Inspired by top-down arcade shoot 'em ups, Phase Fiends is a fast-paced action game playable in less than 10 minutes. Jump in and save the galaxy from the flesh-eating monsters. The game board is a large square and four glowing portals exist at each corner. Monsters emerge from the portals to devour the player. A timer placed on the HUD (colored numbers at the player's feet) indicates when a "boss" monster will emerge from the portals. The player must defeat the boss to close one of the portals. When all four portals are closed, the player wins the game. Monsters come in several different sizes, from tiny to huge; the size indicates how fast the monster can move and turn (smaller is quicker) and how many bullets you'll need to kill it (larger takes more hits). Bigger monsters also inflict more damage when they hit the player. Controls are basic: use the arrow keys or WASD for 8-direction movement; hold the mouse button to fire and release to stop firing; move over pick-up items like ammo and health to acquire the items. A HUD with colored items surrounds the player's feet. Red crosses indicate health, blue numbers indicate current ammo, yellow numbers indicate the current score, and the purple timer indicates when a boss monster will appear. A visual guide to the controls and HUD elements is available from the main menu. High scores are saved from game to game (make sure local data is allowed for this option). The game calculates shots fired, hit percentage, damage taken, enemies killed, and maintains the highest score. New in version 2.0: online Leaderboards, Achievements, ratings, and improved performance.
