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Starscape Revives 2D Space Shooter

Posted by simoniker on from the bydo-empire-looking-miffed dept.

ViperG writes "A small development team known as Moonpod has developed and self-published Starscape, a top-down 2d scrolling PC space action game. You can download the full game for a modest fee of $25, or just try the demo out for free. I haven't played a game this fun since the good old DOS days. If you don't want to take my word for it, read Avault's review." Other readers also point to positive reviews from StaticGamer and from NetJak for another worthy indie game.

29 comments

  1. Best PC and Console shooters? by randomlogik · · Score: 2, Interesting
    As a kid I was always fascinated by vertical and horizontal shooters. Being stuck with no console at home and only an Amiga and a 286 gave me not too many choices.

    I ended up playing Buck Rodgers on Amiga a lot, that was a lot of fun. And some weird Galaga clone on the PC. A while after that I got a copy of Raptor for PC... anyone remember that one? That was a fantastic vertical shooter for the PC.

    More recently Ikaruga on Dreamcast and Gamecube (yeah for some reason I have both versions). Which is a painfully hard game to master.

    Whats everyones favourite PC and Console vertical shooters?

    1. Re:Best PC and Console shooters? by Areeves · · Score: 1

      I feel your pain on Ikaruga, I've always wanted to play Radiant Silvergun for the Sega Saturn, it was also developed by Treasure (the same company that did Ikaruga). Another good shooter IMHO is Mars Matrix for the Dreamcast. I'm glad more games of this type are being created, maybe next we can get some more people back on the adventure game ala Kings Quest.

      --
      I read at -1 So you don't have to.
    2. Re:Best PC and Console shooters? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can still get raptor. www.3realms.com

  2. question: by larry+bagina · · Score: 4, Funny

    shouldn't this story go in the ads.slashdot.org section?

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  3. Small Rockets by Andy+Smith · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you're into 2D shooters then you might want to have a look at Star Monkey or Ultra Assault by the UK-based developer Small Rockets.

    Both games have demo versions available, although the demo of Ultra Assault plays for a very short period of time (a minute?) and has a counter ticking down in the middle of the screen, so it's very difficult to experience what the game is like because you simply can't play enough of it. Star Monkey doesn't suffer from this problem.

    Both of these games use 3D graphics but are presented as top-down 2D shooters.

    (Obvious disclaimer: I'm not associated with Small Rockets in any way.)

    1. Re:Small Rockets by Danse · · Score: 1

      A game called "Star Monkey" just sounds like fun :) I'm downloading them both now. Stay tuned for my brief and possibly expletive-ridden review...

      --
      It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds. - Captain Hammer
    2. Re:Small Rockets by Andy+Smith · · Score: 2, Insightful
      A game called "Star Monkey" just sounds like fun :)
      I think it's a ridiculous name that doesn't fit the game at all. The game is a tough, military-themed shooter and "Star Monkey" sounds like a jokey game for kids. Doubtless quite a few people have given the game a miss because of its name, and they'll have missed out on a winner. (Plus the developers will have missed out on a sale.)
    3. Re:Small Rockets by Kethinov · · Score: 4, Informative

      If you're looking for a good free one then I suggest Subspace/Continuum. It's free and has been going strong for years.

      --
      You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
    4. Re:Small Rockets by Reapy · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's free and has been going strong for years.

      If you want to call that mess "going strong"...

      If you give it a try, please come in and try SVS (standard VIE settings) zones, rather then the insta kill zones that seem to be so popular. SVS suffers from a lack of players, but the gameplay is infinatly more rewarding then the super zones once you get it down.

    5. Re:Small Rockets by ryuuzin · · Score: 1

      "...but the gameplay is infinatly more rewarding then the super zones once you get it down."

      If you say so... I'm of the completely opposite mind. I absolutely love playing in the "insta-kill" zones, even if some of the battles there turn into clusterfscks and you can get whacked by some cheap shots. Yeah, there are some downsides to it, but the pace is nice (SVS just bores the hell out of me; no offense intended). And, there is some skill in trying to keep your *ss intact when any one of the ten bombs coming at you can take you out. The only thing I'll admit that the super zones do not have is any real ship balance. For zones like EG, the differences between the ships are so minute that you might as well only four types: a fast sniper, a multi-bombing fighter, a heavy bomber, and a cloaker. But, that's what makes those zones so accessible. And, honestly, you can get by in most of the ships there and each has its own strategy.

      *shrug* To each his own.

    6. Re:Small Rockets by saladpuncher · · Score: 1

      Strangely enough the game doesn't feature a monkey of any sort. I assume that the monkey is flying the craft but you never get to see him. Some cut-scenes of monkey action would have been great...but no dice. It's still a fun game though.

  4. $25? by PaddyM · · Score: 1

    $25?

    1. Re:$25? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FIVE HUNNED DOLLAH!!!

    2. Re:$25? by RupW · · Score: 1

      Are you saying that's too much?

      It's a good, fun game. There's no steep learning curve and it's addictive. You'll get more play time from it than you will from some full-priced games. It's professionally done (they worked for the ill-fated Rage before they set up on their own).

      What's your complaint?

    3. Re:$25? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is /. We proclaim that developers should be paid on one hand. In the other, we grasp money and refuse to spend it. This is the hand that pirates music, movies, games, apps, etc.

      This is also why there is no real market for linux games. People who use a *free* OS don't want to pay for games.

      I'm not trolling (though I'm sure I'll be modded as such). It's just the truth. I mean, how many /.ers are living in thier parents basement without a job?

  5. Where's the Movie Tie-In ?? by quinkin · · Score: 3, Funny
    I just don't get it.

    It's a game....

    ...but it isn't based on a cr*p Hollywood film.

    Does not compute.

    Q.

    --
    Insert Signature Here
    1. Re:Where's the Movie Tie-In ?? by crafty+slash · · Score: 1

      Pretty dire day today until we found this bit of news on /. Had two friends round to play games. It was shocking, one brought 'enter the matrix' the other brought Tomb Raider, you can see where this is going... possibly the worst two games I have ever played, and I have played some dross in my time. We downloaded starscape and agreed it was enjoyable. Wonder how much money was spent on making Tomb Raider and Enter the matrix, and how much was spent making this? Luckily, Starscape was enough fun to stop us commiting mass suicide after playing TR. Even Lara's big melons can't save her now, what's the world coming to?

    2. Re:Where's the Movie Tie-In ?? by Anonymous+Conrad · · Score: 1

      Luckily, Starscape was enough fun to stop us commiting mass suicide after playing TR. Even Lara's big melons can't save her now, what's the world coming to?

      Which Tomb Raider was that? I haven't been impressed in the past but the new PS2 one looks better.

    3. Re:Where's the Movie Tie-In ?? by bear+pimp · · Score: 1

      Although I cannot put words in someone elses mouth; I'm fairly certain Crafty Slash means Tomb Raider: Angle of Darkness (yeah the new PSII one) which is far and away the worst of the series and may be enough to kill off the franchise.

  6. Celebrity endorsement by August_zero · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I got turned on to this game a few months back, and its great if you like old school shooter type game play. It manages to mix a very tight shooter with some strategy and resource management. Your not only out to destroy the enemy, but you also have to gather resources, research new technologies and defend your mother ship. Imagine X-Com Interceptor in 2-d and actually good .

    For $25 you could buy this game, or some crack. Both are addictive, but Starscape will last you a lot longer than the crack will and it's a lot more fun too.

    --
    On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
  7. For the love of god! by Tuxinatorium · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    why does slashdot post fewer articles about current games that people actually play than about retro obsolete stuff that only 0.1% of the NERD population actually cares about?

    --
    Repeal the DMCA!
    1. Re:For the love of god! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is a current game people actually play, unlike say Enter the Matrix which is obsolete junt that only 1% of the nerd population cares about.

  8. Sort of reminiscent of Star Control series by Chuck+Chunder · · Score: 1

    in some ways. It is good fun, which is why I'm $25 poorer and still awake at 3am...

    --
    Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
  9. Check out www.mking.com by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mountain King Studios is a shareware comapny run by thr guy who programmed Raptor for Apogee. He has a cool shooter called Demonstar, plus an update called "Secret Missions" which has excellent graphics. The gameplay of both is excellent.

  10. rRotage by TruchiSoft · · Score: 1

    check out: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cs8k-cyu/index_e.html this japanese guy just did an awesome engine, allowing anyone to do GREAT games like rRootage, Noiz2sa, etc. And best of all, its Free!! ;)

  11. last post again. i suck by muirhead · · Score: 1

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  12. very last post by muirhead · · Score: 1

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