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It's all out insect war! Well actually the insects are pawns used in a skirmish between
birds and squirrel but the game is called 'Bug Assault' for a reason. With a set amount
of health, can you eliminate the approaching hostile bug swarms while protecting the ladybugs?
With your trusty bug zapper at the ready, you'll soon find out.
Bug Assault has an incredibly simple yet amazingly realized control scheme. Touch the screen
with one index finger to create a zap point. Touching the screen with your other index
finger will create a bolt of electricity that zaps between your fingers. A line of bugs
lined up between your pointers will create a combo and boost your high score. There is
a catch however. Any Ladybugs you kill will be to the detriment of your own health, so
the game becomes a dance of avoiding the Ladybugs while creating lines around them to zap as
many of the other insects as you can. Certain bugs can be tapped on to create bonus swarms
or to regain health, but the culmination of this mechanic comes in the boss fights, each
with their own gimmick that you have to work out and overcome to reach the next stage of
play.
Any bug that you come into contact with or kill gets jarred over at the insectarium,
adding a collection element to play that should interest younger players. The money you get
from playing the game can also be used on additional weapons that can assist you during
play. The Tesla coil, fly swatter or gas canister can give you that extra edge you need, and
be upgraded... but that's attached to the in-app purchase model. Gaining cash is pretty
slow, so if you want these weapons, you're probably gonna be forking over real money
for them. It's not so bad as they're not really needed if you have the skill, but they are
fun to use, and it certainly feels like a misstep.
So with its colorful buggy characters, inventive control scheme and ever-increasing difficulty
punctuated with boss battles, Bug Assault is definitely worth a look. No guarantees
on whether it might cure folks who are terrified of insects, but it certainly couldn't hurt.