Inversus – Frantic arcade shooter and strategic competition

Inversus is slated to be round two of the PAX West 2016 Omegathon, so I got my hands on a key for this little game from indie developer Hypersect. It’s fast, frantic, and strategic. Many outlets praise it as fun and addictive, but I’ll tell you that it’s not entirely suited for casual players. The arcade mode is fun for me as a single player. Versus mode, on the other hand, makes me want to rip my monitor off the wall. It’s going to be phenomenal for a head to head competition in front of a crowd. After spending time with it myself, I’ll be disappointed if a controller doesn’t get thrown at PAX.

I’ve tried describing Inversus, but I never seem to do a great job. I’ve called it aggressive Othello with guns, but that doesn’t really do it justice. The design is sublimely clean and minimalistic. Its simple setup of black and white squares on a grid is, however, devilishly deceptive. You’re a black or white block that moves across opposite color tiles. Shooting will flip tiles to your color along the path of the bullet. Paths for one player are walls for the other. It can be played in either arcade or versus mode to provide two distinct game experiences.

I prefer playing arcade mode in Inversus. Arcade mode is far more bullet hell shooter than one on one duel. I’d rather face an overwhelming horde in a frantic fight to live than go toe to toe with another player. Instead of another opponent, arcade mode floods the screen with red blocks that change the tiles around them as they move. When shot, they explode and flip the tiles around them to white. These explosions can chain to nearby enemies and increase your score multiplier in the process. Chained explosions make me smile. Survive long enough and AI blocks that also shoot start appearing. Scoring points unlocks new and interesting maps to try up to a total of seven. Arcade mode can be played in two player co-op if you want to share the experience with a friend.

Versus mode is exactly what it sounds like. You can play 1v1 or 2v2 either locally or online. The frantic chaos of arcade mode is replaced with quick, strategic maneuvering. Pin down your opponent and put a bullet in them. Bullets can block other bullets, so precision can be rewarded. In fact, blocking an opponent’s shot at the last second will parry and return fire. First to three wins takes the match and you’ll move onto a new map. Luckily for me, androgynous blocks aren’t capable of teabagging. My biggest problem with this mode is that because of its speed and the lack of a replay, I don’t feel like I learn much from my losses. Losing a lot is probably my second biggest problem, but your experience may vary. It is also worth noting that an online matchup keeps going until one player leaves.

What I really like about Inversus is that it delivers two great experiences. For me, arcade mode is fun and engaging while being super easy to pick up for a quick game. I don’t quite dig the competitive nature of versus mode, but that’s because I feel sorely outmatched most of the time. For those seeking a challenge in something other than an FPS, I think Inversus could be satisfying. There’s an endless amount of strategy possible with things like charged and hyper shots. I’d probably love some 2v2 local multiplayer, but I’m going to be staying away from online competition. Come see it played live at PAX West if you have the chance.