Destroy All Humans(2020) Review

Randomly decided to boot this up again since I consider to be one of the best and most admirable game remakes ever created. After playing the game years after release, I'd still it is. It definitely goes beyond, "same gameplay, different visuals" but never quite enters into the realm of "different game, same name". This balancing act is part of the DAH remake's charm since it keeps the game's unique premise but adding some noticeable gameplay changes. Some of which shows the game was never meant to be played that way but others are geniune improves like the additions of checkpoints during missions.

When it comes to story, everything from the original game is retained except the reworked character models and cutscenes. I'm not a big fan of the way human characters particularly the female characters looking far too plastic but the overall reworked cutscenes get the job done.

This aspect is where the "same game, different visuals" comes in because it's the same as the 2005 game. Considering it was a unique premise back in 2005 all the way to 2020 and even now upon replaying it.

What is the premise? It's of course an alien invasion story but unique twist is that YOU are the alien invaders. It's not about defending earth from the alien threat but it's about taking it over for the furons and by extension you the player.

It helps that the furons are an alien race that aren't capable of reproducing and have relied on cloning throughout the ages to stay alive so it humanizes them and it helps sets the underdog story of taking over humanity from the very paranoid yet also very guillible civilization of America.

What sells everything so well is the interactions between Crypto and Pox. The former sounds like Jack Nicholson if he was constantly cutting wrestling promos and the latter is quirky brains of the operation. How the two conflict with each other. Crypto wants to blow up everything while Pox wants to wait for the right time for everything to be destroyed and taken over.

Everything is help sold by the fact that the Furons and Majestic are in a race to see who can control the American populace faster. All the missions are brillantly bookended with newspaper cover ups of what you did explaining your impact on the world. The fact that it's in the 60s and everything is often blamed on Communists makes the satire even more amusing.

The gameplay is where the differences show. There are many additions like the aforementioned checkpoints. There's also mechanical changes like using telekinesis in combat, a dash, weapon wheel, using the jetpack in conjunction to firearms and TK, and a lock on, the ability to deflect missiles back while in the saucer and the biggest improvement being the stealth.

Stealth in the original game was often a game of luck but since the Holobob would randomly deactivate where in the remake there's more a visual cue and a timing window of when the Holobob disguise will unequip itself. This partnered with mission checkpoints makes these sections much more bearable.

Bosses have multiple phases and have a more going on before you kill them.

With all these improvements in place, it does expose how rather simplistic these systems are. Use the jetpack along with the firearms and enemies will have a hard time even actively hitting you. The furon enemies introduced in the story missions never show up again but when causing reckless abandon in the open world.

Weapons both the original and this remake are rather and I hate to use this term, "uninspired". For a game where you play as aliens the most unique weapon you get is the probe launcher but it serves no real purpose than helping on a late game grind. The Zapomatic is awesome but it's the only weapon that feels somewhat unique and fund to use.

Stealth is also on the simplistic side too and the most challenging it gets is doing the objectional objectives. It also exposes why original game had no checkpoints since it makes for a rather simple and breezy game.

The saucer gameplay is still rather fun simply due to the unique idea of riding a saucer and wreking havoc on cities and miltiaries from above.

DAH does actively switch between these gameplay styles so while all of them on their own is simplistic, it never gets dull due to not having an overwhelming amount of each style of play.

There is bizarre defend mission where you could've done it in the saucer but aspects like that can be forgiven.

What can sour the game for many is the final mission. The dreaded progression roadblocks to unlock later missions gave you enough upgrades for your flying saucer, since no mission prior with it was difficult. It indirectly makes for a late game grind where you need to uprade the saucer in order to get the second phase of the boss. The second on foot phase is hard but you get a checkpoint here unlike the original game.

Overall, the remake pushes the idea of how far you can change and keep the same but is an improvement on the whole.