Xenocide

Xenocide is a video game in the action genre developed by Pangea Software, Inc. and published by Micro Revelations, Inc. originally released in 1990. It is currently playable on DOS, Apple IIgs.

Xenocide is a fun sci-fi action game that offers different types of gameplay, from first-person shooter to platformer to high-altitude action. This PC version is much darker than the Apple IIGS version the game was created for, but it's still quite enjoyable. The review at The Apple IIGS Gaming Memory Fairway says it all about what makes this game unique and enjoyable:

'Xenocide has a basic premise: kill the aliens that have infested the moons of the planet Talos IV before they spread across the planet's surface. The logical way to do it? Completely destroy the moons in orbit. How to do it? First you must travel to the planet's surface in a hovering assault craft (don't let the aliens mess up your windshield!) shooting at aliens and dodging rocks along the way. You must also collect canisters, which are very important, because in them you will store your ammo for the next levels.

Control involves either the keyboard or the joystick, with the open apple being the fire button and the option being the missile launcher, and space will launch a nuclear bomb that will destroy all the aliens (including the boats, however) in front of you. Assuming you haven't blown yourself up or run out of fuel when you reach the outpost station, you'll move on to the second level of a planet.

The game now adopts the 3rd person view instead of the 1st person perspective, the classic side-scrolling shooter. The objective in this level is to collect 5 bombs located all over the place and reach the next level. The fire button fires lasers. The option fires grenades. Along the way, you will find pulsing spheres, which allow you to toggle between the options indicated at the bottom right of the screen to increase firepower or recharge shields. The space bar selects what is currently being activated. Keep an eye on the fuel gauge.

The next level is very similar to the previous one, except now you are underwater, you have to watch your oxygen and you have to find keys instead of bombs in order to get to the next level. The 4th part of the game involves a top-down view like Gauntlet, and you have to place the 5 bombs on the nuclear reactors. Next, find the teleporter controls, activate them and jump on the teleporter. Do all this 3 times and you will have finished the game.:-)

Having different game modes is a rare thing nowadays, mainly because game developers are interested in releasing something that doesn't require a lot of effort to produce.

It is possible that we have multiple downloads available when different versions exist.