RiftStar Raiders

RiftStar Raiders for PC, XONE and PS4 is a dynamic 2D shooter game designed specifically to deliver a co-op experience. Climax Studios, a British developer popular mainly for the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles series, created the game. The creators were inspired by titles popular once in arcade game rooms. RiftStar Raiders was published Vision Games Publishing.

Plot

The player assumes the role of a spaceship's pilot – an adventurer and a smuggler, who explores the most dangerous areas of the galaxy in their fighter ship. An orbital city of Arcadia constitutes the base of different criminals and space pirates. Taking different jobs to work as a mercenary, as well as gathering valuables (usually obtained from wrecks of other ships) is crucial for success here.

Suddenly, an opportunity to earn great amounts of money comes when the player's sworn enemy – the Federation, is forced to request their services. Civilized worlds have fallen victim to the Warswarm one after another – it is a huge fleet controlled by an alien AI. Smelling the fortune one could make on the hardware obtained from wrecks of alien ships, the protagonist gathers their crew and sets out to save the world.

Mechanics

RiftStar Raiders for PC, XONE and PS4 is a shoot'em up game played from a top-down view. The player controlls a small, maneuverable ship armed to the teeth, moving around a two-dimensional battlefield. The player's goal is to destroy enemy vehicles and collect junk dropped by them before those fighting on the player's side do it. Gathering the loot is an important part of the game, as things the player picks up can be used to create new hardware, which in turn, allows modifying the stats and improving the ship's capabilities. Thanks to crafting and a complex system of perks, the players can create builds that will match their playstyle. Through making use of the hardware collected, the player can turn their fighter plane into a durable, heavily armored cruiser, a heavily armed destroyer, or a support ship which is best at helping the comrades.

The game offers a set of weapons one acquainted with other science-fiction creations will be familiar with. Among those available, the player will find multi-barreled machine guns, energy beams, rocket launchers, or enlarged versions of a shotgun. Interestingly, the player unlocks different versions of the same type of weapon here – those differ in their special features; for instance, one version of an MG can have increased accuracy, while another can shoot with ammunition that pierces armors. Yet another example of such a gun can be capable of marking enemy targets, which results in the rest of the weapons dealing double damage to them.

Game modes

RiftStar Raiders for PC, XONE and PS4 offers 9 story missions, which can be played solo, or in the co-op mode for up to 4 players (this latter option is recommended). In case of the multiplayer, the players are connected via the Internet.

Technical aspects

RiftStar Raiders comes with dynamic, colorful visuals. The player observes volleys of screen-brightening missiles, neon laser beams, as well as vivid-looking explosions. The in-game missions take the player to a series of different locations, such as areas of space filled with asteroids, industrial zones, or dark interiors of alien caves.

Last updated on 21 February 2017