Ion Assault

 Xbox 360
Ion Assault Image
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

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  • Summary: [Xbox Live Arcade] Experience Ion Assault, an action-packed arcade-style space adventure with an unprecedented particle physics engine. Fight alone or cooperatively through four different modes and more than 20 exciting levels. Instead of conventional weapons, use the free energy particles[Xbox Live Arcade] Experience Ion Assault, an action-packed arcade-style space adventure with an unprecedented particle physics engine. Fight alone or cooperatively through four different modes and more than 20 exciting levels. Instead of conventional weapons, use the free energy particles that are abundant in space to fend off swarms of aliens. Space adventure: Battle aliens with a unique fluid and particle system. Variety of play: Explore more than 20 levels in four diverse settings with lavish graphics. Upgrades: Earn upgrades for your spaceships, such as augmented speed or increased radius for collecting surrounding particles. Multiplayer action: Enjoy various multiplayer modes like Cooperative, Arena, or Harvest with up to four players. Power-ups: Collect special power-ups, usable for a limited time, such as Black Hole. International flavor: Ion Assault is the first Xbox LIVE Arcade game developed in Germany. [RTL]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Gameplanet
    90
    Ion Assault is one of the most enjoyable Xbox Live Arcade games that you can find. With impressive and completely original particle-based game play, there is never a dull moment. A must have for anybody who owns an Xbox 360.
  2. GameShark
    83
    It offers a relatively fresh take on a well-established genre, with polished graphics and all the asteroid-blasting pleasure you can find this side of 1979.
  3. Eurogamer
    80
    Ion Assault is an extremely polished and well-executed twist on a very pure gaming genre.
  4. GameWatcher
    73
    A superb addition to the Xbox Live Arcade library that is full of shoot ‘em ups. It’s a smart purchase for any Geometry Wars fan that is dying to fill their time with a similar title. The controls could’ve been tightened up and the single-player campaign could’ve been longer, but in the long run, Ion Assault is a surprisingly great title for 800 MS Points.
  5. Digital Chumps
    72
    Ion Assault is worth a look if you are a fan of the genre or space arcade shooters in general. It combines two well established formulas and adds some extra mechanics to make a rather interesting game. It's fun, challenging, and often frustrating.
  6. Official Xbox Magazine
    70
    Ion Assault occasionally feels insubstantial and rarely replicates the big, tense moments of other thrill-a-second shooters, but it works well as a slightly more strategic alternative. [Nov 2009, p.72]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. GameFocus
    50
    I hate to put my final comment in such a blunt manner but I do not want anyone to be confused of my overall view of Ion Assault. So my bottom line is, skip this game at its current price and pick it up when it is 5 dollars or so.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. JohnnyToe
    Sep 24, 2009
    9
    I like the strategic twist that comes with the collect-shoot-collect mechanic. It's a fresh take on the modern shooter genre! Also I doI like the strategic twist that comes with the collect-shoot-collect mechanic. It's a fresh take on the modern shooter genre! Also I do not mind the controls that the first reviews complain about. After 10 to 15 minutes max. you know what you are doing. Overall I'm having more fun with it so far than I had with the other more "generic" twin stick shooters out there since Geometry Wars. For me its one of those games that are fun to play over and over again since you notice how your performance improves every time. Haven't had that in quite a while!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

89
#89 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2009