By Adam Smith on September 7th, 2012 at 8:00 pm.
Here’s a wee free dram of roguelike-like for those who enjoy such things of an evening. Steam Marines is a squad-based, turn-based space-based game in which four tiny doomed people wander through a starstriding vessel and get killed by robots. Even though they do die a lot they’re not weaklings, able to smash through metal walls just for the sake of it. Covering entrances and exits seems to be the best way to advance, luring enemies into crossfire. Different weapons and speeds make it important to know each squad member, and there are movement units within each turn, which along with the multiple characters is reason for the extra ‘like’ on roguelike. Trailer with glorious music below.
The alpha is for Windows and Mac, and the Steam Marines are trying to breach Steam via Greenlight. Having its name in your name won’t help, tiny marines, Steam itself is not alive and doesn’t have a vote, and even if it did it might not be so easily won over.
07/09/2012 at 20:09 Jesse L says:
Squee!
07/09/2012 at 20:13 tobecooper says:
It looks like a cute mix of Space Hulk and Incubation with some lovely music.
I voted them on Greenlight.
But whenever they’re ready with a full version, my body’s ready, and I have prepared a little bucket with money inside to throw at them, and/or my monitor.
07/09/2012 at 20:29 Pindie says:
I was thinking more Space Crusade.
I feel nostalgic.
07/09/2012 at 20:53 tobecooper says:
Wow. It does indeed look like Space Crusade.
To my defense, in 1992, I was too young to appreciate the importance of shooting ugly alien monsters in the face. Something that I have grown to understand and love with age.
07/09/2012 at 22:00 Vitruality says:
Please note that I feel suitably ashamed at the self-promotion, but if science fiction squad-based roguelikes heavily inspired by Space Crusade are something people are broadly in favour of then I’ll just leave this link here:
http://www.vitruality.com/2012/04/as-t-ro/
08/09/2012 at 08:47 Harlander says:
Science fiction roguelikes and squad-based roguelikes are two things there aren’t enough of, in my opinion.
Self-promote away!
09/09/2012 at 08:31 Kektain says:
This was good fun! I wouldn’t be opposed to more work on this! :D
07/09/2012 at 22:33 Eclipse says:
I was thinking about Space Hulk\Crusade too, then I tried the demo and WTF NO MOUSE SUPPORT
08/09/2012 at 01:42 tobecooper says:
It’s an alpha build. I think it is reasonable to believe they’ll implement mouse in the future.
07/09/2012 at 20:15 Greggh says:
I can only say thanks for pointing this out; Steam’s Greenlight doesn’t show stuff I’m interested in so often
07/09/2012 at 20:19 squareking says:
I demand squishy enemies!
07/09/2012 at 20:49 LionsPhil says:
Mmm, robots aren’t the most satisfying things in the world to shoot.
07/09/2012 at 21:07 Jesse L says:
I seriously think some bloody dismemberment would help get this game greenlit. Just a quick animation and a squishy sound would do it.
07/09/2012 at 21:34 tobecooper says:
Well, I have to agree that in this case violence would lead to increasing both the commercial and aesthetic value of the project. Win-win situation for squishy aliens.
08/09/2012 at 08:50 Harlander says:
Actually I think the squishy aliens would be the only ones to lose in that scenario
07/09/2012 at 21:21 Slinkyboy says:
Yeah, I agree. I was hoping for alien infestation. Oh well.
09/09/2012 at 12:17 BestFriends4Ever says:
Give me BLOOD or give me DEATH!!
07/09/2012 at 20:24 Sakkura says:
“Thanks for helping this game get closer to release on Steam!”
“This game has attained 1% of necessary positive ratings so far”
Bleh… Well I did my part. Now RPS just needs to run this story 3 times a day for a month or so and we should be good to go.
07/09/2012 at 20:26 AmateurScience says:
That looks great! Despite liking the concept of greenlight, I’ve basically given up on it until it settles down a bit, but I shall be up voting this straight away.
07/09/2012 at 21:36 JiminyJickers says:
Yeah this one is a definite buy for me.
07/09/2012 at 22:36 Arathian says:
For those that don’t know:
The game was originally named space hulk: space marine, and was in warhammer 40000. But then they got a nice seize and desist by games workshop to stop using their name, so they changed the name to this.
Basically, it is the game based on the space hulk rule book for warhammer. Very interesting alternative to the normal battles.
07/09/2012 at 22:38 Vitruality says:
I think you’re thinking of Alien Assault, not this game.
08/09/2012 at 01:08 mckertis says:
I must say, alpha is pretty bare-boned right now. Too much so. You have to scour the dev’s forum to even learn the controls and basic rules !!! (yes, not all controls are listed in the actual game, and not even readme is provided).
08/09/2012 at 12:49 Ian says:
Well, that looks a little bit splendid.