Hellfront: Honeymoon

When The Hollywood Reporter went to list the movies with the worst titles of all time, they wagged their finger at classics like Leonard Part 6, C.H.U.D. and Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx. I'm not sure where Hellfront: Honeymoon would rank on a list of terrible game titles, but it's certainly not doing SkyGoblin's newest shooter any favors. I'm here to tell you to ignore the nonsensical name and take a chance on one of the most intense real-time strategy games you'll ever play.

I'm not sure what the story is, but it seems to have something to do with different armies fighting for control over a variety of hostile alien planets. What I do know is that this is a stripped-down strategy game with a heavy dose of dual-stick shooting. The result is a winning combination that is easy to learn and full of fast-paced thrills.

The idea is to run around the single-screen map setting up buildings and fighting back both the opponent army and the nasty aliens that make this planet their home. Unlike StarCraft II and countless other modern real-time strategy games, you only have two types of defense to craft -- a barracks that will pump out four on-foot soldiers and a gun turret that will take down the encroaching forces. That's it. There aren't different types of soldiers, things to mine or sensor towers to build; it's just a gun turret and barracks.

Although this may not sound like much, the simplicity ends up working in the Hellfront's favor. It leads to short and exciting matches where the balance of power can shift in seconds. Neither the turrets nor the barracks can withstand many hits, so you're constantly having to run around the screen building up the defenses while trying to take down the enemy's forces.

Like I said, Hellfront is also a dual-stick shooter. The guy you're controlling is not just good at building up the defenses, but also shooting at enemies and aliens. Unfortunately, his range is limited, but it's enough to destroy nearby objects and protect himself. What's cool is that the hero can die and respawn as long as there is still at least one turret or barracks standing. This gives you incentive to play a bit riskier than you normally would, and that leads to an even more intense experience.

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Although this was designed as a competitive four-player party game, Hellfront is also good as a single-player game. We're given dozens of stages across several planets, each with their own unique obstacles. What I like is how short most of these stages are. This is a genre known for matches that drag on for more than an hour, so it's refreshing to see rounds that only last a few minutes. Best of all, you can drag a second person in for co-op play, making the already fast-paced campaign even more exciting.

Of course, the real fun is when you start competing against other people. This is the default mode, and for good reason. The deathmatch supports up to four players, which makes for a lot of intense battles on tiny fields. Much like the campaign, the balance of power can shift at any time, and the attacks are coming from multiple sides at once. This is hardly the first multiplayer real-time strategy game, but it is the first in a long time to feel original and unique. Hellfront: Honeymoon is the perfect entry point for anybody curious about competitive RTS gaming.

On the negative side, I wish the game was a little deeper. Don't get me wrong, I like the stripped-down approach, but it might have been nice to have a third or fourth defensive option. No matter how clever the maps are, there's a real sense of repetition that starts to seep into the action about halfway through. It doesn't help that there aren't a lot of modes to choose from. There's the campaign and the deathmatch, neither of which you can change. You also can't take the game online, which is disappointing. For a game so focused on multiplayer action, Hellfront is surprisingly limited.

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And speaking of limited, I'm not a huge fan of the graphics. The presentation is fine, I guess, but it doesn't stand out in any way. There's absolutely nothing interesting about your opponents, the aliens all look the same and the planets aren't as diverse as you would expect. The good news is that you'll barely have time to notice the graphics when the action heats up, especially in the four-player deathmatch.

Although it doesn't look like much and has a horrendously awful name, Hellfront: Honeymoon is a surprisingly fast and fun real-time strategy game with some original ideas. It's the kind of game that is easy to learn and tough to put down, even if you're not a big fan of the genre. Best of all, it works as both an action-packed multiplayer game and a strategic single-player adventure, giving gamers a lot to do for not much money. I do wish there were more modes and a greater variety to the level designs, but neither of those complaints should keep you from discovering the intense thrills of Hellfront: Honeymoon.