pump realistically as you sprint, aim, and deliver melee strikes.

Special effects shine in combat. Laser beams cast colored glows across darkened rooms, while plasma bursts crackle with particle trails. Enemies disintegrate in a shower of sparks or slump to the floor in a satisfying ragdoll collapse. This attention to visual detail reinforces the brutality of the conflict and keeps you engaged, even during extended firefight sequences.

Environmental variety is another strong suit. You’ll move through underground bunkers, maintenance shafts clogged with debris, and open hangar bays where giant alien vessels loom overhead. Each area introduces new textures and lighting schemes—rusted metal panels in one, bioluminescent alien flora in another—ensuring the world never feels repetitive despite its industrial motif.

Story

The narrative premise drops you into a bleak future where humanity has fallen to an alien invasion. Once a mind-controlled supervisor in the remaining human colonies, you gain an unexpected spark of free will when your obedience chip malfunctions after a crash landing. Left stranded on the planet’s surface, you’re driven by a single purpose: destroy the alien mothership that dominates Earth.

Storytelling in Colony 28 is mostly environmental and text-log based. Scattered terminals, audio diaries, and graffiti-style scrawls reveal bits of context: the fall of world armies in 2013, the twisted science that fused human and alien biology, and the last desperate plans of resistance cells. While there’s no voiced dialogue, the moody soundtrack and occasional radio chatter paint a vivid picture of humanity’s last stand.

As you progress, small reveals about your own past add emotional weight. You begin to question whether regaining free will is truly a blessing or a curse, and whether the lines between human and machine have blurred irrevocably. These undercurrents keep the journey compelling, even if the overall plot arc follows familiar “one‐soldier vs. alien empire” beats.

Overall Experience

Colony 28 is an engaging indie shooter that marries tight action with moody atmosphere. The “Hide and Shoot” mechanic rewards patience and planning, while the combination of ranged and melee combat keeps each encounter fresh. Puzzle sections are brief but well integrated, serving as thoughtful intermissions rather than padding.

Graphically, the game punches well above its weight class with detailed environments and dynamic lighting effects that heighten the sense of danger. Although enemy variety could be expanded—most foes rely on similar patrol patterns and weaponry—the visual flair and crisp animations carry the tension through to the final showdown.

For players seeking a lean, action-focused journey with a dystopian sci-fi flavor, Colony 28 is well worth exploring. Its balanced challenge, atmospheric design, and gradual story reveals make it an easy recommendation for fans of side-view shooters. Just be prepared to think tactically: charging in recklessly will quickly remind you that, on Colony 28, survival rewards those who wait for the perfect shot.

Retro Replay Score

null/10