Resogun | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Developer(s) | Housemarque Climax Studios (PS3, Vita) [1] |
Publisher(s) | Sony Computer Entertainment |
Producer(s) | Ian Pickles [2] |
Programmer(s) | Harry Krueger |
Composer(s) | Ari Pulkkinen [3] |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 4 PlayStation 3 PlayStation Vita |
Release | PlayStation 4 PlayStation 3 & PS Vita |
Genre(s) | Shoot 'em up |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer (PS4) |
Resogun is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It was originally released in North America and PAL regions in November 2013, while ports for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita developed by Climax Studios were released in December 2014. Resogun: Heroes, the first downloadable content (DLC), was released in North America on June 24, 2014, while the second DLC, Resogun: Defenders was released on February 17, 2015. Resogun draws heavily from the games Defender and Datastorm , and is considered the spiritual successor to Housemarque's previous shoot 'em up games Super Stardust HD and Super Stardust Delta .
In the game, the player battles enemies and rescues trapped humans in a cylindrical, voxel-based world. The game was well received by video game journalists, who lauded its graphical prowess, fast-paced gameplay, and soundtrack. The game was criticized for its short length and lack of tutorials or explanations for several gameplay elements. Resogun won several awards, and was nominated for Action Game of the Year at the 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, and also appeared at the 2014 GDC Choice Awards.
In Resogun, the player battles phases of enemies on five distinct, cylindrical, voxel-based levels: Acis, Ceres, Decima, Febris, and Mefitis. Each level is separated into three phases and includes a unique boss enemy. Although the primary goal of each level is to eliminate all enemies, including the boss, humans can be saved in order to gain a bonus score towards the player's final score. In order to save a human, it must first be released from its chamber by killing a set of "keepers." Upon release, the player can pick up the human and bring it to one of two safety points.
Three ships (Nemesis, Ferox, and Phobos) are available for selection; each ship has different levels of agility, boost, and overdrive. In addition, various upgrades and powerups are available to the player throughout each level. Overdrive, once charged, produces a powerful beam of energy that is capable of taking out large quantities of enemies. Boost acts as a speed boost and allows the player to escape from enemies, as well as destroy enemies by colliding with them. The nova-bomb produces a large explosion that clears all enemies currently on the level. These are limited in quantity but can be obtained through pickups. Ship upgrades and extra lives can also be obtained through pickups, or by saving humans. You can also choose from a selection of custom made skins for your ship made by other people online.
Upon completion of each level, the player will receive a bonus score. The amount of bonus score depends on various factors, including the number of humans saved and the number of nova-bombs preserved, to name a few. In addition, the game features two game modes: Single Level and Arcade. In Single Level mode, the player selects one single level and attempts to complete that level for a single high score. In Arcade Mode, however, the player continues to the next level after the successful completion of each level. Difficulties include Rookie, Experienced, Veteran, Master, and Hero. [4]
Resogun was developed by Housemarque, an independent game development studio from Finland known for its previous shoot 'em up games, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Resogun draws heavy inspiration from the games Defender and Datastorm , and acts as the spiritual successor to Housemarque's most recent Super Stardust games ( Super Stardust HD and Super Stardust Delta ), from which it directly borrows certain gameplay mechanics like the boost power-up. [5] Harry Krueger, the lead programmer of Resogun, expanded on the inspiration for the game in an interview with S2P Magazine, explaining that "on the one hand, you have the classic shoot-and-survive gameplay of shoot 'em ups ... but there was this extra layer of gameplay there with micromanaging and saving the humans." [6] Despite being a launch title, Resogun makes extensive use of the PlayStation 4's hardware, with each level being built by nearly 200 million voxels. [5] Housemarque CEO Ilari Kuittinen stated that "we wanted to create a world which can break down into tiny pieces, so voxels were one of the options to use." [6]
The game went through several stylistic changes through development, partly due to Housemarque's initial uncertainty of the graphical capabilities of the PlayStation 4. [7] In the end, the developers struggled more with "how 'retro' the game had to look", going through several stages (including a colorful style reminiscent of games like Minecraft and Parodius ) until they settled with the neon aesthetic of the game. [7] Certain render-heavy visual effects were cut, however, to avoid placing too many fast-moving objects on the screen and to prevent visual clutter. [8] Many Housemarque developers have remarked that the PlayStation 4 was easier to develop for than the PlayStation 3, which played a role in creating the GPU-intensive levels of Resogun. Tommaso De Benetti, community manager at Housemarque, explained that many PlayStation 3 features were initially poorly documented, and that "we [didn't] have to spend an afternoon reverse engineering basic features" during the development of Resogun. [7]
Resogun was released in North America on November 15, 2013, in Europe on November 29, 2013, and in Japan on February 22, 2014 exclusively for the PlayStation 4 as one of two free titles offered to PlayStation Plus members. [9] Resogun was completed mere days before its release in North America, due to last-minute tweaks and polishing by the developers. [7] Prior to its release, a demo version of the game was playable at the Sony PlayStation booth at Gamescom 2013 and at the Eurogamer Expo in London. [10] On June 24, 2014, the first Resogun DLC, Resogun: Heroes, was released, featuring a new game world, two new game modes, a new and improved leaderboard, and new trophies. [2] [11] The second DLC, Resogun: Defenders was released on February 17, 2015. The expansion includes 2 new modes, namely Protector mode and Commando mode. Several smaller DLC was also released, which includes additional skins for the ships and the humans. The official soundtrack was released on June 9, 2015. All the additional content is free for owners of the Season Pass.
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | 85% [12] |
Metacritic | 84/100 [13] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
GameSpot | 8/10 [14] |
GamesRadar+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Giant Bomb | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
IGN | 9.0/10 [17] |
GamesBeat | 65/100 [18] |
Resogun received a generally positive response from critics upon release. Ben Kuchera, writing for The Penny Arcade Report , declared Resogun as "the best PlayStation 4 launch game". [19] GameRankings, an aggregator for video game reviews, assigned the game a score of 85% based on 38 reviews. [12] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the game received an average score of 84 based on 66 reviews. [13] Brian Albert of IGN gave Resogun a score of 9.0/10, praising the fast-paced, lagless gameplay, the energetic music, and the co-op experience, but insisted that several boss fights were not challenging enough. [17] Peter Brown of GameSpot also praised the music, as well as the use of voxels, explaining that the "accompanying beat of the techno-laden soundtrack and the constant trickle of voxels are mesmerizing." [14] Brad Shoemaker of Giant Bomb described Resogun as "a real audio-visual treat", also praising the graphics and sound. [16]
Edge magazine gave Resogun a score of 8/10, praising Housemarque's use of voxels: "despite the modest expectations players might have ... Housemarque never wants you to forget that Resogun is running on new tech." [20] Christian Donlan of Eurogamer praised Resogun's gameplay elements and challenge, such as the need for the player to be aware of their surroundings in order to do well. [21] David Jenkins of GameCentral also praised the gameplay, but criticized the game's length, explaining that the game was too short. [22] Jenkins was also unimpressed with the graphics, as well as the visuals: "the backdrops in particular are very disappointing as all the new stages look almost identical, just with a slightly different kind of fortress-like structure in the middle." [22] Eric L. Patterson of EGM gave Resogun a score of 9.0/10, describing it as "another expertly produced retro-inspired shooter from Housemarque." [23]
McKinley Noble of GamesBeat gave Resogun a score of 65/100, praising it for its graphics and challenging gameplay, but criticizing it for its lack of clarity with regard to gameplay elements; in particular, the lack of any kind of tutorial level or "training wheels". [18] Noble expanded on this by explaining that "some players might get bewildered when trying to figure out their weapons and when to use them, and the audio cues aren’t obvious enough to be helpful." [18] Noble also criticized the game's lack of appeal to players who wanted to "blitz through tons of levels" and "unlock extra ships", stating that "you won’t find much content past what's offered upfront." [18] Kyle Hilliard of Game Informer gave Resogun a score of 8/10, criticizing the graphics as "doing little to showcase the next generation", as well as the sound, which he described as "forgettable-yet-appropriate". [24] Hilliard praised the game for its controls, however, as well as the accessible and fun nature of the gameplay. [24] The game won several awards, and was nominated for Action Game of the Year at the 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, in addition to appearing at the 2014 GDC Choice Awards. [25]
Stardust is a single screen multidirectional shooter video game for the Amiga, released by the Finnish company Bloodhouse in 1993. The game is an Asteroids clone with enhancements, such as power-ups, shields, a high-energy techno module soundtrack, vivid use of colors and the occasional tunnel section that revolves around a sphere. The game's graphics drew critical acclaim for the aforementioned tunnels and the liberal use of ray-tracing. The company has since merged with Terramarque to form Housemarque.
R-Type Delta is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Irem and released for the PlayStation console in 1998. It is the fourth game in the R-Type series and the first to feature 3D graphics. The game received generally positive reviews from critics.
Killzone: Liberation is a third-person shooter video game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). It was originally released on 31 October 2006 in North America. It is a follow-up to Killzone, taking place two months after the original game. Killzone: Liberation is the only PSP installment in the series, and the first of only two for Sony's handheld consoles, the second of which was Killzone: Mercenary for the PlayStation Vita in 2013. An updated version of Liberation was released on 20 June 2023 for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Super Stardust HD is a downloadable multidirectional shooter released for the PlayStation 3 by Sony Interactive Entertainment, developed by the Finnish company Housemarque. In Asian regions, it is known as Star Strike HD. In 2015, a port for the PlayStation 4, called Super Stardust Ultra, was released. In 2016, Super Stardust Ultra VR, a PlayStation VR compatible version that contains Super Stardust Ultra, was released for the PlayStation 4. It is also available as paid downloadable content for Super Stardust Ultra.
Dead Nation is a top-down shoot 'em up video game for the PlayStation 3 developed by video game developer Housemarque. It was released on November 30, 2010 in North America, and December 1 in the PAL region, on PlayStation Network. Dead Nation takes place in a world afflicted by a zombie apocalypse. The player can choose between a male or female character and battle different types of zombies. Dead Nation was part of Sony's "Welcome Back" package, created to resolve the initial PlayStation Network outage. In February 2014 a PlayStation 4 version of the game titled the Apocalypse Edition was announced along with the PlayStation Vita version. The original Road of Devastation downloadable content was included for the PS3 and Vita versions, and the PS4 version was free for PlayStation Plus subscribers in March 2014. The PS4 and Vita versions were released in Japan for release on May 29, 2014.
Earthworm Jim HD is a high definition remake of the original Earthworm Jim video game. While the original was released in 1994 for the Sega Genesis and then ported to many other platforms, the remake was released digitally through XBLA on Xbox 360 on June 9, 2010, through the PSN on the PlayStation 3 on August 3, 2010, and for Windows Phone 7 alongside its launch in October and November of 2010. While critics had mixed feelings with regard to how well the game had aged, they generally praised the new content, mainly the cooperative multiplayer mode.
Fast Striker is a video game developed and published by German developer NG:Dev.Team in 2010 for the Neo Geo MVS. The player flies a space fighter craft through vertically scrolling levels to shoot waves of enemies. The game was later ported to Dreamcast, iOS, Neo Geo AES, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.
Dungeon Defenders is a hybrid multiplayer video game developed by Trendy Entertainment that combines the genres of tower defense and action role-playing game. It is based on a showcase of Unreal Engine 3 named Dungeon Defense. The game takes place in a fantasy setting where players control the young apprentices of wizards and warriors and defend against hordes of monsters. A sequel titled Dungeon Defenders II was released in 2015.
Blacklight: Retribution is a free-to-play first-person shooter video game developed and published by Hardsuit Labs for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4. It was initially published by Perfect World Entertainment on April 3, 2012, with a full Steam release on July 3. A PS4 version was released as a launch title in North America on November 15, 2013, followed by Europe and Australia on December 4.
Super Stardust Delta is a twin-stick multidirectional shooter video game for the PlayStation Vita handheld console. It is part of the Stardust series of games developed by the Finnish company Housemarque.
Call of Duty: Ghosts is a 2013 first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. It is the tenth major installment in the Call of Duty series and the sixth developed by Infinity Ward. It was released for PlayStation 3, Wii U, Windows, and Xbox 360, on November 5, 2013. The game was released with the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! is a 2014 cinematic platform video game developed by Just Add Water and published by Oddworld Inhabitants as a "ground-up remake" of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. The game was released in North America on 22 July 2014 and in Europe on 23 July 2014 for the PlayStation 4. The title was also released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and Wii U. It has been ported on iOS and Android and released worldwide on 14 December 2017. A Nintendo Switch version was released on 27 October 2020.
Killzone Shadow Fall is a 2013 first-person shooter video game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It is the sixth game of the Killzone series and the fourth game of the series for home consoles. Killzone Shadow Fall was released on 15 November 2013 as a launch title for the PlayStation 4 in North America and 29 November 2013 in Europe. Taking place 30 years after the events of Killzone 3, Shadow Fall follows a new set of characters, putting players in the role of Lucas Kellan, a "Shadow Marshal", who is investigating a rising threat in the continuing war between Vekta and the Helghast.
Alienation is an action role-playing shooter video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It was released in April 2016 worldwide. The game is an isometric twin-stick shooter in which one to four players defend themselves against an alien invasion on Earth through increasingly-difficult levels. Players can choose one of three character classes, each with its own abilities. Players can upgrade their weapons with collectables, known as upgrade cores.
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is a 2014 multidirectional shooter video game developed by Lucid Games and published by Activision under the Sierra Entertainment brand name. The game was released on November 25, 2014 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, day later for Xbox 360 and Xbox One and in the middle of 2015 for iOS and Android. As the sequel to Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is the first game in the series to be released on Sony platforms. It is the sixth installment in the Geometry Wars series and the first one developed after the creator of the series Bizarre Creations was shut down by Activision.
Grand Kingdom is a tactical role-playing video game developed by Monochrome Corporation for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. It was published by Spike Chunsoft in Japan in 2015, and NIS America in the West in 2016. Following a mercenary group in the employ of different nations formed in the wake of a collapsed empire, the player engages in turn-based combat while navigating paths on maps similar to a board game. Online competitive asynchronous multiplayer where chosen teams of characters fight for a chosen nation was originally featured, but this ended as servers were shut down by 2019 in the West and 2022 in Japan.
Warhammer: The End Times – Vermintide is a 2015 cooperative survival video game developed and published by Fatshark. The game is set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. The game is multiplayer-only, and its structure is similar to Valve's Left 4 Dead series. Set during an apocalyptic event called the End Times, players can team up with three other players to fight against the Skaven, a race of rodent-like creatures, in the city of Ubersreik. At the end of each match, the players are given the opportunity to roll dice, which determine the weapons they will receive as reward.
Nex Machina is a 2017 shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Housemarque. The game was released for PlayStation 4 and Windows on 20 June 2017. It received positive reviews from critics.
Returnal is a 2021 roguelike third-person shooter video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game was released for the PlayStation 5 on 30 April 2021 and for Windows on 15 February 2023. It follows Selene Vassos, an astronaut who lands on the planet Atropos in search of the mysterious "White Shadow" signal and finds herself trapped in a time loop.
Ghost Blade is a 2015 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and originally published by German studio HUCAST Games as an independent commercial release for the Dreamcast. It was re-released between 2017 and 2018 by JoshProd. A high-definition version titled Ghost Blade HD was also released for PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Controlling one of three fighter crafts, the player fights to protect Mars against the corrupt artificial intelligence Shira. Its gameplay consist of five stages, with players gathering collectible items and defeating enemies to build combos and maintain a high-score, while avoiding collision with their projectiles and obstacles.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)