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Space Marshals

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Space Marshals
The cover art for the game
Developer(s)PixelBite
Publisher(s)PixelBite
Platform(s)iOS, Android
ReleaseJanuary 8, 2015
Genre(s)Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Space Marshals is a third-person shooter science fiction video game. In the game, the player is tasked with taking out various criminals and their henchmen. A top-down third-person shooter, Space Marshals focuses heavily on stealth elements, forcing the player to sneak around enemies to avoid being attacked.

The plot of Space Marshals follows the adventures of a former Space Marshal, Burt, who was released from jail along with two others during a prison breakout. The gameplay centers around their attempts to hunt down criminals across the galaxy.

The game was released by PixelBite for iOS on January 8, 2015. The Android version was released on April 10, 2015. Both versions were generally praised by critics, and received little criticism. A sequel to the game is currently in development.

Synopsis

The game is set in the Wild West, and the player is tasked with bringing criminals to justice.[1] The player takes on the role of the main protagonist, Burt.[2] Characterized as "arrogant", Burt is a former space marshal who was stripped of his rank for "inappropriate use of firearms during an interrogation" and thrown into a holding cell aboard the space ship.[3] He and two others free themselves during a prison breakout in which all the guards and crew are killed and take control of the space ship, steering it into the lawless reaches of the Backspace.[3][4] The three team up to hunt down fugitives in the galaxy, assisted by an AI known as T.A.M.I.[5]

Gameplay

The main character, Burt, aiming at an enemy with his gun.
The player aims at an enemy who is crouching behind a fence.

Space Marshals is a stealth-heavy science fiction third-person shooter video game.[6] There are currently a total of 3 chapters in the game, a total of 28 missions.[7] The player has access to four different weapon slots, which they can customize with different weapons.[4] Two of the slots are for guns, one is for a distraction device, and the other is for a pipe bomb or grenade. The different weapons which can be used in the game range from shotguns to crossbows to axes.[8] The player's gear can also be customized, and has different effects based on the type of gear used.[8]

After the completion of each level, the player gets a ranking as to how well their performance was, from 1–5 "stars".[1] The rating in stars is based on various factors, such as the number of player deaths, the number of high-value targets eliminated, and the number of clues found.[4] The more stars that the player earns, the more rewards are available for them to unlock at the end of the level.[1] These rewards include weapons, bombs, distraction devices and armor.

The player can also switch between offensive mode, and stealth mode.[1] In offensive mode, the player has the advantage of being able to run quickly, but in stealth mode, the player can't be shot when behind a fence, bush, oil can or other various types of objects. However, in stealth mode, the player has to walk at a far slower pace.[4]

The player has access to only limited ammunition in the game.[1] All types of weapons have only limited ammunition available, and if the player runs out of ammunition for that specific weapon, then they can no longer use the weapon until they pick up more ammunition which can be found lying in various parts of each level's map.[9] Each type of weapon also has a maximum amount of ammunition that can be held for it at any one time.

Development

The development of Space Marshals was first announced on September 18, 2014, with the launch date set for January 8, 2015.[10] Several illustrations of the game and a trailer were released in October.[11] It was released for iOS on the 9th.[12][13] At that point the game only contained a single chapter.[14] The second chapter of the game was released as a free expansion on January 27, 2015.[15] The Android version was announced on February 17, 2015,[16] and released on April 10, 2015.[17][18] The third and final chapter was announced on July 30, 2015.[19] It was released as a free update on August 13, 2015.[20]

The second installment in the series was announced on August 14, 2015.[7] It is set for release sometime in June 2016.[21]

Reception

The game received mostly positive reviews from critics, with a score of 82 out of 100 in Metacritic.[22] Many reviewers were impressed by the simplicity of the game's dual-stick controls, and how well they worked with the style and pace of the game.[1][24] Phone Arena praised the replay value of the game, and how playing it several times over and over was still just as captivating as the first playthrough.[25] Marc Luoma from iPad Insight found the graphics in the game to be very smooth, especially for a mobile game.[26] Time Magazine called it "an amazingly animated iOS game".[27] A review on website gamer.nl praised the rewards system, as it makes it possible for players who are finding a level too easy to try harder and get better rewards.[9]

Several reviews criticized the game for its lack of length, with only a short number of levels.[1][14] However, the game later went on to receive two further chapters of gameplay.[19][20]

The game later went on to become Apple's free app of the week[8][28] and won Editor's choice on the Apple App Store.[29]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Dotson, Carter (January 22, 2015). "'Space Marshals' Review – Some People Call Me Maurice". TouchArcade. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Lawrence, Tre (January 14, 2016). "Space Marshals Review". www.148apps.com. 148Apps. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "SPACE MARSHALS – STORYSETTING". PixelBite. December 10, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Lane, Dave (January 22, 2015). "Review: Space Marshals". Pocket Tactics. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  5. ^ "PixelBite Shoots For Shield Tablet With Space Marshals". Shacknews. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  6. ^ "Space Marshals... a day in the Life of a Space Cowboy". TheAppzine. May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Pixelbite Wants to Know What YOU Want to See in 'Space Marshals 2'". TouchArcade. September 4, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c "Space Marshals is Apple's Free 'App of the Week'". iClarified. April 14, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Space Marshals". gamer.nl. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  10. ^ "'Reckless Racing' Creators Pixelbite Announce New Dual-Stick Shooter, 'Space Marshals'". TouchArcade. December 12, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  11. ^ Pixelbite Games (January 7, 2015), Space Marshals – Release Trailer, retrieved May 7, 2016
  12. ^ "Space Marshals (iPhone)". IGN. January 8, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  13. ^ "Pixelbite releases Space Marshals • Nordic Game Community". Nordic Game Community. January 11, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  14. ^ a b Priestman, Chris. "Space Marshals is a tactical sci-fi western shooter from the Reckless Racing dev, 1st chapter out now". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  15. ^ "'Space Marshals' Chapter Two Update Coming in March". TouchArcade. January 28, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  16. ^ "SPACE MARSHALS – LAUNCHING IN APRIL ON ANDROID". www.pixelbite.se. PixelBite. February 17, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  17. ^ "SPACE MARSHALS – NOW AVAILABLE ON ANDROID!". www.pixelbite.se. PixelBite. April 10, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  18. ^ "Space Marshals – Android Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "'Space Marshals' Third and Final Chapter Coming this Summer, Will Feature Even More Stealthiness". TouchArcade. June 25, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  20. ^ a b "The third and final chapter of sci-fi western shooter Space Marshals is out this week". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  21. ^ "'Space Marshals 2' Should Release in June, Sequel Will Turn the Stealthyness Up a Notch". TouchArcade. April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  22. ^ a b "Space Marshals". Metacritic. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  23. ^ "Touch Me #90: i giochi per smartphone e tablet della settimana". IGN Italia. January 19, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  24. ^ a b "Sceriffi su Marte". Multiplayer.it. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  25. ^ "PhoneArena game of the week: Space Marshals". Phone Arena. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  26. ^ "Game review: Space Marshals for iPad". iPad Insight. February 27, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  27. ^ Alexander Aciman. "The Absolute Best iPhone Games You Should Play This Week". TIME.com. Time. Retrieved May 7, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ "Space Marshals For iOS Goes Free As Apple's App Of The Week [$5 Value] | Redmond Pie". Redmond Pie. April 16, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  29. ^ "Game review: Space Marshals for iPad and iPhone". Thai Tech by Thaivisa.com. January 20, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
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