LastStandStan Review

Much like the engine of a machine that’s been left idle to rust, Greenbean Games’ iOS debut title, LastStandStan, requires a bit of gentle coaxing on your part before the experience eventually splutters to life. Once you get past the initial few slow-paced levels, this cute sci-fi shooter notches the action up a gear and delivers an enjoyable blend of intergalactic firefights and strategic gameplay.

A charming and humorous bit of storytelling precedes the game’s campaign.  A series of cut-scenes describe a race of extraterrestrial creations, known as Sneevils, who have declared war on the peaceful Po’Trubians and quickly ripped through a new-fangled fleet of STANs.  What, exactly, is a STAN? An acronym for ‘STatic Alien Neutralizer’, in case you were wondering.  These armadas protect their planet from invasion. All hope for the Po’Trubians would certainly be lost were it not for a singular, unstable STAN who soars out of the scrap yard and into the depths of space to make a valiant stand against the forceful marauders.

Playing as this brave, diminutive droid, your mission is to gun down each and every enemy craft as they continuously advance from multiple angles. STAN perpetually hovers in a fixed position at the center of screen, a la Asteroids.  The idea is to quickly swivel around, blasting Sneevils to pieces by tapping the approaching enemies.

While the beginning of LastStandStan isn’t all that action-packed or exciting, each passing level is paired with specific upgrades.  Such arsenal improvement you allow you to combat hardened types of enemies the game throws at you, and the experience becomes more rapidly paced and fun. Not to mention difficult, as your supply of ammunition quickly begins to run dry.  Conservation quickly becomes necessary to survive against the ever-increasing alien hordes and frequent boss enemies. Rather brilliantly, any upgrades or gear you unlock in the main game can also be used to give you an added edge in the unforgiving, infinite ‘survival mode.’

Although LastStandStan’s simplistic shoot ‘em up mechanics, light plot, and Pixar presentation may be more geared toward younger iOS gamers, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself hooked on this title – no matter your age.