Alien Sky

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Alien Sky
Developer(s) KraiSoft Entertainment
Publisher(s) KraiSoft Entertainment (Windows)
Oberon Media (Xbox)
Platform(s) Windows, Xbox
ReleaseWindows
8 March 2004
Xbox
4 January 2005
Genre(s) Fixed shooter
Mode(s) Single-player

Alien Sky is a 2004 fixed shooter video game developed by New Zealand studio KraiSoft Entertainment. Originally distributed as shareware for Microsoft Windows on 8 March 2004, it was later included in the launch line-up of Xbox Live Arcade for the original Xbox on 4 January 2005, where it was sold digitally by Oberon Media. [1] [2]

Contents

Gameplay

The players control a starfighter that can move horizontally along the bottom of the screen while firing upward at waves of aliens reminiscent of Space Invaders and Galaga . [3] [4] Power-ups award temporary weapons—including laser cannons, homing missiles and screen-clearing nuclear bombs—while certain enemy types erect barriers, steal power-ups or ram the player, requiring different tactics. [5] The campaign is divided into ten missions, each ending with an oversized boss encounter; high scores may be uploaded to a worldwide leaderboard. [6]

Development and release

KraiSoft Entertainment designed Alien Sky as an arcade homage built with in-house tools. Following its 2004 Windows debut, Russian publisher Noviy Disk issued a boxed edition titled Alien Sky. Vrashdebnye nebesa (Враждебные небеса). [7] Microsoft later licensed the game for the original Xbox’s fledgling Xbox Live Arcade service, bundling a time-limited demo on the 2004/2005 Xbox Live Starter Pack disc and offering the full version via digital download. [2] [8]

Reception

The Windows edition holds an average critic rating of 74% on MobyGames, based on five contemporary reviews. [9] Andrew Williams of Bytten praised its “solid, colourful action”, but felt later stages became repetitive. [10] Retrospectives on early Xbox Live Arcade line-ups note the title’s faithful retro design and modest production values. [8]

References

  1. ↑ "Alien Sky – Releases". MobyGames. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Xbox Live Arcade 2005 Game Demo Disc". Internet Archive. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  3. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (26 September 2006). "Alien Sky Review". GameSpot . Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "Рецензия на игру Alien Sky. Враждебные небеса" (in Russian). Absolute Games. 7 October 2004. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  5. ↑ Bulić, Nemanja (1 February 2007). "Test fun: Alien Sky 1.7.8". Svet Kompjutera (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "Вердикт. Локализации. Враждебные небеса" (in Russian). Igromania. 23 November 2004. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  7. ↑ "Alien Sky". My Abandonware. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Xbox Live Arcade's Early History – E3 2004 Announcement". 9 March 2023. Archived from the original on 29 April 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  9. ↑ "Alien Sky (Windows)". MobyGames. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  10. ↑ Andrew Williams (25 March 2004). "Review – Alien Sky". Bytten. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
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