Active Lancer is a 2D shoot 'em up

Shoot 'em up

Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...

 video game created by Freeverse for Mac OS 9

Mac OS 9

Mac OS 9 is the final major release of Apple's Mac OS before the launch of Mac OS X. Introduced on October 23, 1999, Apple positioned it as "The Best Internet Operating System Ever," highlighting Sherlock 2's Internet search capabilities, integration with Apple's free online services known as...

 and Mac OS X

Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

. It plays in the style of many old school computer games and features little plot line or story development. The demo is downloadable from macgamefiles.com however it is no longer included on freeverse.com. There are several levels the player is required to complete. It lacks a multiplayer mode but two players can play together on the same computer. It was much less successful than Freeverse's popular WingNuts

WingNuts

WingNuts: Temporal Navigator is a shooter game by Freeverse Software. Players navigate an airplane around a two-dimensional map while avoiding hazards and picking up "goodies" or bonuses...

Series.

It was re-released as part of a 'Best of Original Mac Games' bundle from Freeverse.

Storyline

In the game the player is cast as a member of the "Active Lancer Corps". He is the lone survivor of a failed attack on the home world of an alien race known as the "cherries" where he has to face fast unending attacks by the aliens.