Environmental Monster Defense Walkthrough

Instead of a review, I will provide an extensive walkthrough for this game, detailing strategies, monster types, and best ways to beat each monster. (If you want a review, wait until someone else notices this game.) I've made up my own names for the monsters, and divided the "story mode" into segments.

WEAPONS

Water Cannon: This weapon shoots a constant stream of water, but is affected by gravity. Also, it is rather hard to aim until you get the hang of the game's realistic gravity engine. Relatively low damage, but it shoots in a line, so you can get a high amount of hits. Best used against sludge- and fire-based monsters. The Super Shot with this weapon sends out 3 streams of water for a few seconds, useful for taking out a swarm of sludge monsters or fire worms. The Ultra Shot creates a wave of water across the ground, while the Omega Shot makes a large area of rain in the center of the screen for about 5 seconds.

Solar Ray: The Solar Ray is arguably the most useful weapon. It shoots a short laser of solar energy across the screen. It is not affected by gravity, and has effectively infinite range. It also does relatively high damage, but is much less useful against fire-based creatures. The Solar Super Shot (SSS) makes four lasers in the same direction, while the Ultra Shot shoots a wide cloud of energy. The Omega Shot is immensly useful against airborne creatures; it is like the Ultra Shot but much larger.

Wind Bomb: Probably the weakest weapon, I hardly ever used it except for its totally bad-ass Omega Shot, and I don't know of any monster with a weakness to it. It has a very short range, and you have to actively detonate it against airborne creatures. The Super Shot makes shrapnel of some kind when it explodes. The powerful Ultra Shot is only useful against ground-based monsters; it makes a strong gust of wind across the ground starting from where the bomb explodes. The Omega Shot is really the only time I use this weapon; unlike the other Omegas, this one is completely aimable, and does an incredibly high amount of damage over the whole screen; I've literally wiped out everything on the screen with this attack.

FIRST PART OF GAME

For this first part (sludge - fire worm), you barely ever have power attacks, but the monsters are easy enough to defeat without them. The best power attack to use is usually the Water form, but if there are many creatures you might want to try the Wind. Focus on taking out the airborne creatures, as the ground-based monsters typically move slowly.

Sludge Monster: This monster is very slow, and will not harm you much if it gets through your defenses. Still, they usually come in large numbers, and are very annoying. The best way to destroy this monster is with the Water cannon; no other ways really work. It only takes about 1-2 seconds of continuous fire (water?) to defeat this threat, and you can easily reach them from across the screen.

Smoke Monster: This monster moves at an average speed, but has low health. They usually come in large numbers, but you can easily stamp out this threat with the Solar Beam. It only takes one direct hit with Solar to take it out, but they can easily get in your way of each other and block your fire. If there are many on the screen, use the Wind special attack to take out everything.

CO2 Monster: Moving only slightly faster than Smokey, this monster is nevertheless harder to kill. It has an equal amount of health (one direct Solar hit), but moves up and down, making it nigh-impossible to hit it directly, so it may take 2-4 hits to take it out.

Fire Worm: This monster moves at about the same speed as the CO2 Monster, but also spawns Smoke Monsters into the air. Use Water to kill the Fire Worm; it's not too hard, and they don't have an incredible amount of health. Also, they are relitavely easy to hit due to their long shape.

SECOND PART OF GAME

In the second stage (methane - car), the enemies are much more densely placed, and you will have to frequently switch between Water and Solar. At this stage and ever after, the best Omega Shot to use is Wind, as it does a high amount of damage to the whole screen. If you need a small boost of power for an enemy about to exit the screen, use the first stage Super Shot for water or solar.

Methane Monster: The Methane Monster is even slower than the Sludge Monster, and does not pose much of a threat. I usually kill them with the Solar Laser, as it only takes about 5-6 hits. The Water Cannon also works well, so you can use either one. They usually don't show up in large groups, unless you have an abnormal abundance of cows.

Mutated Cow: This cow-like creature moves at a relatively average pace, and is easy to take out (4-5 hits) with the Solar Laser. However, other monsters, such as the Sludge Monster, often get in the way, so you may need to kill it with Water. It spawns Methane clouds into the sky, but does so infrequently.

Tree Zombie: The Tree monster moves slightly faster than the other monsters, and has a high amount of health; luckily, it doesn't take too long to fix deforestation with the Water Cannon; just make sure nothing's in your way.

Acid Rain: Not one creature, but about 10. Slow-moving, and you should be able to clean it up with the Solar Laser. However, it takes time, which you don't have. Don't attack this monster unless there are few others on the screen; if there are, an Ultra or Omega shot is in order.

Demonic Car: This representation of excessive automotive pollution is fast-moving and releases large amounts of Smoke and CO2. It takes about 7 hits with the Solar Laser to turn this monster into scrap metal.

THIRD PART OF GAME

In the third segment of the "story mode" (airplane - abomination), you face an ever-increasing amount of monsters. Luckily, you should be able to pull off an Omega Shot every 30 seconds or so. The Wind option is still the best, but if there are a large amount of fire-based creatures, you may want to try Water.

Not-So-Stealth Bomber: This airplane-like creature is fast moving, but should only take 5-6 hits with the Solar Laser to make it crash smoking to the ground. You should take it out as soon as possible, as if left unchecked, it will unleash great amounts of Smoke and CO2 into the air for you to deal with.

Volcanic Turtle: The volcano is a force to be reckoned with. Aside from releasing large amounts of Smoke, CO2 and Fire, it has an incredible amount of health. Luckily, it moves incredibly slowly, allowing you to take it out with the Water Cannon before it gets past half-screen.

Corporate Abomination: The strongest standard monster in the game. It has the most health, and releases Smoke, CO2, Methane, and Fire Worms out of its steel-armored core. It moves only slightly faster than the Volcano, so you should be able to take it out with the Solar Laser or an Omega Shot.

BOSSES

The bosses of the game are extremely hard, mostly because they are not the only monsters on the screen. Your Power Bar recharges very fast now, so you should mostly use Omega Shots.

Ignorance Personified: This hulking brute moves relatively slowly, but obviously has an incredible amount of health. You should use the Water Cannon, since you can reach it from across the screen and it has continuous fire. Whenever you get the chance, use a Water or Wind Omega Shot to keep down the excess monsters.

Ignorance Incarnate: The final boss of the game is very difficult to beat. It usually spawns close to halfway across the screen, and it reaches to the top of the screen, blocking you from hitting much else. At this point, only use Wind. You won't have problems with range, and you won't have to switch to Wind and back all the time to use the Omega Shot.

4/26/09