This article is sponsored by Asym Altered Axis. Play the demo on Steam for free here.
Have you ever watched a heist movie and wished you were the one fleecing the wealthy casino owner? Or maybe you sat there facepalming, muttering that they wouldn’t have got away with it if you were in charge. Asym Altered Axis, available to demo as part of Steam Next Fest, will let you take on either role.
Asym Altered Axis is an asymmetric multiplayer game, billed as a blend of stealth CTF action and top-down tower defense. A team of up to five Infiltrators attempts to plunder the player’s base while the Protector floats above, reigning fire (and other attacks) on any interlopers.
It comes across as a mash-up of Metal Gear Solid and Meet Your Maker, with a futuristic twist. Instead of trying to make off with a giant robot, the Infiltrators have to gather cells and make it to the exit, before the Protector or any of their traps can rob them of their three lives.
It’s a relatively straightforward premise and should be easy to get to grips with, particularly if you’re a fan of stealth games. Developer MIXI is responsible for Monster Strike, one of the top-grossing mobile games in Japan, though this is their first PC game. They’re confident that, accessible as Asym Altered Axis is, there’s real depth here.
We can see what they mean, given how much head-scratching went on when we tried building our own base (you can build your base ahead of time). We started off setting up basic traps but then tried taking our thinking to the next level.
Instead of just setting up guards or trying to crush them with a giant ball, how about we create a situation that’s going to lure them in? Why not their greed be their undoing? Clever planning could pay dividends.
As an Infiltrator, you should also be using your head because, unlike Meet Your Maker, the Protector is present while you and your crew are going about their heist. They’re represented by a giant pair of hands in the sky which sounds terrifying but at least it tells you where they’re looking.
So it’s up to you and your team to stay out of sight. As each game begins the level is mostly in darkness. But if you do something to raise the alert level, on top of the traps and guards you’ll also have to deal with the level getting brighter.
You really don’t want to draw attention to yourself, unless maybe you do? With up to five players on the Infiltrator team, we’re already wondering what would happen if you make one player a decoy. Briefly turning into a rhino is also an option, which we don’t remember happening in Ocean’s 11.
It’s up to you which role you take on, Infiltrator or Protector. Unlike some other multiplayer games, Asym Altered Axis doesn’t force you to step into both. If you’ve got a friend who always wants to be the dungeon master, this could be a way for you to play together.
Asym Altered Axis is part of Steam Stealth Fest, which runs from July 24th to July 31st. But you can download the Steam demo right now and wishlist it here on Steam.
