Space Giraffe
- March 19, 2009
- Llamasoft LTD
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreSpace Giraffe is an abstract shooter game with 200 levels, featuring beautifully responsive graphics and deep gameplay that caters to both novice and expert players. Its intense and satisfying action offers a synaesthetic experience, rewarding strategic and thoughtful play while challenging you to achieve higher scores.
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- Once you understand the mechanics, the gameplay becomes an elegant and addictive experience, offering a unique sensory rush.
- The game features a vast number of levels, each designed with care, providing significant value for the price.
- The psychedelic visuals and sound design create a distinct atmosphere that immerses players in a surreal gaming experience.
- The overwhelming visuals and chaotic gameplay can make it difficult to see and understand what is happening, leading to frustrating deaths.
- The game lacks clear instructions, making it challenging for new players to grasp the mechanics and progress effectively.
- The PC port has some technical issues compared to the original version, including sound bugs and less responsive controls.
- gameplay23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of unique mechanics, including automatic shooting and a "bullying" mechanic, which can be enjoyable once players acclimate to the controls and understand the game's distinct goals. While the individual elements like jumping, power-ups, and enemy types function well, they can feel disjointed when combined, leading to a chaotic experience that is often obscured by overwhelming visuals and effects. Overall, the game offers a surreal and immersive experience, but the heavy emphasis on graphics may detract from the gameplay clarity, resulting in frustration for some players.
“Once you get used to the game's whacked-out mechanics, the flow seems to become natural, until it's stomping time.”
“The gameplay is fun, but the graphics along with the sound/music is what makes this game an absolutely surreal experience.”
“Also, once it all starts to come together and you get into 'bulling', there's nothing like it; probably the single most satisfying gameplay mechanic I have come across.”
“The gameplay feels tight but disjointed; everything by itself makes sense—jumping, pods, power-ups, enemy types, movement, shooting—all of it works fine on its own, but when experienced all together during a level, nothing seems to work well, or at least work how I expect it to after having experienced everything by itself.”
“The over-the-top visuals, effects, and audio come at the cost of obfuscating the already abstract gameplay.”
“Far too often, the emphasis on eye-searing visuals over gameplay can and will cause many unnecessary deaths due to how obscured the playfield can get.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as overwhelmingly psychedelic and visually intense, creating a surreal experience that some players may find disorienting. While the aesthetic is praised for its uniqueness and depth, it can obscure gameplay, leading to frustration as players struggle to identify threats amidst the chaotic visuals. Overall, the graphics are a defining feature that may appeal to fans of abstract art and score-attack shooters, but they can also detract from the overall gameplay experience.
“But this is so much more... deeper gameplay, astonishing graphics that could only be done by Jeff Minter, and incredible personal, classic gaming and British culture 'mementos' litter the game.”
“The gameplay is fun, but the graphics along with the sound/music is what makes this game an absolutely surreal experience.”
“When all that comes together with the visuals and audio in the way that it's supposed to, Space Giraffe is simply astounding to play and you can almost feel like you're in a trance when you're on a roll.”
“The main issue I have is that the entire game's aesthetic is a god damn mess.”
“The over-the-top visuals, effects, and audio come at the cost of obfuscating the already abstract gameplay.”
“Far too often, the emphasis on eye-searing visuals over gameplay can and will cause many unnecessary deaths due to how obscured the playfield can get.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players feeling it doesn't match the quality of the previous title, t2k, while others appreciate its contribution to the surreal experience. Many recommend turning down the in-game music to enhance the sound effects or to play their own preferred tracks, as the existing soundtrack may not be sufficient or fitting for everyone. Overall, while the music has its moments, it seems to be overshadowed by the game's intense visuals and gameplay.
“Wondrous sights, sounds, and music await you as you clear web after web of abstract monsters, flowers, and bullets.”
“The gameplay is fun, but the graphics along with the sound/music is what makes this game an absolutely surreal experience.”
“The music is pretty good, although there's not enough of it. Actually, the visuals are so extreme you can barely see the gameplay sometimes.”
“Strongly recommend having your own music handy, though...”
“Turn down the music and turn up the SFX if the music's getting in the way.”
“I'm sure there are some people who enjoy shooting things in a trippy space kind of environment with spacey trance music in the background, but I'm not one of them.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its superb performance, despite a somewhat low-fidelity user interface and configuration options.
“The UI and configuration may be low-fidelity, but the performance is superb.”
“The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
“I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, making the game run seamlessly without sacrificing quality.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it genuinely funny and enjoyable.
“The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious and keeps me laughing throughout!”
“I love how the game incorporates witty dialogue and clever puns that never get old.”
“The comedic timing of the characters is spot on, making every interaction a joy to experience.”
