Game Reviews

Bill Killem

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iOS
| Bill Killem
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Bill Killem
|
iOS
| Bill Killem

Endless runners are fun, but you're often in charge of a character who'll stumble into obstacles that could be navigated safely with a bit of care.

That lack of a brake is the point of a lot of games, and the reckless charging is often what makes them so entertaining.

But it's still nice to take control of a game like Chillingo's Bill Killem. It puts you in charge of all your movements, and then drops you into a frantic race against time and aliens.

Movie interrupted

The game is fronted by Bill, a gun-toting action star who's finally made it in Hollywood.

His big movie premier is interrupted by an alien invasion, which understandably upsets him, and he decides to resolve the situation with a lot of guns and explosions.

The action takes place on one infinite level, and there's a game-ending alien spaceship constantly nipping at your heels.

However, unlike most games in the genre, Bill Killem doesn't see you running automatically. You move, jump, and shoot by yourself.

You don't just move from left to right either. You need to navigate around obstacles and boxes, which can sometimes mean having to backtrack.

It's definitely a nerve-racking business, given the aliens that are constantly creeping up behind you with their flesh-destroying beam.

Gunfire is good

You're hardly powerless against the enemy invasion, though. You can pick up improved weapons and power-ups from the alien invaders that you shoot down.

There's a nice variety of firepower at hand, including machine guns, flamethrowers, lasers, and bazookas. The power-ups run the usual gamut of faster movement, invincibility, and coin-enticing magnets.

Making a run through Bill Killem is pretty enjoyable. It's satisfying enough ripping through bad guys and avoiding being atomised that you'll find yourself compelled to play again once they catch you.

It's a bit like playing the old-school action classic Contra, but on a timer.

However, the game does lack a sense of progression. You can use the coins you collect during each run to upgrade your power-ups so their effects last longer, but there's no way to beef up Killem's stats.

You do level up after meeting certain in-game goals, but if there's any benefit to gaining all those experience points, it's never made clear.

Still, Bill Killem is a pretty competent run-and-gun game, with a special emphasis on "run."

If you'd like to try out an endless runner that's outfitted with a bit of extra muscle then it's well worth a look.

Bill Killem

Bill Killem is a notch above typical endless runners thanks to the ability to shoot down whatever's in your way
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