Planets Under Attack

Planets Under Attack
Developer(s) Targem Games
Publisher(s) Topware Interactive
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Mac OS X
Release date(s)

Windows, OS X

  • WW: September 27, 2012 (2012-09-27)

PlayStation 3

  • NA: November 13, 2012 (2012-11-13)
  • EU: November 21, 2012 (2012-11-21)

Xbox Live Arcade

  • WW: November 14, 2012 (2012-11-14)
Genre(s) Indie, Strategy
Mode(s) Single-player Multiplayer

Planets Under Attack is a strategy video game inspired by Galcon[1] and developed by Targem Games. The game offers a depth of gameplay, while its controls allow casual gamers to pick it up. A cast of characters exists in this world. Everything has an essence of its own, with a soundtrack and comical sound effects.[2]

Gameplay

Gameplay

The game is a strategy adventure game. The aim is to conquer levels and to complete missions in the fight for dominance in multiple planetary systems. The player controls his own space fleet. Each level provides a diversity of goals, modes and difficulty levels. The player has to conquer an entire planet system before an infested planet hatches aliens, or conquer a planet and hold off all comers. Each mission offers three levels of difficulty, with each level unlocking additional challenges. The game mechanics are packed into missions like rotating asteroid belts, changing star constellations and varied objectives. By using tactics to complete objectives, the player will carve out his own niche in the galaxy and level up to new ranks. A technology tree enables the player to adapt his strategy to the game’s increasing difficulty. The right combination of technologies is often the difference between victory and defeat. Technologies affect planetary defense, ship performance, and other boosts.

Skirmish and Multiplayer In addition to the single player campaign and skirmish modes, the game offers an online multiplayer mode with live battles. There are different game modes (Team Multiplayer, Elimination, Capture, King of the Hill, and Domination), two playable races, and different team constellations, Skirmish and Multiplayer. There are unlockable ranks, avatars and rewards.[3]

Features

System Requirements

Reception

The French magazine Joystick rated the game 13/20, criticizing the game for its repetitiveness but praising its gameplay and intuitiveness.[4]

Characters

Game characters

Mr. Goodman
The protagonist and the player's alter ego is clever and good natured but spoiled by the human economic system. He also has a lot of debts but ambition. He plans to become the most successful trader in the galaxy to find the hidden riches of the universe.

Mr. Norrel
The tutor of the protagonist and an outrageous jerk. A fine example of the merciless human commercial system, Mr. Norrell has his mind on his money and his money on his mind.

Mechanicus
He is the "good" robot and famous for the integration of pacifist routines in his central memory.

Destrobo
He is the "evil" robot, also known as the "Red Warrior". His routines are focused on aggression and destruction. Peace and goodwill are not programmed into his circuits.

Arrrgh'ha'ast
He is an alien, and perhaps the physical embodiment of intelligence in this and all universes and a mindless space beast.

Strange Device
This is an artifact from the ancient alien race. It is able to read the protagonist’s mind and has an agenda of its own.

Greedy Thomas
He is the protagonist’s rival and completely focused on money. He is in good company.

Zombie
A former human, he has been transformed by the powers of the ancient technology.

Planet types

Metropolis
This is the only planet that allows you to grow a population. Population is the main source for taxes and therefore planets with a huge population are crucial for the construction of ships. Upgrading a metropolis increases its defense slightly. Upgrading the metropolis also increases the maximum capacity of your population. A metropolis can be upgraded three times.

Space fortress
A space fortress is not a popular place to live, so it is not very surprising that the population will not grow on its own. It can be increased however, by sending ships to the space fortress. The number of inhabitants does not affect the planet’s weapons, but the number of the population should not be too small. A space fortress attacks all enemy ships within its immediate radius. Once the player owns a space fortress, its power radius glows with the player’s color. The space fortress can be upgraded three times. Upgrades increase the attack speed and the defense of their weapons.

Bank planet
A bank planet does not attract people either, but it produces money every few seconds, even during attacks; a stark contrast to the metropolis. And this is its great advantage: It can effectively double your wealth! A bank planet has the lowest defensive strength and it cannot be upgraded.

Planet populated by robots
Unlike the human metropolis, this planet produces energy, not taxes. It can be upgraded up to three times, which slightly increases its defense and the number of potential robots living there is also increased. During the upgrade the planet is vulnerable, as robots use their own body parts to achieve the upgrade.

Space fortress
This planet differs in its outer appearance from the humans. It can be upgraded three times, increasing its attack force and fire speed. During the upgrade the planet is vulnerable, as robots use the planet’s population for an upgrade.

Powerplant
This is the robot equivalent of the human bank planet. Even in wartimes it produces energy for the energy pool, and it can raise the overall energy pool to level 2. A powerplant cannot be upgraded, and has a weak defense.

From a certain point in the game, all planets can be upgraded into another planet type which enhances the upgrade possibilities of all planets from 3 to 5.

Game Types

This is the basic type of gameplay. The goal of this mode is to capture all your opponent's planets and to eliminate all your opponents.

Capture
The goal of this mode is to be the first player to capture a target planet or planets. Of course, if on your way to achieving this goal you happen to eliminate all opponents…well that works just as well.

Domination
The goal in this mode is to capture and hold a specific planet. If you happen to lose the planet to your opponent for a time, the points you’ve accrued won’t be lost. Of course the game is also won when there are no opponents left.

King of the Hill
Here too you must hold specific planets. But contrary to domination, your collected points will be lost if the enemy snatches the planet away from you! If you kill everyone else, then of course you will also win.

Pay Back
Here you’ll make the acquaintance of a special planet type inhabited by collectors. The goal of these sections is to pay a specified amount of money to them. This is important, as they will attack you if you don’t pay fast enough, getting stronger with every successive attack. It is not recommended to move your ships near their planet.

Insecticide
Neutral planets are infected with alien’s eggs. If the planets are not captured within a set time limit, the eggs will hatch, unleashing a massive number of aliens. They are quite hostile, and will attack everyone. This mode exists in combination with other modes.

References

  1. ↑ Looks like Galcon Fusion. Does it play the same? at steamcommunity.com
  2. ↑ TopWare Interactive, Planets Under Attack.
  3. ↑ Official site, Planets Under Attack.
  4. ↑ Kevinator (Dec 2012). "Planets Under Attack review". Joystick (in French) (260): 102.
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