Welcome to another You Should Play This, which today is all about Destroy All Humans! (2020) and why it should certainly be on your radar if you’ve not already played the game, or if the original is your only reference point for the series.
Whilst that intro paragraph did mention the original game, it’s not that Destroy All Humans! (2020) is a sequel to that or the actual sequel that followed. This is very much a carbon(based) copy of that initial game. However, whilst there’s a whole other argument about remakes, remasters, and all that jazz- I hold firm in my belief that this one is an absolute cracker.
Not only does Destroy All Humans! (2020) look visually superior to the original, having a decade and a half worth of advancements in graphics will do that, the control scheme is more fitting with modern customs. The audio (whilst often the same dialogue or sound effects) is tuned up to sound even more joyous as you blast people with the Zap-o-Matic, and all the additional bells and whistles content that came with the original is still here too. Essentially, everything that worked for many people is still present with Destroy All Humans! (2020), but it’s more refined and will also appeal to younger audiences (as in those who wouldn’t have played the original) too due to this familiarity.
The main thing that stood out to me about the game is that, and maybe it’s because it’s technically still a product of its early 2000’s time, Destroy All Humans! (2020) is quite simply- fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, far from it, and even the more ‘grounded’ parts of the game are presented as satire. It’s one of the few games that genuinely makes me laugh out loud and I don’t find it just a grotesque caricature. A tricky balancing act for many games.
You simply go from area to area, unlocking new weapons, levelling up said weapons (and your saucer), getting involved in human affairs, all the while planning and executing world domination and the repopulation of your species. There’s nothing off-the-wall bonkers about the narrative, but as mentioned, it’s the satirical take on America that had me chuckling. All the clichés are here- but that’s the point. More to the point, it works (for me at least).
Even if you’re not taking part in the main missions or optional challenges, half the fun can come from simply running or flying around and causing havoc to the human population. I genuinely didn’t tire of hearing the screams of those that fell victim to my Zap-o-Matic, nor wince at those set on fire or torn apart by my other weaponry. I felt like a very naughty Jedi as I flung civilians through the air, or a super-powered zombie as I extracted their brains with nothing but the power of thought. All that said, I didn’t use the anal probe that much- I have some respect.
Ultimately that’s all I have to say for this You Should Play This. If you want to play a silly game where you can go about wreaking havoc as a pesky alien, then Destroy All Humans! (2020) will scratch that itch. It’s funny, it’s frantic (often) and it makes me feel funky. Sometimes videogames are simple time sinks of enjoyment- here is another brilliant example.
Dualshocks and Daydreams 