Psychedelic Japanese 3D shoot ’em up

GearToyGear is a 3D shoot ’em up, a little like the cult PlayStation game Rez. Featuring pulsating glowing graphics and pulsating techno sounds that flow in time to the gameplay, it’s a hypnotic yet frenetic challenge.

To play GearToyGear you need to have installed the Microsoft XNA Framework Redistributable 3.1, as the game was developed using XNA game studio – but don’t worry, it’s free and won’t upset your system at all. GearToyGear can be controlled via the keyboard, or an Xbox 360 controller. While the latter is probably more suitable, it’s fine on either.

Your ship (if that’s what it is), has kind of squid like tentacles shooting ahead of it, which act as your weapons so there is no fire button. You simply move around avoiding obstacles and destroying things. You can alter your speed, and the faster you go the more points you score. The game is split into stages, but there is no rest between them, unless you pause. The sound effects and music seem to be the same thing, which works to great effect.

GearToyGear is fairly simple, but challenging and really well polished for a free game. There is no story and the whole experience is abstract, but it’s still enjoyable. The lack of explanation makes your first play interesting, as you have to quickly learn what the various things you’re flying towards do, whether you can destroy them, or have to avoid them. Check the developer’s site for keyboard controls, as in game the instructions are only for the Xbox controller unfortunately.

GearToyGear is a cool arcade style game, and only people who really hate electronic music won’t enjoy it!