Draft:Alien Sky
Submission declined on 4 June 2025 by Bunnypranav (talk).
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|  |
| Alien Sky | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | KraiSoft Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | * Oberon Media (Xbox Live Arcade) |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Xbox (Xbox Live Arcade) |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Fixed-screen shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Alien Sky is a fixed-screen shoot ʼem up video game created by Russian studio KraiSoft Entertainment.[1] Originally distributed as shareware for Microsoft Windows on 8 March 2004, it was later included in the launch line-up of Xbox Live Arcade for the original Xbox on 4 January 2005, where it was sold digitally by Oberon Media.[2][3]
Gameplay
[edit]Players pilot a star-fighter that can move horizontally along the bottom of the screen while firing upward at waves of alien craft reminiscent of Space Invaders and Galaga.[1] Power-ups award temporary weapons—including laser cannons, homing missiles and screen-clearing nuclear bombs—while certain enemy types erect barriers, steal power-ups or ram the player, requiring different tactics.[4] The campaign is divided into ten missions, each ending with an oversized boss encounter; high scores may be uploaded to a worldwide leaderboard.[1]
Development and release
[edit]KraiSoft Entertainment designed Alien Sky as an arcade homage built with in-house tools. Following its 2004 Windows debut, Russian publisher Noviy Disk issued a boxed edition titled Alien Sky. Vrashdebnye nebesa (Враждебные небеса).[5]
Microsoft later licensed the game for the original Xbox’s fledgling Xbox Live Arcade service, bundling a time-limited demo on the 2004/2005 Xbox Live Starter Pack disc and offering the full version for US$9.99 via digital download.[3][6]
Reception
[edit]The Windows edition holds an average critic rating of 74 % on MobyGames, based on five contemporary reviews.[1] Andrew Williams of *Bytten* praised its “solid, colourful action” but felt later stages became repetitive.[7] Retrospectives on early Xbox Live Arcade line-ups note the title’s faithful retro design and modest production values.[6]
Legacy
[edit]Elements of the codebase and sprite work were reused in KraiSoft’s later shooter Atomaders 2 (2006).[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Alien Sky (Windows)". MobyGames. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Alien Sky – Releases". MobyGames. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Xbox Live Arcade 2005 Game Demo Disc". Internet Archive. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Alien Sky – Features". KraiSoft Entertainment. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Alien Sky". My Abandonware. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Xbox Live Arcade's Early History – E3 2004 Announcement". 9 March 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ Andrew Williams (25 March 2004). "Review – Alien Sky". Bytten. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
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