Suave Peanut
11-25-2009, 08:55 AM
Sol Survivor Review
Title: Sol Survivor
Platform: Xbox LIVE Indie Games (PC version forthcoming)
Developer: Cadenza Interactive (http://cadenzainteractive.com/)
ESRB: Unrated
MSRP: 800 MSP ($10 USD)
Editor: Ryan 'Suave Peanut' Carrigan
What's Hot: Orbital support brings a new twist to turret defense; multiple characters and strategies; co-op up to 8-players.
What's Not: Kinda pricey compared to other indie games; forgettable story; drab levels.Although it hit the Xbox LIVE Indie Games channel a few weeks back, Sol Survivor, a finalist in Microsoft’s Dream.Build.Play competition, just recently made its way to our attention. It can be easy for these indie games to slip through the cracks, but this is one we are glad to have caught.
Sol Survivor is a new and shining example of the increasingly-popular turret defense genre. You take the role of a space commander who travels from planet to planet defending your people from the evil invading forces of the Ascendency. Before each battle, you select your officer who you will send into battle. Each of the officers has a different arsenal of turrets and orbital support options with which to defend your people. It's clear that the developers put some work into the story, but sadly you don't get too much information about it. A few paragraphs about each of the officers when you select them, and a few story-advancing notes after each battle, but nothing terribly meaty. I would have liked to at least have the option to learn more or perhaps an introduction to the universe when you start the game.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2573/4110591878_9c261da929.jpg
Use your space laser to rain destruction... from space.
The game has three levels of difficulty, and each one feels just right. Easy is a great place for beginners just learning the turret defense ropes, normal is a great middle ground like it should be, and hard is a great challenge for strategy veterans.
On each of the four planets you will work your way around five maps doing that whole "defending-your-base-from-turrets" thing by pulling the right trigger and selecting a unit to place wherever you deem strategically appropriate. What makes Sol Survivor special among turret defense games is the Orbital Defense feature. In addition to placing an obscene number of towers along the enemy's path, by pulling the left trigger you have the power to summon additional help from space. Did a couple of baddies get past your last turret? No worries, just summon your space laser (or any of your other support options) and wipe them out before they can reach one of your bases.
Enemies will attack in waves, making their way across a path toward your base. If you run out of resources to build another turrets or summon an orbital defense and an enemy makes it all the way to one of your bases, you will lose health. You begin each round with 20 health, each unit representing the soul of one of your base's inhabitants. Run out of souls and you can guess what happens. (Here's a hint: you don't win.)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2781/4109828307_54b0a5eeb5.jpg
Souls are shuffled off this mortal coal via this, um, mortal... coil.
Sol Survivor shines among the sea of uncertainty that can be the Indie Games channel. But at 800 points it is one of the pricier options on the channel, especially considering the short length of the campaign. However, this feels like a professional XBLA release and I would consider it totally worth it. Cadenza Interactive has made something very impressive for a studio comprised of just a few friends. However, the minimalist story and bland environments are what keeps the game closer to good rather than great.
Score: 3.5 out of 5 CoGs
http://www.colonyofgamers.com/images/CoG3_5.png
Ryan says, "Sol Survivor is a great game for anybody who already loves turret defense or anybody else who may be checking it out for the first time. The campaign is not terribly long, but the multiplayer options open things up for replayability."
Title: Sol Survivor
Platform: Xbox LIVE Indie Games (PC version forthcoming)
Developer: Cadenza Interactive (http://cadenzainteractive.com/)
ESRB: Unrated
MSRP: 800 MSP ($10 USD)
Editor: Ryan 'Suave Peanut' Carrigan
What's Hot: Orbital support brings a new twist to turret defense; multiple characters and strategies; co-op up to 8-players.
What's Not: Kinda pricey compared to other indie games; forgettable story; drab levels.Although it hit the Xbox LIVE Indie Games channel a few weeks back, Sol Survivor, a finalist in Microsoft’s Dream.Build.Play competition, just recently made its way to our attention. It can be easy for these indie games to slip through the cracks, but this is one we are glad to have caught.
Sol Survivor is a new and shining example of the increasingly-popular turret defense genre. You take the role of a space commander who travels from planet to planet defending your people from the evil invading forces of the Ascendency. Before each battle, you select your officer who you will send into battle. Each of the officers has a different arsenal of turrets and orbital support options with which to defend your people. It's clear that the developers put some work into the story, but sadly you don't get too much information about it. A few paragraphs about each of the officers when you select them, and a few story-advancing notes after each battle, but nothing terribly meaty. I would have liked to at least have the option to learn more or perhaps an introduction to the universe when you start the game.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2573/4110591878_9c261da929.jpg
Use your space laser to rain destruction... from space.
The game has three levels of difficulty, and each one feels just right. Easy is a great place for beginners just learning the turret defense ropes, normal is a great middle ground like it should be, and hard is a great challenge for strategy veterans.
On each of the four planets you will work your way around five maps doing that whole "defending-your-base-from-turrets" thing by pulling the right trigger and selecting a unit to place wherever you deem strategically appropriate. What makes Sol Survivor special among turret defense games is the Orbital Defense feature. In addition to placing an obscene number of towers along the enemy's path, by pulling the left trigger you have the power to summon additional help from space. Did a couple of baddies get past your last turret? No worries, just summon your space laser (or any of your other support options) and wipe them out before they can reach one of your bases.
Enemies will attack in waves, making their way across a path toward your base. If you run out of resources to build another turrets or summon an orbital defense and an enemy makes it all the way to one of your bases, you will lose health. You begin each round with 20 health, each unit representing the soul of one of your base's inhabitants. Run out of souls and you can guess what happens. (Here's a hint: you don't win.)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2781/4109828307_54b0a5eeb5.jpg
Souls are shuffled off this mortal coal via this, um, mortal... coil.
Sol Survivor shines among the sea of uncertainty that can be the Indie Games channel. But at 800 points it is one of the pricier options on the channel, especially considering the short length of the campaign. However, this feels like a professional XBLA release and I would consider it totally worth it. Cadenza Interactive has made something very impressive for a studio comprised of just a few friends. However, the minimalist story and bland environments are what keeps the game closer to good rather than great.
Score: 3.5 out of 5 CoGs
http://www.colonyofgamers.com/images/CoG3_5.png
Ryan says, "Sol Survivor is a great game for anybody who already loves turret defense or anybody else who may be checking it out for the first time. The campaign is not terribly long, but the multiplayer options open things up for replayability."