Infinite Space
Encyclopedia
, initially announced as "Infinite Line",. is a science-fiction role-playing game developed by Nude Maker
and Platinum Games for the Nintendo DS
. It was the third of a four game publishing deal with Sega
. It was released in Japan on June 11, 2009, North America on March 16, 2010, and Europe on March 26, 2010.
A series of short films were also produced by anime
studios Gonzo and Production I.G to promote the game, premiering at the 2008 Tokyo Game Show
.
. The player can customize the ship with over 150 different design models, along with over 150 possible crewmembers. After customizing a ship, the player can explore an expansive game world with a story spanning two galaxies. Characters seen in the game are displayed in 2D
, while ships, exploration, and battles are in 3D
.
The entire game is controlled by the touchscreen
. Neither characters nor spacecraft are controlled directly, but rather, are controlled in a "point and click" type manner. Travel is done by first choosing a destination, then engaging the engines to move towards that destination. Spaceship battles occur in real-time, with attacks utilizing a "command gauge" feature. As the command gauge builds up, the player can use it to perform attacks against an enemy ship. The rate at which the command gauge fills depends on the type of ship, and the crew of the ship.
When the player boards an enemy ship, the player takes control of their character to move through the ship. Characters aren't moved directly, but rather by selecting commands, such as "move right". Melee battles are fought too, using a system similar to "rock, paper, scissors", and a command gauge that is similar to the one used in spaceship battles.
Multiplayer spaceship battles are also available for two-players to play competitively over local Wi-Fi
.
by Arthur C. Clarke
. The plot is divided into two main storylines; both are centered around Yuri, a starship captain-in-training, and take place ten years apart.
The game is set tens of thousands of years in the future, when humankind has spread across several galaxies. While faster-than-light travel using "inflaton inverter" engines is the standard for all spaceships, ancient constructs called Void Gates are necessary to travel wider distances that would still take years to cross. Ruined, inactive Void Gates called Dead Gates can also be found, but are seen as nothing more than scientific curiosities. Infinite Space focuses on Yuri's quest to discover the ultimate purpose of the Epitaphs, artifacts scattered throughout the universe.
Most of the game takes place in two galaxies: Small Magellanic Cloud
and the Large Magellanic Cloud
. In the first part of the game, taking place in the SMC, Yuri becomes aware of the Lugovalian Empire, a very large and powerful intergalactic empire, ruled by an iron fist by Emperor Taranis. Learning of their desire to conquer the SMC, Yuri tries to coordinate the galaxy's forces for a defense, but they quickly fall to the Lugovalian threat. In the second part of the game, taking place 10 years later, most of the SMC is under Lugovalian control, with a plan to also conquer the Galactic Federation of the LMC: the largest military force in the galaxy.
magazine rated it 9/9/8/8 for a total of 34 points, earning it a Gold award. Famitsu applauded the large volume of the game, along with its extensive customization and intricate story. While some famitsu reviewers liked this, others were overwhelmed by the amount of detail, and the steep learning curve.
Western critics were less enthused, with Infinite Space receiving a rating of 78/100 on the aggregate rating site Metacritic. IGN
gave it a 7/10, stating that the game had an "epic story", but that the steep learning curve and clunky interface would test player's patience in being able to get to the good parts of it. Gamesradar
had a similar view, praising the multifaceted story, but complaining about interface problems, such as how the player can customize the ship, but cannot directly see how different parts affect the ships statistics while actually doing the building itself. Website RPGFan gave one of the most glowing reviews, giving it a 92%, and stating "There truly is a grand sense of time and space in this game; it is a long story told across multiple galaxies and dozens of star systems. It is that rare RPG that genuinely makes you feel like the fate of the whole universe is at stake and is actually worthy of its grandiose name. Easily on par with anything you'll find in Xenosaga
or Mass Effect
, this is not just good science fiction, but a space opera for the ages."
Nude Maker
is a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo, Japan. The company is composed mostly of ex-Human Entertainment members, including Hifumi Kono, who directed the first two titles in the Clock Tower series of horror games...
and Platinum Games for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
. It was the third of a four game publishing deal with Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
. It was released in Japan on June 11, 2009, North America on March 16, 2010, and Europe on March 26, 2010.
A series of short films were also produced by anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
studios Gonzo and Production I.G to promote the game, premiering at the 2008 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
.
Gameplay
Infinite Space is a science fiction role-playing video game that allows the player to design and control a spaceshipSpacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
. The player can customize the ship with over 150 different design models, along with over 150 possible crewmembers. After customizing a ship, the player can explore an expansive game world with a story spanning two galaxies. Characters seen in the game are displayed in 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
, while ships, exploration, and battles are in 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
.
The entire game is controlled by the touchscreen
Touchscreen
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus...
. Neither characters nor spacecraft are controlled directly, but rather, are controlled in a "point and click" type manner. Travel is done by first choosing a destination, then engaging the engines to move towards that destination. Spaceship battles occur in real-time, with attacks utilizing a "command gauge" feature. As the command gauge builds up, the player can use it to perform attacks against an enemy ship. The rate at which the command gauge fills depends on the type of ship, and the crew of the ship.
When the player boards an enemy ship, the player takes control of their character to move through the ship. Characters aren't moved directly, but rather by selecting commands, such as "move right". Melee battles are fought too, using a system similar to "rock, paper, scissors", and a command gauge that is similar to the one used in spaceship battles.
Multiplayer spaceship battles are also available for two-players to play competitively over local Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
.
Plot
Infinite Space contains themes from the novel Childhood's EndChildhood's End
Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by the British author Arthur C. Clarke. The story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival ends all war, helps form a world government, and turns the planet into a near-utopia...
by Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
. The plot is divided into two main storylines; both are centered around Yuri, a starship captain-in-training, and take place ten years apart.
The game is set tens of thousands of years in the future, when humankind has spread across several galaxies. While faster-than-light travel using "inflaton inverter" engines is the standard for all spaceships, ancient constructs called Void Gates are necessary to travel wider distances that would still take years to cross. Ruined, inactive Void Gates called Dead Gates can also be found, but are seen as nothing more than scientific curiosities. Infinite Space focuses on Yuri's quest to discover the ultimate purpose of the Epitaphs, artifacts scattered throughout the universe.
Most of the game takes place in two galaxies: Small Magellanic Cloud
Small Magellanic Cloud
The Small Magellanic Cloud is a dwarf galaxy. It has a diameter of about 7,000 light-years and contains several hundred million stars. It has a total mass of approximately 7 billion times the mass of our Sun....
and the Large Magellanic Cloud
Large Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud is a nearby irregular galaxy, and is a satellite of the Milky Way. At a distance of slightly less than 50 kiloparsecs , the LMC is the third closest galaxy to the Milky Way, with the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal and Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy lying closer to the center...
. In the first part of the game, taking place in the SMC, Yuri becomes aware of the Lugovalian Empire, a very large and powerful intergalactic empire, ruled by an iron fist by Emperor Taranis. Learning of their desire to conquer the SMC, Yuri tries to coordinate the galaxy's forces for a defense, but they quickly fall to the Lugovalian threat. In the second part of the game, taking place 10 years later, most of the SMC is under Lugovalian control, with a plan to also conquer the Galactic Federation of the LMC: the largest military force in the galaxy.
Reception
Reception for the game has been mixed to positive. Japan's FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
magazine rated it 9/9/8/8 for a total of 34 points, earning it a Gold award. Famitsu applauded the large volume of the game, along with its extensive customization and intricate story. While some famitsu reviewers liked this, others were overwhelmed by the amount of detail, and the steep learning curve.
Western critics were less enthused, with Infinite Space receiving a rating of 78/100 on the aggregate rating site Metacritic. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave it a 7/10, stating that the game had an "epic story", but that the steep learning curve and clunky interface would test player's patience in being able to get to the good parts of it. Gamesradar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
had a similar view, praising the multifaceted story, but complaining about interface problems, such as how the player can customize the ship, but cannot directly see how different parts affect the ships statistics while actually doing the building itself. Website RPGFan gave one of the most glowing reviews, giving it a 92%, and stating "There truly is a grand sense of time and space in this game; it is a long story told across multiple galaxies and dozens of star systems. It is that rare RPG that genuinely makes you feel like the fate of the whole universe is at stake and is actually worthy of its grandiose name. Easily on par with anything you'll find in Xenosaga
Xenosaga
is a series of science fiction video games developed by Monolith Soft and published by Namco Bandai. Xenosaga's main story is in the form of a trilogy of PlayStation 2 video games. There have been three spin-off games and an anime adaptation. The Xenosaga series serves as a spiritual successor to...
or Mass Effect
Mass Effect
Mass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, this is not just good science fiction, but a space opera for the ages."