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Scurge: Hive........

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 11, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Just when you think the Gameboy Advance is on its' way out and the Nintendo DS & the PSP are ready to take over as victors in the handheld scene, a game comes along to prove that the Gameboy Advance still has what it takes. Such a game is Scurge: Hive.

In Scurge: Hive; You play as Jenosa Arma, a bounty hunter, investigating a distress call from a lab on Planet Inos. When her ship is attacked, she's forced to escape to the lab itself to which she finds out that Inos is ridden with an alien species called the Scurge. The bad thing is Jenosa is infected with the virus. Not only is she fighting for her life but is fighting time to make it to decontamination chambers before the virus kills her. Scurge: Hive really forces the player to think about everything to progress through the game.

Scurge is a long game, no doubt about that. There's plenty to do and the story is deep. It's alot like Metroid but in an isometric perspective(much like the GBA Spyro games). It has to be one of the best GBA games I've seen.

Make no mistake, though, -as with alot of games I've played of late- Scurge:Hive is a difficult game even on the easiest difficulty. Not so much that it can't be finished but enough to provide players with a good challenge so don't be expecting a cakewalk.

I really enjoyed the game and hope Orbital Media continues the series with future iterations.

Great action/shooter for the GBA

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: January 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Scurge: Hive puts you in the role of a female bounty hunter in space named Jenosa taking on alien parasitic organisms. Yes, that's Scurge: Hive, not anything with the word Metroid in the title. Despite the derivative storyline, Scurge: Hive for the GBA provides some great action and shooting elements that fit right at home on the GBA. The overhead isometric view of the game provides for plenty of fun shooting elements to go along with exploration and puzzle solving. Throw in some memorable boss battles to go along with the fluidly animated and colorful graphics and you get one of better action/shooters to come out on the GBA in a long time. What stops Scurge: Hive dead in it's tracks from being an instant classic is that you will backtrack a lot, and I mean a lot. Combine that with the fact that the shooting and puzzle elements will eventually get boring the longer you're in the game, and that stops Scurge: Hive from being a must own. Not to mention that there is a time limit tied into Jenosa's health, which you must constantly find medical stations to refill, which will either add degrees of challenge or frustration depending on the gamer. That aside though, Scurge: Hive is still a great game for the GBA that should be checked out by those still holding on to their GBA's and craving some solid action. The game is also available for the DS as well, which has the advantage of showing more on the screen as well as displaying the area map at all times. If you own a DS and want to check this game out, you may want to go for that version for those reasons alone, but if you want a cheaper game, the GBA version is sufficient.

Contagiously Fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 13, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I've seen quite a few copies of this game, going from one GameStop to another in search of a GBA game to spend my store credit on. Seeing this game almost everywhere, two thoughts came to mind: 1) "Man, this game must suck," and 2) "Why did so many people buy it in the first place?" After looking at some reviews, I took a chance and bought "Scurge: Hive" for the GBA. Best 5 bucks in credit that I've ever spent.

This is an action RPG best compared to the likes of "Metroid;" in some ways, it's almost exactly like "Metroid." You play as Jenosa Arma, a bounty hunter with a freakishly long ponytail, sent to the planet Inos to infiltrate a research lab after an attempt to contain a parasite called the Scurge goes awry. Starting out with just a pea-shooting gauntlet, you fight a bunch of enemies--and I mean a LOT of 'em--while exploring each level, which takes quite a toll on your health bar. But when killed, these enemies give off balls of green goo that refill your health, increases your hit points, and even improve your rank. And that's just for starters.

Before you even make it through the first level, you're suddenly infected by the Scurge. A gauge appears at the top of the screen to show the rate of infection and if it reaches 100%, you'll transform into the Scurge itself and the game ends; basically, it limits the time you have to explore a level. To prevent this, you have to access sick bays that are located throughout the game in order to keep the infection down. These also serve as save points in the game. But having to go back and forth to a sick bay to keep your infection low can get pretty frustrating. Luckily, you can activate a map with the Select button to keep from getting lost.

Needless to say, this game puts a lot on your plate. Where you're not uncovering new weapons, you must accomplish various tasks in order to advance in the game. You also have to find special security cards in order to open certain doors. And then there's a horde of boss characters with their own specific strengths and weaknesses. Even moving around the isometric platforms is a chore. Add the little buggers that are already chasing you, and you've got a game that's tough to beat--even at its lowest difficulty setting.

"Scurge" is also available for the Nintendo DS. This is exactly the same as the GBA port save for a map provided on the touch screen. When choosing between both versions, the choice should be clear for GBA owners. For DS owners, it comes down to whether you want added convenience or a cheaper game. Either way, you can't go wrong with this challenging title.

This game is rated E10+ for ages 10 & up: Violence.

Stay away

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: October 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

A poor Metroid knock-off in every respect, the only thing differentiating this game (the top-down perspective) actually ends up being a detriment. While having a third axis to traverse does add something to the exploration aspect of the game, all the other elements are lacking. Enemy design is uninspired, the main character's hair is almost seizure inducing at all times, and aiming can be clunky because the three dimensional environment doesn't really feel right with the d-pad.

All in all, I really can't think of anything good to say about this game. Children of Mana and Lunar Knights are two good alternatives if you're looking for this style of play, but I'd recommend staying as far away from this game as possible, it'll only disappoint.

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