Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer
| Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | SideQuest Studios |
| Publisher(s) | eastasiasoft |
| Composer(s) | Rafael Dyll |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 |
| Release date(s) | Microsoft Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Shoot 'em up |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Distribution | Optical disc, download |
Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer is a 2007 scrolling shooter video game developed by SideQuest Studios and published by eastasiasoft. The game was initially released physically for Microsoft Windows on December 14, 2007, before coming to the PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network on December 4, 2008.
Gameplay
Set in the distant future, Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer is a fast and furious shoot 'em up with state-of-the-art graphics, driving soundtrack and classic fun gameplay sprinkled with fresh innovations. In the storyline, planet Earth's resistance aims to stop a deadly infection consuming both life forms and technology alike, oddly having to rely on an anti-hero mercenary and bounty hunter to pilot a mighty prototype star fighter. His goal: To fight his way to the virus' origin, save civilisation and earn cash to boot!
Söldner-X is a traditional 2D shoot 'em up game with parallax scrolling, 720p high-definition graphics, weather effects and a rich weapon upgrade system.
Features
- 12 stages of parallax graphics and animations, staged across 4 world/space settings
- High definition graphics in 720p (16:9), or greater/lower resolutions for the PC
- Supports 2-Player Co-Op Play (simultaneously)
- Weather effects (such as rain, fog and lightning)
- Detailed background animations
- Classic design, yet state-of-the-art shooter technology
- Unique upgrade weapon system with five standard weapon types
- Tactical elements such as chaining, effectiveness system, and 'berserker' mode
- Hidden bonus features
- More than 20 extras (with both positive and negative effects)
- Collection quests
- Features a soundtrack and sound effects (PC Feature)
- Bi-lingual story mode (English/Japanese)
- Six modes of difficulty: very easy, easy, normal, hard, impossible, nightmare
- Online high score ranking
- Constant frame rate of 60fps (if recommended system requirements are met) (PC Feature)
Stages (Soldner-X)
- Soldier Unleashed
- Industrial Menace
- Hyper Space Assault
- War above the Clouds
- Lurking Evil
Stages (Soldner-X 2 final prototype)
- Zeus Sector
- Tunnels of Reef
- Ethier Ruins
- Elji Woods
- Turady deep sea
- Ice caves
- Van Krised labs
- Zaphyer station (DLC)
- Isis sector battleship (DLC)
- Isis core (DLC)
Stages 1–5 are available from the start, stages six & seven becoming unlocked once the player has collected all four secret keys in the previous stages. The three DLC stages are available immediately after purchase, even if the player has not unlocked six and seven.
Development and release
Name
The title of the game is Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer, a German expression.
- Söldner-X translates as Mercenary-X.
- Himmelsstürmer - Someone who's set to defy the impossible, easily overcoming true-life obstacles. Literally, Himmelsstürmer would mean "somebody who attacks/conquers the sky, alternatively "storms into the sky". An accepted translation of Himmelsstürmer is "Romantic Idealist".[1]
Reception and legacy
| Reception | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||
IGN awarded 8.0 calling it "impressive". GamerNode.com awarded the game an 8/10, calling it "highly entertaining."
Sequel
A sequel titled Söldner-X 2: Final Prototype released exclusively for PlayStation 3 (as a downloadable game), appeared in Q1 2010. Söldner-X 2 game features seven levels with a further three available as downloadable content. It was also released in Q1 2015 for the PlayStation Vita.[2]
Although titled as a sequel, Söldner-X 2 features a significant change in overall style with greater emphesis placed on attacking enemy ships and less on evasion and route planning. The dynamic difficulty system remains, with good player performance (avoiding hits and destroying enemies) resulting in faster and more dangerous enemy attacks.
Differences from the first game
- The weapon linked chaining system is no longer present, being replaced by a more straightforward ring collecting strategy. Larger enemy ships and groups of smaller ones drop gold rings when destroyed. If the player collects these at a fast enough rate then a chain extra is released.
- The player has a choice of two ships at the start; The Thor, labelled as streamlined and 'platy', or the Maxuss II, labelled as bulky and powerful. The ship from the first game can also be unlocked by completing certain extra challenges.
- The stages a generally more 'open' compared to Himmelsstürmer, with only stages 6,7 & 9 featuring background obstacles. This places less emphasis on the players ability to move their craft through tight areas, also allowing for faster paced scrolling.
- Negative power ups are no longer present. However, like many games of its type, collecting the wrong power up at the wrong time can result in difficulties (such as collecting a 'speed-up' during a confined area of the level).
See also
References
- ↑ http://dict.leo.org/?lp=ende&lp=frde&lp=esde&search=himmelsstuermer&searchLoc=0&relink=on&spellToler=standard&cmpType=relaxed
- ↑ 2014-10-01, Söldner-X 2: Final Prototype Coming to PS Vita This Winter, Sony Computer Entertainment America