Attack of the Earthlings

Short but Enjoyable Stealth-Tactics Game
The game is more of a puzzle game than a tactical game, because of turn limitations (related to bonus score and achievements) that often force you to finish missions in a certain way. But of course you can ignore those achievements and play game as a regular tactical stealth game. The game has some tactical depth as you can upgrade your Grunts to three different types of units, each with various skills and upgrades, although the stalker is the most crucial due to its high damage from the back ignoring shield and ability to move through vents. However, due to enemy variations, you'd need to use all types of units at some point.
It is fun trying out different strategies and while the turn limitations sometimes cause issues, the challenge mostly increases the enjoyment of the game, especially because the game allows saving at any point, which limits frustrations when you need to check paths of enemies and such.
The game is not very long, and only has seven levels, each of which can usually be finished under an hour. The challenges add a bit more gameplay. Overall had fun playing it.
The only negative thing I have to say about the game is that you cannot skip or speed up enemy turns, and have to wait as the camera switches to each enemy within view as they slowly take their turns. I'd say I've spent about one-third of my gameplay time on that only, especially in the final level, where the boss-mech is always in view.

this game is one of those special games. with just a little bit of extra effort and the proper advertising, this is the kind of game that could make XCOM like games to a general audience. this game isnt good, its great.
2 things hold it back from being its best. short campaign, no player made content (or multiplayer). thus the people who are super into this genre already (and who would be its biggest champions), have little reason to give this game a second look after credits.
this game is entirely tactical, easy to pick up, has a good tutorial (that barely feels like one), has a very reasonable skill floor, and really lets you push your skill limits (with points for bragginging rights).
this game is for everyone, like ACTUALLY everyone. your grandma could probably play this, so mind if she doesnt mind a bit of dark/violent comedy (its tone is fairly light conisdering its subject matter).
shame its current review count seems to indicate that only mostly the people heavily into this genre are playing this game.
seriously, give it a shot

This is a pretty straight forward turn-based, squad on a grid, tactics game. It wasn't difficult, but quite enjoyable. Some may not like the silly humor, but I laughed here and there. The main appeal though is for sure getting to be the aliens killing the corporate mining hoomans! Haha!
You are the matriarch alien to start each level, she eats people and you produce a choice of 3 alien types on your team who then attack and consume more and so forth. There are a few upgrades to buy between levels and then it's over.
All in all, light, entertaining, play-as-the-"villain" tactics which I enjoyed. I imagine I will play through it again for fun sometime, but I don't see much draw for replayability.

the story is good.
the jokes are funny.
the swarmers look cool.
music is perfect for this type of art style.
down sides are since it's a turn based game, there are moments where it feels like it's slugging along waiting for the earthlings to take their turn, but thats to be expected.

Just a silly little game. It's pretty easy, don't expect much from it, but it's fun for what it is.

A very fun & cute game. Took me about 7.7 hours to beat, and I had a lot of fun doing it. A couple missions got frustrating due to a lack of a quick save/quick load feature. Which the game BADLY needs. But despite that each mission has fun little combat puzzles to figure out and work through. Nothing was too complex and after a few reloads here and there you can usually get your way through nearly every level.
One negative I would give to the game is that you only really need 1 of your pets. The Stalker does everything you need. Especially once ranked up. With the exception of a single unit type that requires the ranged pet, it kills your guys when you get close, I never found a need or use for the other pets. The stalker did it all and nothing else could come close.
The game was funny too. Made me chuckle several times. The comedy is very inspired by the "Mars Attacks!" movie and it reminded my of the "Evil Genius" games when it came to animations and art style.
Solid, fun, quick game. No real replay value. Once you play through it your done. No reason to replay the missions unless you want some achievement you might have missed.
4/5 Great weekend game.

Attack of the Earthlings, developed by Team Junkfish and published by Junkfish Limited, flips the script on the classic alien invasion narrative and delivers a turn-based tactical experience that is as darkly humorous as it is strategic. Rather than playing the usual role of defending humanity from extraterrestrial threats, here you take on the role of the aliens—specifically the Swarmers, an insectoid species fighting back against a greedy human corporation called Galactoil that is attempting to strip their home planet for resources. It’s a clever setup, and the game leans into its satirical tone with enthusiasm, blending corporate satire, absurd humor, and grotesque sci-fi horror in a way that feels refreshingly original.
The gameplay is rooted in stealth-based tactics. Missions are structured around navigating through enemy-filled corridors, sneaking past patrols, setting ambushes, and consuming the bodies of your enemies to gain biomass—your primary resource for spawning and evolving units. You begin each mission with the Matriarch, the central alien character, and must carefully expand your forces by devouring human workers and soldiers. Each unit you spawn can evolve into specialized forms, each with unique abilities that offer different tactical advantages. This mechanic introduces a satisfying layer of resource management, as you must choose when to invest in more units, when to evolve, and how to position your swarm to avoid triggering alarms or overwhelming opposition.
What makes Attack of the Earthlings particularly engaging is its pacing and mission design. Levels are crafted to emphasize both stealth and aggression, often requiring a balance between the two. It isn’t enough to simply swarm enemies—you must approach each encounter with a sense of caution, using vents, lockers, and cover to stay hidden until the time is right to strike. The turn-based system gives players the luxury to plan their moves carefully, but it also demands precision. Making the wrong move can lead to swift consequences, as enemy reinforcements can quickly turn the tide against you. While the overall complexity of the tactics isn’t on the level of something like XCOM or Invisible Inc., the combination of stealth mechanics with turn-based combat keeps things interesting and accessible.
Visually, the game leans into a stylized cartoonish design that suits its satirical tone. The environments are primarily corporate-industrial, filled with sterile offices, mechanical corridors, and grimy service tunnels. While the art direction isn’t groundbreaking, it conveys the world’s themes well and maintains consistency throughout the campaign. Character animations are serviceable, though occasionally stiff, and while the visuals won’t win awards for technical prowess, they’re clean and effective. The real standout, however, is the audio design. The soundtrack, composed by Mikolai Stroinski (known for work on The Witcher 3), brings an atmospheric weight to the missions, while the voice acting—particularly SungWon Cho’s performance as the corporate villain—is sharp and often hilarious.
The game’s writing is one of its most distinctive features. Attack of the Earthlings doesn’t take itself too seriously, and its humor is aimed squarely at corporate culture. Galactoil’s leadership is portrayed as a group of egotistical, clueless executives who bumble their way through disastrous decisions while maintaining a veneer of smug confidence. The dialogue is filled with jabs at bureaucracy, capitalism, and corporate excess, and it lands more often than not. This satirical layer adds personality to the missions and keeps the tone light even during the more intense tactical segments. It's this marriage of tone and gameplay that sets the game apart from other indie tactics titles—it’s not just about strategy, but about embodying a role and enjoying the narrative as it unfolds.
However, despite its charm and clever design, Attack of the Earthlings does have its limitations. The campaign is relatively short, consisting of seven core missions that can be completed in roughly eight to ten hours. Once completed, there is little incentive to return, as missions are heavily scripted and don’t offer much variety on repeat playthroughs. Enemy behaviors and patrol paths remain largely the same, meaning once you’ve solved a level’s "puzzle," there’s little left to challenge you. There are no alternative game modes or randomized elements to shake things up, which may disappoint players looking for replayability or ongoing challenge. Additionally, while the game does a good job easing you into its mechanics, it never introduces truly complex systems or meaningful strategic dilemmas beyond positioning and resource usage.
Control-wise, the game plays best with mouse and keyboard, which is expected given its PC origins. The UI is mostly intuitive, but can feel a little clunky in spots, particularly during unit selection or when managing evolved forms. There’s also a lack of quality-of-life features that more recent tactics games have embraced, such as streamlined camera controls or contextual overlays for enemy sightlines. These are minor issues in the grand scheme, but they do remind the player that this is a relatively small indie project with limited resources behind it.
Despite these drawbacks, Attack of the Earthlings succeeds in delivering a memorable, well-crafted tactical experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It understands its scope and focuses on delivering a tight, narratively driven strategy campaign with a strong sense of identity. The humor, voice work, and unique premise help elevate it above other indie tactics games that might rely more heavily on genre tropes. It may not have the depth of larger titles in the genre, but it makes up for it with style, clarity of vision, and a clever inversion of the standard alien-vs-human dynamic.
For fans of turn-based tactics who enjoy stealth mechanics and a healthy dose of satire, Attack of the Earthlings is an easy recommendation. It’s a tightly designed experience with just enough strategy to satisfy and enough character to entertain. While it may be short and somewhat linear, it remains a standout title for those looking for something a bit different in a genre often dominated by grim seriousness and human-centric storytelling. In this game, the aliens are the good guys, and corporate Earthlings are the real monsters.
Rating: 8/10