The initial creatures you see are the small, Trilobite-like monsters that attack in swarms, circling high above before sweeping down between the ruins of the old settlers' buildings.
By level four you've taken on larger spider-like creatures that crumple with a burst of gunfire, their legs buckling and innards spraying onto the snow; more swarms of mosquito-like creatures; even bigger spiders; and exploding, bulbous insects. All threaten your blood pressure before Capcom really turns up the heat.
Above: It's going to get pretty angry if you keep shooting at it like that. Should you really stand so close?
The empty expanse of snow and ice starts to shake, powdered snow and chunks of ice are thrown into the sky... and a giant worm-like Akrid raises itself from the ground. This slug is huge; about six storeys big and out for Wayne's blood. This attack is one of the most impressive events you'll witness in any 360 game. The scale of the fight is staggering and this is only a few hours into the game - there are bigger battles to come.
Luckily, Wayne has technology on his side. Scattered around the world are old abandoned Vital Suits (VS) - mini-mech exoskeletons loaded with rockets, chainguns and pulse lasers. You can tune your VS suit too, attaching new guns found in the ruins of past battles, while some suits have hover and even jump abilities.
