Alien Overlord

The Alien Overlord is a mission in Drive Ahead. It is the the 16th mission in the "Aliens" stadium, and the 59th mission overall. Finishing the mission grants the player 200 coins and the Alien Attack Drone. This mission has gained notoriety for its high difficulty, which is the source of much criticism.

## Gameplay

The mission takes place on a barren, sandy map with two arching walls on either side. The player will randomly be given a Tank, Gun Truck, Army Bike or Monster Cannon during the start of the mission and cannot use any other vehicles. All vehicles shoot only one bullet at a time.

The aim of the Alien Overlord mission is to defeat the eponymous Alien Overlord, a red, multi-tentacled being which resides in a UFO armed with a downwards pointing coil. The Alien Overlord levitates above the map and moves side-to-side, periodically charging up and firing a laser from the coil which will kill enemy and player alike if touched. One Flying Saucer will spawn at the top of the cliff at the start of the game.

The mission is completed when the player **shoots** the UFO three times, upon which the UFO will crash into the ground and explode. Each time the player successfully shoots the player, a great number of Flying Saucers and Alien Attack Drones will descend from the cliffs.

## Strategy

Due to the overwhelming enemy presence on the map during the bossfight, it is extremely challenging to engage in a head-on offense.

* Use the sloped cliffs to your advantage. As they are shaped like a pair of brackets, they can be used to fly to the opposite side of the map. This is particularly useful to either avoid enemies on the ground or get a clear shot at the Alien Overlord. However, this should not be too relied on as the Alien Overlord's UFO can disrupt jumps and the Alien Attack Drone's frequent gunfire can shoot down unlucky players.
* The laser attack is extremely difficult to avoid. Do not use the cliffs during this time and focus on getting as far away from the laser as possible. If the player is especially lucky, they can use enemies or their own vehicle to block the laser. The laser can be beneficial in the sense that it will kill enemies in the map, creating a window with which the player can attack the Alien Overlord.
* The Monster Cannon is one the most formidable vehicle out of the mission roster. The sheer bulk of the wheels provides an excellent advantage in terms of height and defense, and along with an especially powerful engine the Monster Cannon can easily perform jumps and wheelies, both of which provide opportunities to fire at the Alien Overlord. It is however especially susceptible to attacks from above.
* The Gun Truck is a fairly powerful vehicle. The shape of the chassis provides superior protection from the front. The engine, while not as powerful as the Monster Cannon, is still powerful enough to perform jumps and wheelie. If the player is especially skilled, they can prop the Gun Truck up on its back and fire straight up at the Alien Overlord. The Gun Truck is fairly vulnerable from the top and back, especially against Flying Saucers.
* Due to the size of the Army Bike the playstyle of the bossfight drastically changes. Since it is extremely risky to attack enemy vehicles head-on, it is advised to take a more evasive stance and continuously jump until there is an opportunity to attack the Alien Overlord. Since motorbike-style vehicles are capable of a powerful burst of exhaust from their tailpipes, angling the Army Bike correctly can cause it to perform a second jump midair, extending the time the player is airborne.
* The Tank possesses a monstrous gun, capable of flinging the many aliens that attack the player. However, it is extremely slow and suffers from the inability to properly raise the gun up towards the Alien Overlord. The slow speed also prevents players from easily evading the Alien Overlord's laser.
* Vehicles such as the Tank and Monster Cannon are able to deal with the Alien Attack drones by simply ramming into them. This is true to a lesser extent when confronted by Flying Saucers.