
Devastro is, at its core, a level-based top-down shooter in which you control a squad of soldiers destroying ETs and blowing up their UFOs. Your soldiers level-up during play (in RPG fashion, and you may find yourself replaying a level in order to avoid the death of a character you've worked to upgrade); main weapons are guns and grenades, though you get to control some cool vehicles in later levels.
The combat is rarely as intense as in frenetic overhead shooters like Crimsonland or RIP, but Devastro has something those games lack: actual humor. It seems the Army isn't too keen on acknowledging the existence of UFOs, though it understands the importance of wiping out the alien invaders. The story is carried through a series of comic-book-like cut scenes at various points in the game, and is amusing enough to keep you engaged and eager to wipe out those evil enemy saucers Sir! That don't exist. Yes Sir! Ready for deniable action Sir!
And of course, the fact that the combat doesn't often get to that intensity is a good thing, at least for those of us who never aspired to being l33t; most players can actually get through the game.
Good wholesome fun, at least, if wholesomeness involves blowing up alien brains real good.
Ack, the controls!
The controls for this game are utterly maddening on the mac, and of course non-configurable. You will absolutely need a real mouse with two buttons to play this.
This game is based on the popular Cannon Fodder series
This game is based on the 1990s popular Cannon Fodder computer game series from UK developer, Sensible Software, who probably invented this particular subgenre of gameplay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon_Fodder
Crimsonland humourless?
Crimsonland is rife with fatalist black humor in the Fallout vein. The perk descriptions in the game show it takes itself none too seriously.