''Retro/Grade'' is a
video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
developed by 24 Caret Games. The game is about ace pilot Rick Rocket, who must repeat his last space battle in reverse in order to protect the space time continuum.
The game play is rhythm-based and timed to original music by Skyler McGlothlin. In January 2009, it was nominated for two
Independent Games Festival
The Independent Games Festival (IGF) is an annual festival at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), the largest annual gathering of the independent video game industry. Originally founded in 1998 to promote independent video game developers, ...
awards: Excellence in Audio and Excellence in Design.
In October 2010, it won the Audience Choice Award at
IndieCade
IndieCade is an international juried festival of independent games. Game types include video games, live-action games, and tabletop games. Independent game developers are selected to demo, screen, and promote their work at the annual IndieCade fe ...
.
Gameplay
The gameplay is a hybrid between a
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...
and a
shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em ups (also known as shmups or STGs) are a Video game genre, subgenre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain typ ...
. Players control a spacecraft, like many classic shooters, such as
Aegis Wing
''Aegis Wing'' is a 2007 scrolling shooter video game developed by Carbonated Games and three independent Microsoft interns for the Xbox Live Arcade. The game was released worldwide on May 16, 2007, available free to all Xbox Live members in No ...
, but the entire game is timed to music, similar to modern rhythm games. Players will be able to play the game either with a standard game controller or a
guitar controller
A guitar controller is a video game game controller, controller designed to simulate the playing of the guitar, a string instrument, string musical instrument. Guitar controllers are often used for music games such as ''Guitar Hero'', ''Rock Ba ...
.
Development
The game began development in late 2008. The idea for a backwards shooter came while creating a
debugging
In engineering, debugging is the process of finding the Root cause analysis, root cause, workarounds, and possible fixes for bug (engineering), bugs.
For software, debugging tactics can involve interactive debugging, control flow analysis, Logf ...
mode for another shooter they were working on to pitch to developers. The debugging mode allows them to reverse time to repeat and test sections of gameplay. The game originally targeted a 2010 release date,
but was eventually released on 21 August 2012.
On 23 March 2013, Retro/Grade was released for the Windows
PC via
Steam
Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
. The game cost $140,000 to make and it hasn't recouped its cost.
See also
*''
Neverending Nightmares'', the next game by Gilgenbach and McGlothlin
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Retro Grade
2012 video games
IndieCade winners
Music video games
PlayStation 3 games
PlayStation Network games
Shoot 'em ups
Single-player video games
Video games developed in the United States
Video games set in outer space
Windows games