Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Commando Xenidis delivers an engaging blend of space shooter and on-foot combat that keeps players on their toes from start to finish. Your mission begins by selecting a planet in the Xenidis system and piloting your spaceship through intense orbital skirmishes. Waves of alien fighters, turrets, and debris fill the screen, challenging your reflexes as you dodge incoming fire and line up precision shots. The core loop of “shoot everything in sight” is balanced by the option to preserve your ship, rewarding survival with both points and in-game currency rather than forced aggression.

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Once you defeat the guardian boss at the end of each orbital stage, Commando Xenidis switches gears and drops you to the planet’s surface. Here, the pace becomes more deliberate as you control a lone soldier infiltrating alien installations. The game introduces platform-like navigation, cover mechanics, and a wider arsenal of weapons—from rapid-fire rifles to explosive charges. This two-phase structure breaks monotony and encourages players to master both aerial dogfights and ground-based tactics.

Adding depth to its formula, Commando Xenidis includes an upgrade shop where you spend credits earned in space and on the ground. Upgrades range from improved shields and faster engines to specialized weapons with unique firing patterns. This light RPG element enhances replay value: you’ll return to earlier planets once you’ve unlocked better gear, seeking hidden power-ups or higher scores. Cooperative multiplayer for up to four players on one screen further amplifies the fun, allowing friends to coordinate roles—some focusing on cleanup in orbit while others spearhead the ground assault.

Graphics

Visually, Commando Xenidis embraces the shareware era’s pixel-art charm with surprisingly detailed sprites and richly colored backdrops. In space stages, starfields and planetary surfaces scroll smoothly behind dynamically animated ships and alien structures. Explosions burst in vibrant oranges and reds, while weapon projectiles leave crisp trails that help you track enemy fire. Despite its modest system requirements, the game maintains a stable frame rate even during the busiest firefights.

The ground missions showcase a different side of the game’s art style, featuring layered terrains and textured facility interiors. Walls and floors are modelled with subtle gradients to suggest depth, and interactive elements—like destructible crates or power terminals—flash when you approach. Alien creatures on land boast more elaborate animations than their orbital counterparts, with alien drones twisting and lunging in response to your attacks. These visual details keep the on-foot sections from feeling like a simple palette swap of the space stages.

While the graphics won’t rival high-end titles of the current generation, they capture a retro sci-fi aesthetic that fans of classics like Raptor and Flying Tigers will appreciate. The color palette shifts from cold blues and grays in orbit to warm, ominous reds and purples in alien bases, reinforcing the narrative stakes. Overall, the art direction succeeds in creating a cohesive universe without resorting to outdated or muddy visuals.

Story

Set in the year 2525 A.D., Commando Xenidis unfolds a straightforward yet compelling tale of humanity’s expansion and the hostile response it provokes. After Earth’s corporations terraform and colonize the mineral-rich planets of Xenidis, an alien armada attacks and obliterates the first human outpost. You step into the boots of the titular Commando Xenidis, Earth’s top operative, tasked with reclaiming lost territory and preventing further incursions against your home world.

The narrative is delivered through brief mission briefings and in-game interstitials between stages. Although it never morphs into a full-fledged cinematic epic, the story provides enough context to motivate your actions—each planet brings new intel on alien technology and hints at a larger extraterrestrial conspiracy. Boss fights are framed as critical turning points, where defeating each alien commander unlocks data about the invaders’ true intentions. This drip-feed approach keeps you invested without bogging down the action.

Character development is minimal but effective: you feel the weight of being Earth’s best hope as the mission log updates with reports of fallen comrades and destroyed facilities. The transition from space pilot to lone infantryman is narrated as a strategic necessity, and it underscores your versatility as an elite commando. While hardcore story buffs may crave deeper lore or voice acting, the lean narrative perfectly complements the fast-paced gameplay.

Overall Experience

Commando Xenidis strikes a satisfying balance between fast-paced shoot ’em up action and tactical ground combat. The dual-phase missions prevent either gameplay style from overstaying its welcome, and the upgrade system incentivizes exploration and replay. Occasional dips in pacing occur during back-to-back boss battles, but the ability to fine-tune your ship and soldier loadouts helps smooth out the difficulty curve.

Multiplayer is where the game truly shines. Four-player co-op on a single screen creates chaotic, memorable moments as teams scramble to clear enemies and gather resources. Friendly fire can be toggled, and you can assign roles—some players dominate in orbit while others handle on-planet objectives. This social element extends the game’s lifespan far beyond its solo campaign.

In conclusion, Commando Xenidis is a compelling shareware adventure that lives up to the legacy of classic shooters while adding its own twist with ground-based combat. Its retro-styled graphics, solid controls, and cooperative options make it a worthwhile pick for anyone craving old-school intensity peppered with modern convenience. Whether you’re piloting through asteroid fields or storming alien bunkers, the game delivers consistent thrills and strategic depth, ensuring hours of action-packed entertainment.

Retro Replay Score

null/10