Wreckateer Logo
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Wreckateer'' is a
puzzle video game Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, Sequence, sequence solving, Spatial ability, spatial recognition, ...
developed by
Iron Galaxy Studios Iron Galaxy Studios, LLC is an American video game developer studio based in Chicago, Illinois, with additional studios in Orlando, Florida, and Nashville, Tennessee. Iron Galaxy often collaborates with publishers and developers to provide "tec ...
and published by
Microsoft Studios Xbox Game Studios (previously known as Microsoft Studios, Microsoft Game Studios, and Microsoft Games) is an American video game publisher based in Redmond, Washington. It was established in March 2000, spun out from an internal Games Group, fo ...
for the
Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...
. Set in a fantasy medieval era, ''Wreckateer'' casts players as part of a demolition team tasked with destroying various structures. Players use the
Kinect Kinect is a discontinued line of motion sensing input devices produced by Microsoft and first released in 2010. The devices generally contain RGB color model, RGB cameras, and Thermographic camera, infrared projectors and detectors that map dep ...
motion sensor to launch projectiles from a
ballista The ballista (Latin, from Ancient Greek, Greek βαλλίστρα ''ballistra'' and that from βάλλω ''ballō'', "throw"), plural ballistae or ballistas, sometimes called bolt thrower, was an Classical antiquity, ancient missile weapon tha ...
and then guide them in-flight to their targets.


Gameplay

In ''Wreckateer'', the player is the newest employee of the Wreck & Tinker Destruction Company, which has been hired to demolish castles and other structures that have been infested by
goblin A goblin is a small, grotesque, monster, monstrous humanoid creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearan ...
s. The player is armed with a ballista that launches various enchanted projectiles, and the object of the game is to destroy as much of the structure as possible using the provided projectiles. After the projectile is loaded, the player readies and aims the ballista by pulling away from the Kinect sensor, then launches the shot by spreading their arms. Many shots can be nudged in-flight by swiping at them in the desired direction, while some have special abilities that can be activated when the player spreads their arms widely above their head. For example, a Bomb Shot will explode on command, a Split Shot will break into four smaller, linked projectiles, and a Flying Shot will sprout wings, allowing the player to fly the projectile into a target. The level starts with a pre-set number of shots, and the level ends after the last shot has been fired. Points are scored for damage to structures, elimination of goblins and for collection of floating bonus icons. Players receive medals for reaching certain scores, and receipt of at least a bronze medal unlocks the next level.


Development

The game was announced in 2012 with an announcement trailer. The game was more formally unveiled during
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
's press conference at the
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 (E3 2012) was the 18th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 5, 2012, and ended on June 7, 2012, with 45,700 total attendees. It was ...
. A spokesperson demonstrated the gameplay stage, complete with motion gestures. The game was released as a part of the Xbox 360
Summer of Arcade The Summer of Arcade, known as Winter of Arcade in the southern hemisphere, was an annual feature on Xbox Live Arcade that offered video game titles. , the feature finished its sixth year. 2008 *'' Bionic Commando Rearmed'' *''Braid'' *'' Castle Cr ...
series.


Reception

''Wreckateer'' received "average" reviews according to the
review aggregation A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
website
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
. Chris Watters of
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
lauded the game's "enjoyable score-chasing and good Kinect controls", while Mitch Dyer of
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
said the game "falls just short of 'irresistible addiction' and instead settles for 'amusing distraction'." ''The Digital Fix'' gave it a score of six out of ten and said, "With no real story to speak of, and little variety in the levels besides the occasional addition of snow or a waterfall, this isn't the kind of game you'll play for hours. In fact, ''Wreckateer'' is highly reminiscent of a smartphone game, the kind of thing that is a lot of fun, but only in short bursts." ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' similarly gave it three stars out of five and said that "as good as it is, ''The Wreckateer'' '' ic' won't win over anyone who isn't already convinced by Kinect. It looks like players may have to wait for the next generation of consoles before that's even possible. ''
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
'' also gave it six out of ten and said it was "the closest thing so far to a 3D ''Angry Birds'' game, but although the Kinect controls are fine it's the gameplay and visuals that need adjusting."


References

{{Reflist 2012 video games Iron Galaxy games Kinect games Microsoft games Multiplayer and single-player video games Puzzle video games Unreal Engine 3 games Video games developed in the United States Xbox 360 games Xbox 360 Live Arcade games Xbox 360-only games