Melbourne-based Robot Circus launched their debut self-published title Ticket to Earth last week.
While they call their game a “sci-fi tale of betrayal and insurrection”, it feels very much like a blend of turn-based strategy sprinkled with puzzle elements.
The game will run in four episodes, set to be released periodically. Episode One: Uprising comes with the game, with the remaining episodes titled Crash, Meltdown and Revolution respectively.
The game features mutiple characters who each work together to defeat the in-game enemies. Like most strategy games, there are different classes which offer unique abilities to each of the characters.
Your character can progress around the game’s level by moving on any colour square, then continually progressing on adjacent squares of an identical colour. This will in turn power up both your basic attack and your ability of the same colour.
Following identical squares on the game map charges up your attacks and help gain special abilities.
For every turn, your character is allowed two actions before your attack. This means you can charge your attack through one set of identically-coloured panels, before using a second movement on a different set of panels, then make your attack. But player beware, your enemies are subject to the same conditions.
Each level has a certain amount of enemies you need to defeat in order to progress. The tutorial stages slowly introduce you to all the game’s mechanics, but once you complete those and move on to the story, you have more freedom to take on the levels your way.
Ticket to Earth is the first self-published title from Robot Circus. The studio has previously created three different educational video games for ABC Splash, their children’s online education sector.
The game is currently out on iOS for $5.99, with releases planned for Android devices and Mac/PC later this year. Multiplayer Melbourne will feature a full review of the game when the Android and/or PC version is released.
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