Unknown is the final boss enemy for the 2D portion of Space Invaders Infinity Gene, first appearing in Stage 3-6 "Descent with Modification". It's considered the final boss for the mobile version of the game, but in console versions it merely marks the transition to 3D. It appears later in Stage 4-5.
It is accompanied by the theme "Program."
Appearance[]
It is a complex and amorphous entity with no definitive form. It rapidly oscillates between 13 different phases, each generally abstract. One of its phases somewhat resembles the Shadow enemy, which appears earlier in its debut stage.
Name[]
In a similar fashion to its successor, Nameless, Unknown is named for its rather inscrutable form.
Attacks[]
- It extends Jolyne-like branches that mirror the game's menu aesthetic inspired by cladograms. Each of these branches terminates in a cube that can be destroyed.
- It creates many rotating cubes before firing a laser at one. This projectile is reflected between each cube before shooting for the player's position.
- It flies around the arena clockwise, spewing destructible bullets at the player.
- It flies around the arena counter-clockwise, firing bullets in a radial pattern.
- As its final attack, it summons a massive ball of energy, forcing the player into one of the bottom corners. The ball ascends before coming back down onto the player.
In later difficulty[]
Unknown's attacks are enhanced in harder difficulty modes in the game. Unknown will primarily show the same attacks, except all of its firepower is much faster than normal speed. This is especially noticeable when the mirrors reflect its single homing laser attack, or when Unknown attacks clockwise or counterclockwise which increases the difficulty of defeating the unexpected enemy.
Trivia[]
- Two of its phases vaguely resemble the letters X and Y, possibly in reference to chromosomes with the same names. Another of its phases resembles the actual structure of a chromosome.
The phases resembling the letter X, the letter Y, and a chromosome respectively. - The first frame of Unknown's animation (used as an icon when applicable, such as in the book accompanying the physical soundtrack's release,) bears radial symmetry. It shares this trait with its two successors, Axon and Nameless.
- Like Nameless, it serves as a final boss with a vague name.
- Its general strangeness and inscrutability may be in reference to cosmic horror. In fact, it has 13 distinct phases, possibly in reference to Yog-Sothoth, a deity of H. P. Lovecraft's design who is often described as 13 globes. This is probably a coincidence.
