For what is otherwise a very straightforward arcade shoot-em-up,
Expendable carries a nice storyline. The idea is that instead of playing the little guy with the big firepower, you’re just a general lounging in some easy chair, directing these poor fools into battle. They, being some mindless amalgam of superior genetics designed for battle, really just get off on destroying everything that moves... and even a few things that don’t. They’re ‘expendable.’ Get it? The bad guys run in form from evil sheephound-looking beasts to heavily armored mechas, all bent on your destruction.
But destroy them you will! Expendable features some of the coolest firepower you’re likely to see, ranging from machine-gun laser weapons to guided missiles and grenades. The predictable flame-thrower is here, but there are some cool weapons the enemy drops which really pack a punch, and can either fire short bursts or build up for the big whammy. One-Player Arcade Mode is a multi-stage killing frenzy, but the clock is ticking. Being that the Expendable are going in as support, they soften up the ground troops before the main force goes in to carpet bomb mode. It’s not healthy to be in the level when the clock runs out, believe me. Any other player can join in during Arcade Mode, but it takes time to adjust your rhythm so as not to get too far ahead or behind your buddy.
Two-Player Deathmatch Mode is built around special levels, and really provides much fun once the main game’s been beaten. Some people might get off on Deathmatch more than the actual game. With all the standard weapon choices, and the ability to set how many Expendables you can use before the match is over, this mode will keep two people happy for a long time. Also adding to the replay value of the game are secrets hidden in Arcade Mode. By finding secret paths or completing objectives, a challenge level opens up where it’s possible to win extra lives.
