Space Rangers 2: Dominators
Encyclopedia
Space Rangers 2: Dominators (Russian: Космические рейнджеры 2: Доминаторы), released in North America with the subtitle Rise of the Dominators, is a multi-genre science fiction
computer game developed by Elemental Games
for Windows
and first published in 2004 by 1C Company
. The player takes the role of a spaceship pilot, and may explore, trade, engage in space and ground based combat, and undertake various types of missions. Space Rangers 2 is the sequel to the 2002 computer game Space Rangers
.
engine
. The game also includes a 3D
real-time strategy
engine for planetary battles, with the option to control units within the RTS engine to play the battles as third-person shooter
s. The game also features an arcade shoot 'em up
mode, and text-based missions that include interactive fiction
and logic puzzle
elements. The player character
can gain experience point
s and improve skills, and the player character's ship can be upgraded as the player earns more cash. Sources of income for the player character include trading, piracy, completing missions for various factions, mining, and deploying research probes.
It has a metacritic score of 84 (out of 100).
released a CD-ROM version (Space Rangers 2 only) in 2005. In March, 2006, Cinemaware Marquee released a CD-ROM version subtitled Rise of the Dominators in North America. Space Rangers 2 is also distributed electronically via Trymedia
, Steam and TotalGaming.net
. It was also added to Good Old Games on February 3, 2011.
. The European retail version also includes the original Space Rangers
, along with a combined version of Space Rangers 2 and the expansion pack.
For the Russian version of game also exist Space rangers 2: Revolution an informal Non-commercial addition (addon) to game Space Rangers 2: Reboot. New fighting cards, arkada, planetary, new text quests, set of the governmental tasks and non-standard situations are added.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
computer game developed by Elemental Games
Elemental Games
Elemental Games is a game development company based in Vladivostok Russia, best known for the multi-genre science fiction computer games Space Rangers and the sequel, Space Rangers 2:Dominators.-Overview:...
for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and first published in 2004 by 1C Company
1C Company
1C Company is one of the largest independent Russian software developers and publishers. Its headquarters are in Moscow, Russia. It is best known outside of the former Soviet Union as a video game developer whose presence has come to dominate events like the KRI, and whose products have begun to...
. The player takes the role of a spaceship pilot, and may explore, trade, engage in space and ground based combat, and undertake various types of missions. Space Rangers 2 is the sequel to the 2002 computer game Space Rangers
Space Rangers (video game)
Space Rangers is a multi-genre computer game by the Russian company Elemental Games, released by 1C Company in 2002. It is critically lauded and popular in its home country, Finland and parts of Eastern Europe, although not so popular elsewhere due to lack of marketing...
.
Setting
Space Rangers 2 is set in the year 3300. Sentient combat robots known as Dominators are attacking the five civilizations of the Coalition: the humans, the Maloqs, the Pelengs, the Faeyans, and the Gaalians. There are three Dominator types, each at war with each other: the Blazeroids, the Kelleroids, and the Terronoids. The player begins the game as a trainee member of the Space Rangers – a corps of pilots charged with defending the galaxy from the Dominators.Gameplay
Space Rangers 2 combines multiple gameplay modes. Space travel takes place in a third-person perspective turn-based 2D2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
. The game also includes a 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...
real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
engine for planetary battles, with the option to control units within the RTS engine to play the battles as third-person shooter
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
s. The game also features an arcade shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
mode, and text-based missions that include interactive fiction
Interactive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
and logic puzzle
Logic puzzle
A logic puzzle is a puzzle deriving from the mathematics field of deduction.-History:The logic puzzle was first produced by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who is better known under his pen name Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
elements. The player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
can gain experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s and improve skills, and the player character's ship can be upgraded as the player earns more cash. Sources of income for the player character include trading, piracy, completing missions for various factions, mining, and deploying research probes.
Reception
Space Rangers 2 attracted mainly positive reviews from the gaming media. Many reviewers noted its extreme open-endedness, the variety of its mini-games, and its off-beat style. Criticisms centered on its perceived lack of polish, the uneven quality of its various mini-games, and the poor quality of the English translations.It has a metacritic score of 84 (out of 100).
Publishing history
Space Rangers 2 was originally published in Russia by 1C Company in November, 2004. In June 2005, Excalibur Publishing released a DVD version that included both Space Rangers 2 and its prequel, Space Rangers. Australian distributor Red Ant EnterprisesRed Ant Enterprises
Red Ant Enterprises Pty Ltd was an Australian owned video game, anime, home video and PC software distributor. Red Ant is the largest such company in the country, as well as the local distributor for over 30 publishers that are based overseas, including 505 Games and Oxygen Games and previously...
released a CD-ROM version (Space Rangers 2 only) in 2005. In March, 2006, Cinemaware Marquee released a CD-ROM version subtitled Rise of the Dominators in North America. Space Rangers 2 is also distributed electronically via Trymedia
Trymedia
Trymedia Systems, Inc. is a division of RealNetworks that provides digital distribution services based on its proprietary ActiveMARK DRM and digital distribution technology. Trymedia is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Berkshire and Alicante....
, Steam and TotalGaming.net
Stardock
Stardock Corporation is a software development company founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1993 as Stardock Systems. Stardock initially developed for the OS/2 platform, but was forced to switch to Windows due to the collapse of the OS/2 software market between 1997 and 1998...
. It was also added to Good Old Games on February 3, 2011.
Expansion Packs
An expansion pack called Space Rangers 2: Reboot has been released as a download from StardockStardock
Stardock Corporation is a software development company founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1993 as Stardock Systems. Stardock initially developed for the OS/2 platform, but was forced to switch to Windows due to the collapse of the OS/2 software market between 1997 and 1998...
. The European retail version also includes the original Space Rangers
Space Rangers (video game)
Space Rangers is a multi-genre computer game by the Russian company Elemental Games, released by 1C Company in 2002. It is critically lauded and popular in its home country, Finland and parts of Eastern Europe, although not so popular elsewhere due to lack of marketing...
, along with a combined version of Space Rangers 2 and the expansion pack.
For the Russian version of game also exist Space rangers 2: Revolution an informal Non-commercial addition (addon) to game Space Rangers 2: Reboot. New fighting cards, arkada, planetary, new text quests, set of the governmental tasks and non-standard situations are added.
External links
- Space Rangers at Excalibur Publishing
- Space Rangers 2 at 1C Company