Xenophobe

Xenophobe is a conversion of the arcade game of the same name that arrived on the Atari 7800 in 1989, combining a side-scrolling shooter with exploration of sprawling space stations infested with alien vermin. As one of a group of space marines, the player heads to several ships and bases, moves through their corridors and rooms, wipes out eggs and growing monsters before they can multiply, and collects weapons, armor, and other equipment scattered across the levels. Unlike typical linear shooters, Xenophobe forces the player to choose a route between decks and decide which threats to face first, giving the game an adventure-like edge.

The Atari 7800 version retained the core gameplay loop of the arcade original, including simultaneous two-player play, and offers solidly readable graphics of corridors and monsters despite the home console's limitations. The audio is simple but effectively underscores the tension of approaching aliens and the cramped feel of the station's enclosed spaces. Gradually unlocking new weapons and improving the character's durability as the player progresses through the levels gives a sense of mild character growth that approaches light RPG mechanics.

At the time of release, Xenophobe benefited from a recognizable arcade brand, but on home consoles it got lost among other action titles and didn't receive much press attention specifically for the 7800 version. The need to coordinate progress between ships and keep track of remaining ammo and health gives the game a depth that typical arcade shootouts of the era usually didn't offer, and combined with the co-op mode, it extends the game's lifespan even for players already familiar with the arcade original. Today it's an interesting example of how developers combined action shootouts with exploration of enclosed spaces and equipment collecting before such mechanics became standard for the genre, and it offers solid fun for fans of shooter-adventures.

Why play it: For fans of shooter-adventures, it offers solid fun thanks to the combination of shootouts with exploration of enclosed spaces, equipment collecting, and a co-op mode that extends the game's lifespan.