Terre Defense 3

Defend a whole planet against invaders is something we cannot yet imagine, given the fact that we lack the technology to take on such projects. We also do not have any kind of outer space enemies at the moment, at least not that we know of. Thankfully, we can satisfy our curiosity with movies and video games, even if they feature many outrageous ideas.

Terre Defense 3 is part of the space shooter series that allows you to engage in outer space dogfights using small spaceships and try to destroy as many aliens as possible. There is no complexity in regards to gameplay mechanics, especially since the movement is very stiff and the flight model is anything but realistic, yet you can still have plenty of fun with the game under the right conditions.

As for the story, it’s nothing you might remember for more than a few minutes after you hear it, which is a bit of a bummer. Thankfully, at least there are multiple campaigns to choose from, although the only difference between them is that you defend a different planet. You can also pick one of the two available game modes, namely campaign or survival, the latter of which is as straightforward as it sounds.

The game’s biggest issue is the almost non-existent variation in regards to mission objectives and enemies. Thus, you are always shooting indigo drones and flying around black and featureless environments, which gets boring in a rush. The story is of no consequence to the actual gameplay either, because everything is forgotten once the mission starts and your guns start blazing.

This wouldn’t be too much of a problem if the action itself was worthwhile, but that’s sadly not the case here. The awkward flight model and rigid controls make it difficult to orientate yourself, not to mention the fact that it takes a while to aim. Even if the environment appears to be three-dimensional, the truth is that you can only move left or right, while the other directions are blocked.

Terre Defense 3 might offer you a few minutes of mild fun, but it’s impossible to get more than that out of it. The poor graphics and annoying controls cause a lot of unnecessary stress as well.