Alien Hominid
North American cover art
Developer(s)The Behemoth[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)The Behemoth (360, HD)
O3 Entertainment (North America)
Zoo Digital Publishing (Europe)
Designer(s)Dan Paladin
Programmer(s)Tom Fulp
Composer(s)Matthew E. Harwood
Allister Brimble (GBA)
Anthony N. Putson (GBA)
Platform(s)Adobe Flash, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, J2ME, Game Boy Advance, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
ReleaseAdobe Flash
  • WW: August 7, 2002
PlayStation 2
  • NA: November 21, 2004
  • EU: May 27, 2005
GameCube
  • NA: November 23, 2004
J2ME
  • EU: May 23, 2005
Xbox
  • EU: May 27, 2005
  • AU: June 23, 2005
Game Boy Advance
  • EU: February 3, 2006
  • AU: February 9, 2006
Xbox 360
  • WW: February 28, 2007
Windows, Switch, Xbox One, Series X/S
  • WW: November 1, 2023
Genre(s)Run and gun
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Alien Hominid is a run and gun video game developed by The Behemoth and first released as a Flash game on the multimedia website Newgrounds on August 7th, 2002. It was originally developed in Adobe Flash by programmer and Newgrounds founder, Tom Fulp, and animator and artist, Dan Paladin. It has since been re-released in several expanded and enhanced iterations for home consoles and computers.

The first re-release of Alien Hominid was with an expanded console version released on the PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox in 2004 and 2005. A port for the Game Boy Advance, developed by Tuna Technologies, was released in 2006 for PAL territories. A high-definition version titled Alien Hominid 360 (formerly known as Alien Hominid HD) was released for Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade in 2007.[1] Another remaster, Alien Hominid HD, was released for Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on November 1, 2023, alongside a sequel, Alien Hominid Invasion.

Gameplay

Alien Hominid is a side-scrolling shooter in a similar vein to games such as Metal Slug,[2] where one hit instantly kills[3] and has a two-player simultaneous play.[4] Players take over as the titular hominid, who has to fend off waves of secret agents.[5] His main arsenal is a blaster, while players can also melee close-up enemies and use a limited number of grenades to attack. Advanced moves include rolling under shots, jumping on and biting off enemies' heads, temporarily scaring other enemies, and digging underground to drag enemies down with them.

Players can collect a numerous variety of power-ups which simultaneously give players extra grenades, a shield, and unique ammo. Players can also drive vehicles, ride on top of a Yeti, and pilot a UFO.[6] Completing certain tasks will unlock hats the players can dress their Hominid in.[7] The main game features sixteen stages.[8]

Outside of the main game, there are three multiplayer modes (Challenge, Neutron Ball, and Pinata Boss), a PDA game (featuring around 200 levels and a level editor), an extra mode called All You Can Eat, and a retro minigame, Super Soviet Missile Mastar.[9][10]

Development

Alien Hominid began life as a Flash game developed by programmer Tom Fulp and animator and artist Dan Paladin, which was released on Newgrounds in August 2002.[11] It is often referred to as the Alien Hominid "prototype" by The Behemoth.[12]

The game consisted of one level containing two bosses, who would later reappear in the retail version. It became very popular among the online gaming site and has been played over 20 million times. Later in the year, then-co-worker John Baez approached Paladin as a fan of Alien Hominid. He suggested that Paladin and Fulp make a console version of the game, even offering to produce the game. Both Paladin and Fulp agreed with his idea, forming The Behemoth.

Over the course of two years, Alien Hominid became a much larger project than its flash prototype. While 3D graphics were considered initially, The Behemoth decided nothing compared to the traditional 2D stylings of the prototype. The project was entirely re-coded for consoles, and many new gameplay features were created. Matt Harwood created the music for the game.[13]

While working on the Game Boy Advance version, Tuna Technologies were also developing a port for the Gizmondo, but it was later cancelled.[14]

Reception

The game received "generally favorable reviews" on all platforms except the Game Boy Advance version, which received universal acclaim, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[20][21][22][23] It was nominated for GameSpot's annual "Funniest Game" award, which went to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[42]

Before its release, Alien Hominid received notice in gaming magazines such as Play, GMR, Edge, Dragon, and mainstream magazines such as Wired. In reviews for the game, it was critically acclaimed for its old-school style gameplay, tough level of difficulty, and quirky humor. The game also won many small awards, most notably at the Independent Games Festival (for Innovation In Visual Arts, Technical Excellence and the Audience Award).

Legacy

Hominid appears during one of the levels in The Behemoth's 2nd game, Castle Crashers, using a lance weapon based on his ray gun. He is playable to anyone who has also downloaded Alien Hominid 360 on the Xbox 360 version, while he is unlocked by completing said level on the PlayStation Network and Steam versions of the game. The green eyeball from an early boss fight also appears as an Animal Orb, firing lasers at enemies. Hominid appears as a playable character in Team Meat's Super Meat Boy, another game that originated as a flash game on Newgrounds.[43] The Super Soviet Missile Mastar minigame from Alien Hominid was released as a free app for iOS on February 7, 2011.[44][45] An improved version of the PDA Games minigame was released for iOS on December 9, 2011.[46] Developer Tom Fulp has cited the PDA Games as being the inspiration for The Behemoth's third game, BattleBlock Theater,[46] which features unlockable Hominid character heads for those who own Alien Hominid 360.[47]

On January 30, 2020, Behemoth announced their fifth game, Alien Hominid Invasion, which they describe as "an all-new re-imagination" of the original game featuring new gameplay and mechanics. The game is in development for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It was released on November 1, 2023.[48] A remaster of the original game, Alien Hominid HD, was released alongside Invasion for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.[49]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ported to Game Boy Advance and J2ME by Tuna Technologies

References

  1. ↑ Webber, Scott (July 20, 2006). "Alien Hominid coming to the Live Arcade". Console Monster. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Liu, Johnny (December 28, 2004). "Alien Hominid Review (GC, PS2)". Game Revolution. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  3. ↑ Sewart, Greg (March 3, 2007). "ALIEN HOMINID HD REVIEW". GamesRadar+. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  4. ↑ Schiaparelli, Frank (November 19, 2004). "Alien Hominid Review". GameSpy. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  5. ↑ Lee, Josh (January 4, 2005). "Alien Hominid". PopMatters. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 Rice Burner (January 24, 2005). "Alien Hominid (GC, PS2)". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  7. ↑ Tobias, Scott (January 31, 2005). "Alien Hominid". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  8. ↑ Metts, Johnathan (January 11, 2005). "Alien Hominid Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  9. ↑ Davis, Ryan (November 18, 2004). "Alien Hominid Review". GameSpot. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Reed, Kristan (December 18, 2008). "Alien Hominid HD". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  11. ↑ Kekkonen, Ari (June 1, 2005). "Alien Hominid (PS2) – ET palaa kotiin". Pelit. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  12. ↑ Kekkonen, Ari (October 6, 2004). "Alien Hominid Q&A". Shack News. Archived from the original on 2005-02-04. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  13. ↑ Fulp, Tom (November 13, 2017). "Classic Postmortem: The Behemoth's Alien Hominid". Gamasutra. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Alien Hominid Gizmondo?". Newgrounds. February 11, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Alien Hominid for Game Boy Advance". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Alien Hominid for GameCube". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Alien Hominid for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Alien Hominid for Xbox". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Alien Hominid HD for Xbox 360". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  20. 1 2 "Alien Hominid for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  21. 1 2 "Alien Hominid for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Alien Hominid (xbx: 2005): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  23. 1 2 "Alien Hominid HD for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  24. ↑ Edge staff (January 2005). "Alien Hominid (PS2)". Edge. No. 145. p. 97.
  25. 1 2 EGM staff (December 25, 2004). "Alien Hominid (GC, PS2)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 186. p. 100.
  26. ↑ Gillen, Kieron (June 14, 2005). "Alien Hominid (Xbox)". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  27. 1 2 Zoss, Jeremy (December 2004). "Alien Hominid (GC, PS2)". Game Informer. No. 140. p. 168. Archived from the original on January 30, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  28. ↑ Davis, Ryan (November 18, 2004). "Alien Hominid Review (GC)". GameSpot. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  29. ↑ Davis, Ryan (November 18, 2004). "Alien Hominid Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  30. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (March 1, 2007). "Alien Hominid HD Review". GameSpot. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  31. ↑ Schiaparelli, Frank (November 19, 2004). "GameSpy: Alien Hominid (PS2)". GameSpy. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  32. 1 2 "Alien Hominid Review (GC, PS2)". GameTrailers. April 11, 2005. Archived from the original on June 23, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  33. ↑ Romano, Natalie (December 12, 2004). "Alien Hominid - GC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  34. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (December 20, 2004). "Alien Hominid - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 17, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  35. 1 2 Sulic, Ivan (November 9, 2004). "Alien Hominid (NGC, PS2)". IGN. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  36. ↑ Brudvig, Erik (March 1, 2007). "Alien Hominid Review (X360)". IGN. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Alien Hominid (GC)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 187. January 2005. p. 138.
  38. ↑ Davison, John (January 2005). "Alien Hominid". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Alien Hominid HD". Official Xbox Magazine. February 2007. p. 74.
  40. ↑ "RECENT VIDEO GAME RELEASES". Detroit Free Press. January 16, 2005. Archived from the original on 2016-08-20. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  41. 1 2 "Alien Hominid (PS2, Xbox)". The Times. May 28, 2005. Retrieved July 15, 2016.(subscription required)
  42. ↑ The GameSpot Editors (January 5, 2005). "Best and Worst of 2004". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 7, 2005. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  43. ↑ McMillen, Edmund (October 5, 2008). "Meat Boy on Newgrounds". Newgrounds. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  44. ↑ Revak, Kelly (January 11, 2011). "Super Soviet Missile Mastar controls your iPhone/iPad". The Behemoth. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  45. ↑ Revak, Kelly (February 7, 2011). "Super Soviet Missile Mastar launch is GO". The Behemoth. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  46. 1 2 Fulp, Tom (December 9, 2011). "Go Get PDA Games for iPhone / iPad!". Newgrounds.
  47. ↑ The Behemoth (April 2, 2013). "Special Unlocks in BattleBlock Theater and Castle Crashers XBLA". YouTube.
  48. ↑ "Alien Hominid Invasion".
  49. ↑ "Alien Hominid HD coming to Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch, and PC in 2023". 25 August 2023.
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