In the true spirit of PAX Easter 2012 I spent a good part of my day destroying things. Wreckateer is an upcoming Xbox Live Arcade Kinect title in which you use your body and arms to aim shots that destroy castles. As with most Kinect games this seems to be quite entertaining and a great family friendly title.
In Wreckateer your avatar appears to control the shots. You use your arms to gram the ballista and to create tension you take a few steps back. To aim your shot you moved left or right, when you were aiming at a specific tower or wall it would glow. Once you are ready to take your shot you throw your arms to the side. For regular shots you immediately get third person view of the blast. Using your arms you can aim it towards a specific spot on your target to inflict the most damage, putting your arms up made the shot go higher, down lower, et cetera.
Each castle has different multiplier shields you can also aim your shot at. When aimed correctly you could hit certain score multipliers and send your damage score soaring. Not to say it didn’t always work for me but I blame that on pure inexperience.
Another part of Wreckateer that made it more than just an aim and shoot game are the special shots and rewards. Not all shots are the same. Throughout the demo I experienced a few different special blasts. The first was the split shot. After firing the shot I threw my arms out to the side again and the shot split into four smaller shots. By bringing my arms together they got closer, by spreading my arms apart they spread out. Another special shot was the flying shot. After launching this shot I threw my arms up into the air which gave it wings. I then had to keep my arms out and use them like wings to aim the shot at the castle. I was also told that within the actual game there will be a variety of different shot types including an exploding shot.
For certain shots you also get special rewards. There are goblins in the towers of the cabin and if you scare them you get a medal. There is also a special mulligan medal that can be used for that shot that just didn’t go quite right. And if were being honest who doesn’t love a do over now and again?
Wreckateer is a new and amusing game for the Kinect. There is a lot more to it than aiming and shooting. With the ability to use your body you really take control of the shot. The use of strategy and problem solving are definitely encouraged to make each shot count the most. I can see Wreckateer being played by such a wide audience it definitely appeals to the masses. But don’t be surprised if you don’t immediately do amazing, I am not afraid to admit that I did not do very well. Once you get the movements down it is easier, as with everything experience of course plays a role in the amount of destruction you do. With a summer release date you’re your eyes open for Wreckateer! Happy Easter everyone!
