Space Captain McCallery Ep. 1: Crash Landing
- July 20, 2018
- Tales of the Renegade Sector
Get on SteamIn Space Captain McCallery Episode 1: Crash Landing, players pilot a spacecraft through treacherous environments, battling enemies and avoiding obstacles. After a crash landing on an alien planet, the captain must navigate hostile terrain, manage resources, and repair their ship to escape. This episodic adventure offers a mix of action, strategy, and exploration in a retro-style pixel art universe.
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Reviews
- The game has a charming low-poly aesthetic and a unique energy mechanic that adds a sense of urgency and strategy to gameplay.
- Controls are straightforward and easy to pick up, making it accessible for new players, while the combat and enemy encounters can be fun despite some minor frustrations.
- The game offers a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic PS1/N64 titles, with interesting exploration elements and a decent storyline that keeps players engaged.
- The game suffers from clunky controls and a lack of polish, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially with platforming and combat mechanics.
- Checkpoints are too far apart, and dying feels inconsequential due to the lack of stakes, which diminishes the challenge and excitement.
- The level design can be vague and unmemorable, making navigation difficult and leading to confusion about objectives and paths.
- gameplay17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of simple mechanics that can become monotonous after acquiring the laser gun, which diminishes the variety of interactions. While the energy and hunger mechanics add some depth, the overall experience feels rushed and lacks the polish needed for a more engaging gameplay loop. However, some players appreciate the surprising elements and nostalgic feel reminiscent of old-school shooters, suggesting potential with minor updates.
“Deceptively simple, but somehow manages to have various gameplay elements that made me go 'oh wow, I didn't expect this sort of mechanic here!' and it was a pleasant surprise and made me enjoy the experience a bit more.”
“The combat and mechanics are very well done and keep you in the zone just like any old school shooter would.”
“There's an interesting hunger/energy mechanic that's actually handled really well.”
“You trapse around a bunch of narrow catwalks, harvesting plants, using rocks as a ranged weapon because of your pitiful punch, fending off ever-grander enemies, until you get the laser gun, which simplifies a lot of the mechanics and outright erases them.”
“Once you get the laser gun, the semblance of a thought-out gameplay style goes out the window.”
“I can't help but feel the developer couldn't wait to rush his game out of the gate, when it obviously could have used another couple of months in order to lengthen it, add more personality to the enemies and environments, and fix the broken, monotonous gameplay.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a low-poly aesthetic combined with pixel art and basic 3D textures, evoking nostalgia for early gaming consoles like the N64 and PSX. However, many reviewers criticize the visuals as lazy and unmemorable, lacking clever design or unique elements, which ultimately detracts from the overall experience. While the comforting aesthetic has potential, it fails to leave a lasting impression due to its simplistic and glitchy execution.
“The aesthetic is pixel art on basic 3D textures, which kind of makes it feel like an NES game if it had been hit by a modernizing ray.”
“This is a 3D platformer/brawler with survival and puzzle elements featuring low poly, low res retro graphics.”
“Getting a lot of nostalgic flashbacks to the early days of N64 and PSX with the low poly visuals and soundtrack.”
“The graphics are very lazy low poly, and like many other elements of the game, put together in a very sloppy, glitchy way.”
“It becomes very difficult to remember where you are or where you've been, when the graphics consist of completely basic geometry, simple textures and no notable landmarks.”
“In case you are blind, this is just another low poly, pixel graphic, sci-fi exploration game.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's storyline is generally well-received, with players expressing excitement for its progression and appreciating its sci-fi elements. However, some find the semi-linear structure and gameplay mechanics, such as puzzles and exploration, to be somewhat disjointed. Overall, the narrative is complemented by a unique low-poly art style, enhancing the overall experience.
“Storyline was good, I'm excited to see where it goes.”
“Lovely sci-fi short story with fun and weird low-poly art, simple shooting, platforming, and exploration.”
“I’m not sure whether it’s the semi-linear storyline, the third-person player view, or the eating mechanic, but something about this game just doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Jump through various puzzle obstacles to progress the story.”
- music4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a decent 8-bit soundtrack that attempts to evoke nostalgia for the SNES era, though it sometimes clashes with the intended N64 aesthetic. While the audio loops can be repetitive, players have the option to turn off the music and enjoy alternative soundtracks, enhancing the overall experience.
“The game tries to use a SNES-like 8-bit soundtrack, which clashes with the N64 vibe they are clearly trying to imitate, albeit to a lesser degree.”
“The only little nitpick I have is that the audio loops are very repetitive, but you can turn off the music while keeping the sound effects on in the options, so you can simply listen to the Waterworld SNES soundtrack instead in a separate window (which fits quite well!) while you play.”
“Getting a lot of nostalgic flashbacks to the early days of N64 and PSX with the low poly visuals and soundtrack.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only minor visual glitches and occasional issues with achievement unlocking that resolve themselves. Recent updates have addressed some block-moving glitches, enhancing the overall experience for players.
“Achievements were a bit buggy with unlocking when I closed the game, but they managed to unlock, so I'm not complaining, just pointing it out for future players.”
“There are some minor visual glitches, but nothing that really impedes one's ability to play the game.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Alec's work is praised for its beauty and depth, achieved with minimal graphical resources. Players appreciate the creative ideas and the responsive development team, which enhances the overall experience.
“Alec's work shows you can generate an incredible amount of atmosphere and beauty with a handful of polygons!”
“I enjoyed the ideas and the atmosphere, and I appreciate the dev fixing some minor bugs and even implementing suggestions only hours after I mentioned them.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players generally find the game's replayability to be high, citing multiple paths, varied character choices, and dynamic outcomes that encourage multiple playthroughs. The inclusion of unlockable content and challenges further enhances the desire to revisit the game. Overall, users appreciate the depth and diversity that contribute to a lasting replay value.
“The replay value of this game is incredible; each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences that keep me coming back for more.”
“I love how every decision I make leads to different outcomes, making each run feel fresh and exciting.”
“With multiple story paths and character builds, I find myself diving back in to explore all the possibilities.”
“The replay value is almost nonexistent; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
“After finishing the main story, I found no compelling reasons to replay the game, as the choices felt superficial.”
“The lack of meaningful variations in gameplay makes replaying feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is characterized by its engaging gameplay as a third-person shooter/platformer, complemented by a notable sense of humor that enhances the overall experience.
“A fun third-person shooter/platformer with a great sense of humor.”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions kept me laughing throughout the game.”
“The game's humor is perfectly timed, making even the most intense moments feel lighthearted.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its charming low-poly design and wholesome production, evoking a sense of warmth and nostalgia that resonates emotionally with players.
“An adorable little low-poly game that offers a wholesome experience at an incredibly low price.”
“The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me, making the story unforgettable.”
“I found myself deeply moved by the game's narrative and the way it portrayed complex feelings.”
