Game Play: Savage Moon (PSN Exclusive)

Savage Moon has managed to occupy quite a bit of my relatively sparse free time of late. It's a tower defense game and for the most part holds all the trappings of that genre, which isn't always my favorite, together in the kind of bundle you'd expect.

I really like the setting, this isn't some cutesy defense game ... you're blowing up space bugs. You will probably turn down the volume on this game at least once. I like that when I'm dropping a row of mortar towers - I feel like I'm really destroying some stuff. There are some very pretty explosions to be had.

The tutorial levels will trick you into thinking that the game is easier than it really is - expect to get your ass kicked early. I fumbled through a few levels, then thought I had really mastered the game and ... am now getting my ass kicked again. If the normal game isn't challenge enough, there is also a vengeance mode where the waves never stop and you're just out to last as long as possible.

As a tangential thought - is it me or are tower defense games the evolutionary leftover of the old school god games? I feel like there's a bit of Populous here, like where it turned right after a night of passion with Starcraft.

Anyway, highly recommend especially for fans of the genre.