Below are user reviews of Space Rangers 2: The Rise of the Dominators and on the right are links to professionally written reviews.
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User Reviews (1 - 11 of 21)
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This game is a triple threat: addictive, fun, and full of variety!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User
This is such an incredible game, and packed to the gills with fun. Flying through space is blissful, the planetary battles are gripping, the trading is a treat, and I've run out of adjectives for the text adventures and arcade shooter sections.
This is one of the few games I've played that I did not want to end - there are so many things to do, it's like 5 games in one. If you were bored stiff by Galactic Civ, buy this instead.
Any complaints? Some of the translations are a bit rough, but that just adds to the "alien" flavor of the game.
How do games like this go unnoticed?
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 1 / 1
Date: June 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User
I bought this game off a clearance rack at a closeout store for four dollars. It sat on my shelf for a while so I could finish some other things, and I was hesitant to install it after reading so many accounts of "StarForce copy protection" wreaking havoc on their computers. Honestly, I think alot of geniuses installed the game and forgot to put the play disc (disc 1) back in the drive. I've had no problem with it whatsoever.
Alot of the other reviewers have already gone into explicit detail about what makes this game so great... I felt the need to write a review because I beat everything and anything the game has to offer and don't know what to do with myself for the moment now that I can't get anything more out of it. It's really that good, and that addictive. Translation, presentation, implementation is all nearly flawless, now I hunt for any "Cinemaware Marquee" products I can get my hands on. My computer isn't so great, so it was very satisfying to play a recent game (2006) that forgoes graphics that are out of the reach of my system and puts so much attention into the gameplay, strategy, and AI. Seriously, the NPC's can do anything you can do, short of exploring new planets and black holes. I woke my roommates up swearing because another Ranger had gotten to a planet that received a shiny new prototype ship I had researched on the game's "planetary search function", saved up for game weeks (real life days), and had driven through four star systems to buy... he got there one day before me and passed by me with it as I approached the space-dock. This sort of reaction may sound like I wasn't enjoying myself, but I was mostly just floored by the fact that people can and do make products like this.
Word of advice to players: do yourself a favor and play on Easy, or at least use the mercifully planned custom difficulty to tweak some of the money and enemy strength settings. Unless you like waking up your roommates with swearing, as I noted above. While I was learning the ropes on Normal the Dominators were conquering system after system, killing many of my fellow rangers. After buying the best gear available at the time and spending thousands of credits to convince a planetary government to dispatch a battle fleet, I charged into an occupied system (just far enough behind to not get shot first!) and barely made a dent before all my allies were crushed and I had to jump back to where I came from... now needlessly short of alot of cash, having had no time to safely collect floating loot from fallen enemies and allies (Dominators, aware of your intentions to collect their superior technology, have a nasty habit of destroying any and all space debris they fly by, leaving you with the options of filling your airlock in the heat of combat or killing them all and cleaning up afterwards) and with a hefty repair bill to boot. Don't be ashamed to run from every ship you see, pirate or otherwise, while you make a lot of merchant shipments and save up for your days of glory, and make good use of the "search function" to keep an eye out as new technology hits the market.
I don't mean to write a strategy guide as part of my review, but explaining circumstances like this should truly inform you of just how different your playing experience will be. The best I can explain is... Grand Theft Auto (in its 2D roots and freeplay glory)+ Strategy RPG + Space.
As soon as I finish typing and click submit, I'm going to install Space Rangers 1 (graciously included in the retail box, a hell of a bargain for four dollars). Hats off to a handful of small companies with a truck-ful of big ideas.
Star Force protected despite Bruce's comment
1
Rating: 1,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 21, 2008
Author: Amazon User
I purchased the game based on Bruce's assertion that Starforce had been removed. I don't know how he got a copy that didn't include Starforce but the version just delivered by Amazon does include it.
Hopefully Amazon will accept the return.
Holy Spacemonkeys!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User
Space Rangers 2 is pure fun. It reminds me of an old game named Privateer that ran on DOS. You run around the galaxy in your spaceship fighting, trading, doing small missions and buying upgrades for your ship. You can play the game as a fighter, merchant or pirate. Part of the game includes a StarCraft like element where you fight in a real-time strategy mode, but for those who don't like that kind of action you can skip those missions entirely. You start off as a weakling and build up as the game goes on acquiring rank, skill, money and reputation. You can also hire other rangers to work under your direction as you build skill so that when you get into battles you bring your entire "entourage" with you.
The game is highly addictive and you will find yourself engrossed for hours (or days) at a time. The Space Rangers 2 development team has done a great job of creating a totally unique genre with this game. If you're into flashy graphical games with weak story lines and marginal game play development this title is not for you.
Awesome Game!!!!
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 2 / 2
Date: March 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User
This game is like StarshipTrader, a web game that I played online once, but with better graphics and more activities.
Oh, yeah ... is StarForce that bad? To the people who purchased this game: Have any of you had bad experience with the version of StarForce that was included with Space Rangers 2?
Easily overlooked, but definately addicting and replayable.
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 8 / 9
Date: November 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User
I don't know where or how I found out about this Russian game. I think there were a bunch a rave reviews about this seemingly indie game about a month back or so. Played the demo and it was ok. Nothing special only because you can only play the demo for a timed period then it advertises itself and exits. The gameplay intrigued me enough to scope out the price on Amazon.com. I was shocked to see a good review by an actual game creator for this old AtariST computer game called Sundog: The Frozen Legacy, which I used to be completely addicted to. This guy claims that Space Rangers is everything that he wished he could have done with Sundog.
After that, I was sold. Bought it the next weekend and I've been playing religiously for about a month now. The majority of the game is a 2D, turn-based space adventure. You can fly to different planets and trade to build up cash. Planets usually have quests ranging from FedEx missions to "take down this Pirate in such and such star system". Some will even offer a text adventure! Yes, these are the old-timed text adventures of old and are quite fun, even if they can be oddly translated sometimes. There are even black holes you can fly into and have yet another game that is more arcade like that anything where you fly around with the WASD keys and shoot anything that moves.
When you are not flying around, interacting with other ships, trading with other planets, buying and re-fitting your ever-changing ship, you will have to occasionally fight the nefarious Dominators. Dominators are evil robots with the intent to completely wipe out all organic life. Dominators are usually fought in the 2D space, but if you land on a planet in a recently liberated star system, you will be asked to assist in wiping the remaining dominators off the planets surface. If you agree, prepare for a not-too-shabby RTS game.
So there you have it. With all these game types, and the sheer addictiveness of constantly bettering your ship and skills by doing missions and trading, its very hard to put down. You won't be blown away by the graphics really, but the fun factor and freedom to do what the hell you want anytime holds the key to this game's victory in my book. Ive put more hours into this game than Oblivion or any big name Role Playing game out there to date. Check out the reviews at Gamespy, IGN, MetaCritic, or G4. This bargain title scores high 90's all over the place. Its worth checking out.
haven't had so much fun since Ultima
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 3 / 14
Date: September 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User
Unlike the other games of this gener or any other or of games which have been rehashes of old games but "dumbed down" for retarded people, this is truely a game of old. Though the graphics are sleek and the animation slick and realsitic. Many people knock this for being "boring" so why aren't they out with thier jet-set freinds instead of holing up playing nerdy games? Although the box tells of "what's new" being a better score of muzak and graphics what really stands out is that the learning curve to play it has been narrowed, yet you still have to learn. The planet exploratin is not much but what there is is fun and entertaining. The Text-based adventures on the planets are only appriciated by those who played text games in school growning up so don't even bother if you hate them. Some planetside missoins are only probing a planet for resorces and can be rewarding as well as nice to land on. The howling wind and pretty backdrops are a nice touch in a pinch some even have a special muzak theme. Then back to battle. Dispite the cheezy title "Space Rangers and the Dominators" indeed , thae game is anything but, and reminds us not to judge a game by the box(open or closed). The "Battles" are not in a pilot seat, thouhg I would have preferred that option, they are in third person but still fun if you like the Orcish stradegy games or "Orion". The most interesting part, like most people on here say, is the robots and planet reasorce gatheringa. I heard of it before purchaseing and thought "oh another "total anhilation clone" but it is less and more. The robot battles are entertaining and you can create different parts and configs as well as programs. You are only limited to "Conquere" Attack" And "defense" and I would have liked a custom script but you can later configure more body parts for this. The reasorces are not just for the planet you battle for but your own reserve for future endevors both in space and on planets. This is why it is so much more than just a strategy game like "warcarft" but less in simplicity but you have everything and just the right amount of "every" thinmg. Money is not the only requirement for ship opperations eiether, you can exploit uninhabbited worlds but you don't just go down to a planet to put your robots to work, you havev to contract with the governments for a job then and only then can you refine more than just the "trash" from wreckted space ships. Astaroids are the way to get quick minerals but no mining option, you just blow it up and dig your "hand" icon to your ship. But it's a hybrid game and only experimental and a good job for the first one, at that.
The races again, Unlike most retarded programmers choices, are all good and bad choices no race is "better" and all are diverse in the way they do thinngs, but none of the "you could do it just as easily with gold and a human" attitude as in Baldur's friggen Gate or something. Some planets are not suitable for certain races to even land on. If you have hostile retlations you can be tried and go to prison and even it is interesting becasue, agian a text adventure on planetside. A human may survive any conflict, though not too well, while other races will have an easiter or harder time in certain key quests. In pirson you have to be tough and cleaver the best race is the Malog for shere brutalaty and respect to quickly revolt but you won't do much once you do escape becasue thees creatures are inferior in space travel but thier are key abilities only avilible to them. the Pelendgs are anphibius and can breathe air, water, and even poison and any planet is suitible for exploration by these beiings they are reasorce scavengers. Feayens are feeble even by human standards(much like Ylla and Mr. Kie of the Martian chronicles I assume) they are totally out of element on a planetside mission but exceptionally well suited for space travel and dipolmacy as well as science and tech dev. They also have mental powers. Gaalins are another resource hog race and very diplomatic and relatable to every government. They make excellent leaders. I will not go into the "Domintaors" other than they are "better" than ANY other and you cannot be them. I chose a "custom" difficultiy but only make THEM the hard setting and every one else "normal." This is also a good choice making element. The game is all about choice and choice developement so get it now!
Oh the #2 uses "Starforce" so be wary. In theory they fixed a few things but I doubt much as they are very "evil galactic empirish" and it is only a "theory" and confirmed by no one as of yet. The four star over all is ONLY because of this. My PC runs well but yours may not.
Tried but True
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 5 / 8
Date: August 09, 2006
Author: Amazon User
The land battles are a unique and flying around in a small universe is real cool. Trying to figure out how to finaly win and finish the game was not as easy. There is a unique look at life in different professions. This game is a real challange in thought and use of weapons. Its replay value is off the chart. This is worth the money. Prepair to spend a lot of time playing and fighting.
Sorry to hear this game contains starforce
1
Rating: 1,
Useful: 18 / 37
Date: August 03, 2006
Author: Amazon User
I had read great review of this and I purchased it from BestBuy, but I figured I better do a quick search to see what copy protection the game housed. I was very sad to learn that this game contains Starforce, so this means I will be making a trip back to BestBuy to return it. So sad publishers decide to use this copy protection.
mark
Massive Game World
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 2 / 6
Date: June 30, 2006
Author: Amazon User
This game is unbelievably huge. The only problem is what do you do when you are dropped in the middle of a massive world like this without any specific plan? Makes it tough. Yes, there are thousands of missions. There is lots to do, it just picking what you should do. It's almost too much. But I love it regardless.
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