JC Fletcher writes:
''The Wii is the best system in history for scrolling shooters, thanks to the Virtual Console. While companies like Treasure and Cave have developed new subgenres of the shmup, the basics of classic shooting gameplay haven't changed much, and a good shooter is still as enjoyable now as it was when games like Gradius and Blazing Lazers were new. Chances are nobody but the most devoted shmuppers has mastered every available shooter on the system -- or even all of the really good ones. For most gamers, there are at least five excellent shooters available on the VC that are completely unfamiliar.
The preponderance of excellent shooters means that there's really no reason for anyone to buy a mediocre one -- especially not when it costs more than every other shmup on the system. There is even less reason to buy Protöthea. If you're thinking about putting ten bucks into this, stop and go buy Blazing Lazers or Lords of Thunder instead.''
MyWii writes: "Protöthea is another top-down side-scrolling space shooter, but with a twist. Your ship has free form movement, which means you can shoot 360 degrees at all angles. It is a remake of the shooter of the same name released in 2005 for PC."
Gamez writes: "The first game saw the light of day in 2005, but as a PC game Protöthea did not have time to throw large eyes. Publisher Ubisoft is anno 2009 with the title in the resit, because this sci-fi shooter is now available via Nintendo's WiiWare channel."
At a whopping 1,000 points Protothea is simply too lazy and charmless to recommend. For only a few bucks more you can pick up Geometry Wars Galaxies, and that would be money very well spent indeed. Treacle-slow gameplay and, unless you love generic sci-fi future visions, very little incentive to soldier on. Less Star Wars, more star bores.
You'll love:
- Nice cloned controls
- Neat explosions
- Multiplayer free-for-alls
You'll hate:
- Slooooooooooow
- Yet still frustrates
- Ugly backgrounds
