Wrack (video game)

Wrack is a single-player, cel shaded first-person shooter developed and published by Final Boss Entertainment for Microsoft Windows. The full release of the game was on September 30, 2014.^[1] The game was mostly inspired by games as Doom and Mega Man.^[2]

Gameplay

Wrack is a single-player, cel shaded first person shooter where the player takes control of the 'Wracketeer' Kain from a first-person perspective as he fights through many levels of aliens and cyborgs in the year 2052. In the game you play through chapters, each where Kain has to activate switches to proceed to the next room. Every chapter includes one boss battle. The design is mostly comparable with Doom,^[3] where in every level are health, armor, ammo, secrets and new weapons to find. Kain can in the game carry every weapon and doesn't have to reload. Kain's most recognizable weapon is the Hyperblade, a large blue sword. The game also includes a kill chain system where by how many enemies you kill in a short time can enable your weapons perform a special attack. After taking damage, health and armor can be regained by finding health packs and armor throughout the level. The enemies in the game vary in their attacks. Some shoot projectiles, other use melee attacks or kamikaze. Next to the first person shooter parts the game also has some small platforming and puzzle parts. The game employs an save system that gives you lives. In the beginning you will get 3 lives and through the levels you can earn extra lives by earning points or picking up an extra life pickup. Throughout the game you will get checkpoints. But after you lose all your lives you have to start the level all over again from the beginning of the level.

Plot

In the year 2052 the world has found an way to make infinite resources. Thanks to this the world has demilitarized because they don't need armies to protect themselves from wars. Kain, a wracketeer, is sure something bad is going to happen thanks to this. Kain is right, because shortly after the world gets attacked by the Arcturans. Aliens, who want to conquer the world. It is Kain's mission to stop the Arcturans conquering the world.

Development

Brad Carney started development of the game in 2008 on his own WrackEd engine. The game was initially called Project Vega, then The Last Bastion, before finally being titled Wrack. The title of The Last Bastion was changed to Wrack to avoid confusion with the similarly titled indie game Bastion. Carney wanted to avoid potential copyright claim issues and also believed Wrack was an easier name to remember.^[4] His reasoning toward developing the game was his belief that the presence of Doom-like shooters were missing during that time from the gaming market. Carney later stopped the project and worked at other game development studios. When he resumed work on Wrack, he had to get it through Steam Greenlight. The game was eventually greenlit and went on to Steam as an Early Access title. As he continued to work on Wrack, he hired other artists and developers to help him. He asked Bobby Prince, formerly of id Software and Apogee, to provide the game's score and sound design. On September 30, 2014 the game moved out of the Early Access phase.

Reception

Metacritic, a review aggregator, rated it 68/100 based on four reviews.^[5]

References

External links

• Official website