You have infinite lives, but there’s a definite power-down for dying, so try to stay alive as much as you can.
You’ll start off in Easy Mode, but as you progress you’ll unlock Normal Mode, and then Hard Mode after you’ve completed the first world in Normal.

Neoteria::by OrangePixel Neoteria::by OrangePixel Neoteria::by OrangePixel Neoteria::by OrangePixel Neoteria::by OrangePixel

Neoteria screenshots

If you’ve played any OrangePixel games before, you’ll know that the serious gamers will aim straight for Hard Mode and stay there. As you work your way through the game, you’ll find out little bits of the back story – the outer mining settlement is being attacked by aliens and it’s up to you to protect it.

Although you start off in Easy Mode, it’s still challenging. Your controls are an up and down arrow on the far left of the touchscreen and a single shoot button on the right. Thankfully, there are checkpoints throughout the game, and each one has three stars that are earned by completing the levels in all three modes. You can choose several different paths in each world, but they all lead to the same boss fight at the end. You can also go back and replay a lost level if you want to power-up your weapon. You Power-up by collecting the blue crystals left behind by the aliens. You can also power-up by travelling through all the paths of each level.

You’ll notice that there’s a map in Neoteria that shows where you are and which path you’re on. Each path has a particular point at which you can chose the high or the low road. Neither is the easy option, as almost immediately you’ll be challenged by aliens and will have to start ducking, diving and shooting. Don’t forget the blue crystals that make your weapon stronger – and don’t forget that dying will make it weaker. Having said that, you do have plenty of chances to restore it to its former glory, and the infinite lives are a real bonus.

If you’re a fan of classic shooter games like Gradius then you’ll find a lot of fun in Neoteria. It’s packed with lots of challenges – some of them pretty tough, too – and has a few homages to the classic games it’s obviously inspired by. One of the best things about this game is that the levels and challenges are in bite-sized chunks, so you can pick it up for just a few minutes at a time if you want.