There’s something I need to confess: I have what some may call an “irrational” fear of birds. I don’t know what childhood trauma this stems from, but it’s bad. Pigeons, ravens, parakeets, you name it, they freak me out. But these birds can’t top my fear of chickens, who I am certain are absolutely evil. With their pecking and their clucking and their feathers, I can tell they’re out to get me, and InterAction Studio’s line of Chicken Invaders games has proven me right. In “Chicken Invaders 2: The Next Wave,” the attack of the intergalactic chickens which began in “Chicken Invaders” continues. Today I’ll take you through my cathartic space journey to save the solar system from our most frightening enemy, and I’ll help you celebrate your victory with a delicious baked chicken recipe.

Your Delightful Game:

You know how in just about any movie, when the hero beats the bad guy and feels all superior, he makes a comment along the lines of, “Well, looks like we’ll never see that guy again.” That’s always a sure sign that you will see that guy again, and soon. Possibly in a sequel.

Well, just when you thought you’d saved the world from space invader chickens who were seeking revenge for the earthly oppression of their kind, they’re back. Obviously someone got too excited and made the most disastrous of comments. Way to go, man. Now drop that celebratory bucket of fried chicken, hop into your spaceship, and save the world!

In this space shooter game, you have to defend each planet in the solar system from the chickens, whose current plan of attack is to colonize each planet, making them inhabitable only by chickens. Each stage sends a wave of chickens toward you. You zoom from side to side, firing your weapons at the chickens and gathering the power-ups, drumsticks and gold they drop. Don’t be fooled by the eggs they lay – they’re not for eating; they’re for blowing up your spaceship.

Throughout the 110 levels of gameplay, you can get any of three upgradeable weapon types. Power-ups that double or triple your laser beams or missiles help you kill more chickens at once, giving you better multi-kill bonuses. A few of the stages have you dodging meteor showers or destroying asteroids for a change of pace. Moving from one planet to the next, you destroy about eight waves of chickens and then a boss chicken - hopefully without losing all three of your ships, because once you do, you have to start over from the beginning, regardless of how many planets you’ve already saved.

Overall this game was a lot of fun. The controls are easy to figure out – the arrow keys move your ship and the space bar shoots. The music is exciting and gets you pumped up for the fights ahead and the graphics are great. The chickens make me chuckle in their brightly colored shirts (apparently chickens don’t need pants, but shirts are a necessity) or in army fatigues. And the space graphics are a pretty combination of blues, blacks, and purples.

Your Tasty Dinner:

I have to say, this game was pretty cathartic. Plus, my suspicions were finally confirmed… I always knew those chickens were shifty and plotting evil. Good thing you showed them who was boss. All the folks in the game really want is to save the world from chicken domination and preserve their favorite treat – chicken burgers. I don’t have a chicken burger recipe for you today, but I do have a delicious baked chicken recipe that’s simple and satisfying. After all, you need something hearty to save the world from a hostile takeover.

Herb Baked Chicken

You’ll need:

- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup, place 2 tablespoons of butter. Microwave in 15 second increments until fully melted, being careful not to burn the butter.
3. Stir in spices.
4. Pour or use a pastry brush to coat the chicken with the butter mixture, making sure to cover both sides.
5. Put chicken on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until tops are golden brown and inside of chicken is no longer pink.
6. Enjoy your conquest over the barbaric conquerors!