What Xenoraid is
Xenoraid is a vertically scrolling shoot'em up where you fly a four-fighter squadron against alien raiders in a near future setting. The missions are procedurally driven, so the layout and enemy behavior change each run and nothing needs to be memorized. Enemies run on AI, which keeps fights dynamic rather than scripted. The campaign covers more than 40 missions and includes hectic bossfights against four alien capital vessels. Starfighters in this war are improvised craft fitted with machine guns, auto cannons, missiles and other weapons bolted onto existing spacecraft.
How the shooting works
The mechanics go a bit beyond a classic shmup. Fighters tilt left and right when you move horizontally, which changes how your shots line up, and weapons heat up as you fire, so sustained shooting needs timing. Learning to manage that heat lets you line up devastating bursts instead of spraying constantly. Your four fighters are both your lives and your weapon arsenal. You switch between them in real time during combat to bring the right weapons to each situation and to dodge incoming fire when a ship is in trouble. That fighter switching and squadron management is the core of the game.
Playing it with friends
All game modes support 2-4 player local co-op, including the campaign and the three endless Survival missions. Survival runs are quick bursts of gameplay, rarely lasting more than 10-15 minutes, and have online leaderboards. With local co-op, players share the screen and coordinate which fighter each person flies, so you can spread weapons across the squad and cover each other when someone needs to fall back. Xinput gamepads are recommended for local play, and only one player can use keyboard and mouse at a time. Remote Play Together is available if your group wants to join from different places.
Before you start
Expect a shooter that rewards reading the situation: pick the fighter whose weapons fit the enemies on screen, watch your heat meter, and use the tilt when moving sideways to aim properly. Misses are part of the deal since nothing is memorized ahead of time, so adapting on the fly matters more than pattern knowledge. The campaign gives you a long structured run through the war, while Survival is the mode to reach for when you only have a short session as a group.