Expendable has made its way across several consoles, but there’s no doubt it makes the most of the PlayStation hardware. The graphics remind me of One, if anybody else remembers that Activision release. If you liked One, don’t even bother reading the rest of this review, because Expendable will be right up your ally. Nice textures, clean visuals, and great weapon effects round off a very slick visual package from Infogrames and Rage. Plus, the slowdown I usually expect to accompany such flashy eye-candy was nowhere to be found. The music has kind of a ‘James Cameron’ thing going for it, which matches the storyline perfectly.

For what is otherwise a very straightforward arcade shoot-em-up, Expendable carries a nice storyline. The idea is that instead of playing the little guy with the big firepower, you’re just a general lounging in some easy chair, directing these poor fools into battle. They, being some mindless amalgam of superior genetics designed for battle, really just get off on destroying everything that moves... and even a few things that don’t. They’re ‘expendable.’ Get it? The bad guys run in form from evil sheephound-looking beasts to heavily armored mechas, all bent on your destruction.

But destroy them you will! Expendable features some of the coolest firepower you’re likely to see, ranging from machine-gun laser weapons to guided missiles and grenades. The predictable flame-thrower is here, but there are some cool weapons the enemy drops which really pack a punch, and can either fire short bursts or build up for the big whammy. One-Player Arcade Mode is a multi-stage killing frenzy, but the clock is ticking. Being that the Expendable are going in as support, they soften up the ground troops before the main force goes in to carpet bomb mode. It’s not healthy to be in the level when the clock runs out, believe me. Any other player can join in during Arcade Mode, but it takes time to adjust your rhythm so as not to get too far ahead or behind your buddy.

Two-Player Deathmatch Mode is built around special levels, and really provides much fun once the main game’s been beaten. Some people might get off on Deathmatch more than the actual game. With all the standard weapon choices, and the ability to set how many Expendables you can use before the match is over, this mode will keep two people happy for a long time. Also adding to the replay value of the game are secrets hidden in Arcade Mode. By finding secret paths or completing objectives, a challenge level opens up where it’s possible to win extra lives.

My biggest beef with this game is shoddy control. Does this make it harder? You bet it does! A quick explanation is that the analog control doesn’t do what it’s supposed to. Instead of free motion, left-right swivels the character, and up-down moves him forward or backward, regardless of which way he’s facing. Sound like digital control? Sure does! In all fairness, once you get used to the weird control, Expendable is straight-up arcade fun. With great control, it would have been even more fun.

Expendable gives each character a stock weapon, and it’s possible to play all the way through the game on nothing else. Along with a reserve of grenades, the default weapons kick butt. It’s possible to grab up to two more weapons for strategic purposes, but they all have limited ammo. Cycling between weapons is easy; the hardest thing is figuring out what to grab and when to use it. Besides killing aliens, you’ll spend some time rescuing hostages and collecting card keys for passage between areas.

Control is tricky, but the shoulder buttons can be used to strafe, which makes tight situations much easier. The number of enemies coming at you is often overwhelming, but mastering the weapon selection and the strafe will get you through almost anything. Bosses are generally pretty simple, and button-mashing will always win the day. Running against the clock is often the hardest detail to control, because it’s not necessary to destroy every enemy in your path. Sometimes the strategic approach is best.

This type of game formula won’t have much steam on the next generation of consoles, but Expendable is a godsend for anyone tired of shilling out quarters at the arcade, and it runs great on our soon-to-be-outdated PSX.