Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
Encyclopedia
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is a first-party
video game developed by FASA Studio
(part of Microsoft Game Studios
) for the Xbox
. The game was later made available for download on the Xbox 360
from the Xbox Live Marketplace
. The game, like the earlier Crimson Skies
for the PC, is an action-oriented arcade flight game. Nonetheless, there are significant differences between the gameplay of High Road to Revenge and that of the original PC title. For example, while the Xbox game has a more open-ended mission structure, it offers less plane customization than the PC game.
Set in an alternate 1930s in which the plane and Zeppelin
become the primary means of transportation, the game focuses on the adventures of Nathan Zachary, leader of the Fortune Hunters sky pirate gang. Players assume his role as he undertakes a crusade to avenge the death of his old friend, "Doc" Fassenbiender.
The game was originally announced in March 2002
for a release that fall. However, developers postponed the release date to give them time to retool the game. As a result of this overhaul, which delayed the game's publication to October 2003
, several issues were addressed and new features added, most notably the addition of Xbox Live
support. Critically the game was very well received, most notably for its graphics, audio, gameplay, and Xbox Live features.
High Road to Revenge is a flight-based combat game: during most of the game, the player controls an aircraft from a third-person perspective. It is an arcade flight game as opposed to a flight simulator
; physics are relaxed, controls are simplified, and takeoffs and landings are completely automated. Project lead Jim Deal explained that Crimson Skies was built around an arcade design to make the game easy to learn, and to place its focus on action instead of the physics of flight.
There are over twelve playable fighter aircraft
in Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, including planes available to download over Xbox Live. Each aircraft has its own ratings for speed, maneuverability, armor, and a distinct weapons layout. Machine gun
s and cannons, which serve as primary weapons, have unlimited ammunition, but can temporarily overheat. Fighters are also equipped with limited-ammunition secondary weapons, examples of which include magnetic rockets, heavy cannons, and a Tesla coil
.
In keeping with the game's arcade nature, the armor and secondary ammunition of the player's aircraft can be replenished by flying into health and ammunition crates, which are dropped by destroyed enemies and scattered throughout the terrain. Developers also added special maneuvers, such as the barrel roll and the Immelmann
, which the player can perform during flight through manipulation of the analog stick
s. Use of these stunts is governed by a "special meter" which recharges over time during play.
High Road to Revenge gives the player the ability to switch out of their current plane during gameplay and commandeer additional aircraft on the ground. The player also has the ability to take control of fixed weapon emplacements, at which time the camera
shifts to a first-person view. Turret types include machine guns, flak cannons and rocket launchers. They are found in most of the game's maps, built into the terrain or mounted on vehicles such as Zeppelins.
and spans twenty levels. The player has access to ten aircraft during the campaign; the player starts with one available, and can acquire others by stealing them during some stages of the campaign. Most playable craft can be upgraded once—each using money and upgrade tokens found or awarded during missions. High Road to Revenge, however, lacks the aircraft customization features present in the Crimson Skies game for the PC. Designer Jose Perez III later lamented the game's upgrade system, opining in favor of the one present in the PC game.
Several levels in the game are structured similarly to the open-world missions of the Grand Theft Auto series
. On these stages, missions are represented by icons located throughout the game map. The player triggers a mission by flying to one of these icons; the events of the mission then unfold on the same environment. A predetermined set of story missions advances the game's plot during these levels. In addition to pursuing story-based missions, the player may explore the area, steal additional aircraft, complete optional missions, plunder neutral airships, or participate in air races. These actions may earn the player money, which is necessary to use repair stations or to upgrade a player's aircraft.
on one console for up to four players. Multiplayer for up to sixteen players is also available via System Link and Xbox Live
. In the latter mode, two players may play on one Xbox Live account via split-screen.
The following multiplayer modes are available for the game out of the box:
A player's online ranking for High Road to Revenge is determined by his or her win or loss record according to Crimson Skies Xbox Live scoring system. The scoring system is designed to allow players to earn more points by shooting down higher-ranked enemies or by winning games against more powerful teams. The scoring system also credits players who play matches to completion, intended to punish players who "drop" out of an online match they are losing.
In addition, Microsoft has released free downloadable content for the game during 2003 and 2004 via Xbox Live. This additional content has included new planes, multiplayer game maps
, and the following two multiplayer game modes:
The game takes place in the Crimson Skies universe
, set in an alternate history of the 1930s. In this fictional setting, increasing sectionalism
within the United States of America has caused the country to splinter into numerous sovereignties
. These nation-states are in a constant state of war with one another, and thus an interstate highway system never developed. This in turn caused the primary means of transportation to shift from the car and train to the plane and Zeppelin; consequently came the formation of air pirate gangs who plunder aerial commerce over North America.
As a result of the events surrounding the world of Crimson Skies, advancements in technology within the game universe proceeded at a faster rate than actually occurred in the same era. Certain designs and technologies were created specifically for the game, some beyond the scope of actual 1930s technology, examples of which include remote-controlled rocket launchers, magnetic rockets, weather control
devices, and a Tesla coil
-like weapon. The game's aircraft were designed to be true to the era yet unique, with some models inspired from actual period aircraft or from the experimental designs of the Luftwaffe
. Art director Robert Olson has stated that his team faced challenges in developing content that "fit the time setting" and was also "both fantastical and believable," particularly in the design of the game's bosses.
The game takes place in four regions set in North and South America. Sea Haven is an island in the Nation of Hollywood; it is a refuge for various pirate groups, but the Hollywood militia attempts to uproot the raiders. Arixo is a desert nation-state, formed from the remnants of Arizona
and New Mexico
. Due to its vast, desolate, and lawless expanses, Arixo has become a haven for bandit activity. . The Navajo Nation is an isolationist and militant haven for the Navajo
Native American
tribes that encompasses territory from the former states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. Chicago
remains an industrial city, while the "Lost City" is a complex of ancient ruins located deep in South America
. In designing many of these environments, developers used inspiration from real-world locales, but reworked them to incorporate flight spaces accordingly with the Crimson Skies universe. For example, Chicago was significantly redesigned for High Road to Revenge with the addition of avenues for aerial commerce among its skyscrapers and landing areas within the buildings themselves.
is Nathan Zachary, leader of the Fortune Hunters air pirate gang. The character of Nathan Zachary was redesigned from his previous role in the PC game Crimson Skies, redefined by the darker tone of High Road to Revenge in comparison to the "campy
" and "pulpy
" tone established in the PC game. Zachary's character was also modified to have a number of flaws and weaknesses in addition to his strengths. He is described as having a dry sense of humor, and is also portrayed as a somewhat reckless character. Overall, developers wanted to maintain that Zachary was not "born a hero" and instead was forced to become one as a result of extraordinary circumstances.
Other members of the Fortune Hunters include Zachary's wingmate, "Brooklyn" Betty Charles; and "Big John," who captains the Fortune Hunters' Zeppelin base, Pandora. Later joining them is the adventurer Maria Sanchez, who owns a fuel station in Arixo. Another ally of the Fortune Hunters is "Doc" Fassenbiender, a scientist who has developed new technologies for the pirate group and is a close friend of Nathan Zachary.
Opposing the Fortune Hunters include rival pirate gangs such as the Ragin' Cajuns, led by Louis “Wild Card” Thibodeaux; and the Red Skull Legion, led by Jonathan "Genghis" Kahn. The game's primary antagonist is Dr. Nicholas Von Essen, a German
expatriate and leader of Die Spinne (German, "The Spider"), a fascist
militia force. The game originally featured a larger cast of onscreen characters and more abundant character development. These, however, were removed when the game's "playable movie" concept was scrapped.
) the leader of the "Fortune Hunters" Sky Pirates, has gambled away his signature fighter plane "Gypsy Magic" (a Hughes Devastator) and his pirate zeppelin the Pandora to the Ragin' Cajuns a rival band of Sky Pirates. Thibodeaux (Jimmie Woods), the Cajuns' leader, attempts to claim Zachary's fighter and Zeppelin; Nathan, however, with the aid of Betty another member of the Fortune Hunters, manages to recover them both. Nathan and his crew have another run in with the Ragin Cajuns when Thidodeaux steals Betty's plane, which prompts Nathen to destroy his pirate gang. Later, Nathan receives a distress call from Nathan's old friend Dr. Fassenbiender (Neil Ross
), who reports a break-in at his lab. He informs Nathan of what he believes had been the target of the attempted burglary: his plans to construct a wind turbine, a device capable of artificially generating storms. He warns Nathan about Von Essen (Charles Dennis
), a scientist who had unsuccessfully tried to engineer a wind turbine for a German superweapon
earlier during the Great War
. Suspecting that Von Essen had been behind the break-in, Doc entrusts Nathan with the schematics for the turbine.
Nathan and the Fortune Hunters with the aid of a pirate ship captain, destroy the hidden base of the "Hollywood Knights", a militia run by the "Nation of Hollywood" dedicated to stopping Sky Piracy in the surrounding land. They then receive a distress call from Doc who reports being under attack. When Nathan and the Fortune Hunters return to Fassenbiender's lab, they find it under attack from Die Spinne, a large group of planes with advanced weaponry. They destroy the attacking group's Zeppelin, causing it to crash. Although they repel the threat, they find that the attackers have still succeeded in killing the Doc. Nathan, along with Betty (Tasia Valenza
), Big John (Wally Wingert
), and the other Fortune Hunters, embarks on a campaign to find those responsible and have them "brought to justice." He and the Fortune Hunters travel to Arixo, seeking out a titanium
mine, which produces a unique type of titanium that is extremely light, the only material that could be used to build the wind turbine; there, they hope to gain clues as to the identity of Doc's murderer. During his search, Nathan comes across Maria (Nika Futterman
), who agrees to lead him to the titanium mine on the condition that she is allowed to join the Fortune Hunters. They run into a road block, as to get to the mine they must cross, Navajo Nation which has had its boarders closed. The Fortune Hunters retrieve a sacred statue and return it to the Navajo, as a show of good will. Nathan also passes three tests set by the Navajo to prove his worth. Together they all continue to the mine, and discover that the mining operation is controlled by the Red Skull Legion, headed by a man named Khan, who Nathan personally knows. After destroying the Red Skulls and a giant mechanical worm created by Die Spinne.
With the knowledge that the Red Skulls are working with Die Spinne, the Fortune Hunters proceed to Chicago
, from which the Red Skulls are based. When Nathan goes to confront Khan he and Betty are attacked, Betty is captured and Nathan escapes in a hijacked Red Skull plane. Nathan and the Fortune Hunters ally themselves with the DeCarlos a Pirate gang battling Khan for Chicago. After several clashes with the Skulls, Nathan rescues Betty, and confronts Kahn (Keith Szarabajka
) about his connection to Von Essen. Kahn reveals to Nathan that he had struck a deal with Die Spinne, in exchange for the titanium Die Spinne would help him destroy the DeCarlos, but Von Essen had gone back on their agreement, and begun using him to collect information. Kahn also discloses that Die Spinne is preparing to attack Chicago. Joining forces, the Fortune Hunters and Red Skulls successfully defeat Von Essen's invasion force. During the ensuing victory celebration, however, Maria betrays Nathan and steals the blueprints for Doc's wind turbine.
The Fortune Hunters track Maria's movements southward, to a "Lost City" in South America which they identify as Von Essen's principal base of operations. Nathan infiltrates the base, and there witnesses Maria and Von Essen have a falling out, following which Von Essen shoots her. A firefight then ensues between Nathan and Von Essen, during which Von Essen reveals his plan to use the Starker Sturm —his completed wind turbine weapon—to force Chicago and eventually all of North America under his fascist rule. Von Essen activates hidden explosives causing the hide out to collapse. Nathan escapes but the Pandora is damaged by debris in the explosion and Von Essen escapes. After repairing the Pandora, Nathan and the Fortune Hunters return to Chicago and find it already besieged by Die Spinne. The Fortune Hunters and the Red Skulls once again join forces to stop the invasion. Von Essen then appears in the Starker Sturm, and begins to attack Chicago's vital commercial and governmental structures. Nathan destroys the war machines' power turbines causing it to explode, killing Von Essen in the ensuing explosion. Khan invites Nathan and the Fortune Hunters to a party to celebrate, saying he'll call ahead and tell them to put the drinks on ice. Remembering how the whole ordeal started, Nathan declines, saying that he is going to stay away from the gambling tables for a while.
of the its predecessor Crimson Skies. Although Project Art Director Robert Olson complimented the radio play
that frames the campaign of the previous title, he notes that a different presentation was needed for the game's new target audience. The development team decided upon an adventure along the vein of the Indiana Jones franchise
, adding elements of "over-the-top, 1930's pulp-fiction
style action," such as the game's boss battles
. The style chosen by the developers led them to hire Drew Struzan
, the artist responsible for the Indiana Jones film posters, to do the box art.
Series creator Jordan Weisman
noted that the game had a "difficult development," and went through many different creative directions. Throughout the development process, Weisman worked with the game designers to ensure that "the essence of the [Crimson Skies] IP
was coming through." When development of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge was first assumed by FASA Studio
, it was conceived that the game be made into an "interactive movie," a concept that would have involved an elaborate storyline and a large number of cutscenes. This process would have needed a linear mission design, potentially restricting gameplay. Programmer Patrick Schreiber later noted about the "playable movie" concept that "It looked great on paper, but […] was difficult to implement in a way where it felt like the player had some control over what was happening."
Consequently, developers pushed back the game's release date by a year in favor of increased development time. At this point, both playtest
feedback and inspiration from games that offered more gameplay options helped shape the game's development. The game's "interactive movie" concept was scrapped, the storyline simplified, and the original linear
mission design was reworked to promote more choice-driven gameplay. One example of this is the game's open-ended missions, which allow players to "explore the […] world of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge at their leisure." Another is the ability to substitute a fighter plane for a stationary weapon or another aircraft, which was added in order to give the player "different ways to accomplish the same goals."
The developers made several graphical improvements during this extended development period, focusing resources on improving the looks of the game's water and aircraft. The team also made the decision at this point to add online support to the game. This was an important decision for the game's developers due to the technical and gameplay obstacles involved, although their association with the team that produced MechAssault
(another Xbox Live-enabled title by FASA Studio) managed to considerably reduce the amount time needed to implement Xbox Live in High Road to Revenge.
The game's soundtrack
was composed by Stan LePard, conducted by Adam Stern, and performed by the Northwest Sinfonia. The game's music was written to be "period" music true to the 1930s without being too derivative of any one particular style or composer. According to Stan LePard, the soundtrack takes inspiration from various sources, including Errol Flynn
swashbucklers
and the concert music of Igor Stravinsky
and Richard Strauss
. In composing the game's music, LePard chose to incorporate complex harmonies into his music so that the various tracks could be linked without having to make sure that the key
s of the two pieces complimented each other. This allows the game to randomize the order of the game's battle themes and avoid looping the music in a predictable order. Initially, the game was to exclusively feature big band
music. The resulting music was lighter in tone than the game required, so developers considered an orchestra in order to achieve a more cinematic approach. As a result, the audio team hired a full forty-piece orchestra to record the game's music.
Developers decided early in the game's development cycle that they wanted the game to have an interactive environment. When the game was first announced in 2002, features announced for the game included destructible environment
s which could be used to eliminate enemies, hidden areas containing bonus weapons, and "danger zones" similar in function to those featured in the previous Crimson Skies for the PC. Although many of these features were scrapped from the final version of the game, the game's art team still designed the environments to be more than just a backdrop. Spaces for planes to fly through were integrated into the game world to allow players to use the environment to their advantage.
The Xbox 360
is backward compatible with Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge through a downloadable emulator
. The game was also one of the first titles announced for the Xbox Originals service, which as of December 4, 2007 allows Xbox 360
users to download the full retail game from the Xbox Live Marketplace
for 1200 Microsoft Points
.
to the Xbox game; it instead offers the backstory of the world of Crimson Skies, and also details the adventures of three of the series' main characters in the form of three short stories (the first two of which had been published previously on the Crimson Skies website):
Published a year before the final release date of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, the book contains several inconsistencies with the final version of the game. Although billed as a tie-in with the game, numerous main characters and prominent aircraft from the book do not make an appearance in High Road to Revenge. In addition, the book contains a reference to a "Zeppelin casino," which was featured only in the beta version of the game.
The game's soundtrack was later released separately from the game by the record label Sumthing Else Musicworks
. The soundtrack contains two discs—a CD featuring 54 tracks from the game, and a DVD
containing Dolby Digital
5.1 surround sound
mixes of the game trailer and two pieces from the soundtrack.
."
The game's critical reception was much more positive. GameSpy described it as "one of the most fun, and almost more importantly, unique games to hit the scene in awhile." The game's graphics were very well received by reviewers; of particular note were the game's explosions, long draw distance, fanciful plane models, and large, open environments. Critics wrote favorably of the game's audio, applauding strong voice acting as well as its swashbuckling and adventurous background music
. Reviewers lauded the game's presentation, highlighting the contribution of the game's visuals and audio to the game's style and atmosphere.
Game Informer and GameSpot complimented the game's streamlined arcade control scheme, noting the ease with which it is possible to learn the game in comparison with other flight games. However, IGN noted that the gameplay would appeal more to casual players than flight sim
fans. Reviewers also praised the game's mission design, with Edge
magazine stating that "the mission structure is surprisingly open-ended," and that the ability to utilize stationary turrets "adds a much needed strategic aspect to combat and spices up the online play immeasurably."
The game's single player campaign was generally well received, partially because critics found its "escort missions" less frustrating than those in other flight games, and partially due to its depth in comparison to similar Microsoft Game Studio
titles. However, critics most notably acclaimed High Road to Revenge for its Xbox Live
features, many describing the online component as the game's best feature. IGN has stated, "The freedom to fly […] in any direction and unleash tons of firepower on human opponents will want to make you hug your Xbox Live subscription," and has commended elements such the game's capacity for 16-player matches and the quality of downloadable content.
Although 1up.com likewise approved of the game's action-oriented gameplay, the site criticized the "lame 'favors for everyone' mechanic" surrounding the missions, noting that the player is always forced to perform "chores" for other characters in the game. GameSpy noted that the game had "some repetitiveness." IGN disapproved of the game's undescriptive plane selection screen, which does not inform the player of a plane's weapons loadout. IGN also disparaged the game's upgrade system, which was described as "dry and unimaginative" in comparison to the plane customization feature in the Crimson Skies PC game
.
First-party developer
A video game development party can be one of two parties: a first-party or third-party developer.- First-party developer :In the video game industry, a first-party developer is a developer that is part of a company that manufactures a video game console, and develops exclusively for it...
video game developed by FASA Studio
FASA Interactive
FASA Studio was a video game developer that was founded in 1995 by the tabletop game company FASA Corporation, Spectrum HoloByte and Denny Thorley....
(part of Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
) for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
. The game was later made available for download on the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
from the Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
. The game, like the earlier Crimson Skies
Crimson Skies (video game)
Crimson Skies is an arcade flight computer game developed by Zipper Interactive and published in 2000 by Microsoft Game Studios. Although a flight-based game, Crimson Skies is not a genuine flight simulator, as the game is based less on flight mechanics than on action...
for the PC, is an action-oriented arcade flight game. Nonetheless, there are significant differences between the gameplay of High Road to Revenge and that of the original PC title. For example, while the Xbox game has a more open-ended mission structure, it offers less plane customization than the PC game.
Set in an alternate 1930s in which the plane and Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
become the primary means of transportation, the game focuses on the adventures of Nathan Zachary, leader of the Fortune Hunters sky pirate gang. Players assume his role as he undertakes a crusade to avenge the death of his old friend, "Doc" Fassenbiender.
The game was originally announced in March 2002
2002 in video gaming
The year 2002 in video gaming saw the release of many games to sixth-generation video game consoles, predominately, the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.-Events:...
for a release that fall. However, developers postponed the release date to give them time to retool the game. As a result of this overhaul, which delayed the game's publication to October 2003
2003 in video gaming
-Events:*February 27 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of Sega to the AIAS Hall of Fame....
, several issues were addressed and new features added, most notably the addition of Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
support. Critically the game was very well received, most notably for its graphics, audio, gameplay, and Xbox Live features.
Gameplay
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
; physics are relaxed, controls are simplified, and takeoffs and landings are completely automated. Project lead Jim Deal explained that Crimson Skies was built around an arcade design to make the game easy to learn, and to place its focus on action instead of the physics of flight.
There are over twelve playable fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
in Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, including planes available to download over Xbox Live. Each aircraft has its own ratings for speed, maneuverability, armor, and a distinct weapons layout. Machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s and cannons, which serve as primary weapons, have unlimited ammunition, but can temporarily overheat. Fighters are also equipped with limited-ammunition secondary weapons, examples of which include magnetic rockets, heavy cannons, and a Tesla coil
Tesla coil
A Tesla coil is a type of resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla around 1891. It is used to produce high voltage, low current, high frequency alternating current electricity. Tesla coils produce higher current than the other source of high voltage discharges, electrostatic machines...
.
In keeping with the game's arcade nature, the armor and secondary ammunition of the player's aircraft can be replenished by flying into health and ammunition crates, which are dropped by destroyed enemies and scattered throughout the terrain. Developers also added special maneuvers, such as the barrel roll and the Immelmann
Immelmann turn
The Immelmann turn refers to two different aircraft maneuvers.-In aerobatics:In modern aerobatical parlance, an Immelmann turn is an aerobatic maneuver of little practical use in aerial combat, and is a different maneuver altogether from the original dogfighting tactic of World War I from which it...
, which the player can perform during flight through manipulation of the analog stick
Analog stick
An analog stick, sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation...
s. Use of these stunts is governed by a "special meter" which recharges over time during play.
High Road to Revenge gives the player the ability to switch out of their current plane during gameplay and commandeer additional aircraft on the ground. The player also has the ability to take control of fixed weapon emplacements, at which time the camera
Virtual camera system
A virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in videogames where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; more generally, they are used in 3D virtual worlds when a third person view...
shifts to a first-person view. Turret types include machine guns, flak cannons and rocket launchers. They are found in most of the game's maps, built into the terrain or mounted on vehicles such as Zeppelins.
Single player campaign
The game's single player mode has four difficulty settingsDifficulty level
In general usage, difficulty level refers to the relative difficulty of completing a task or objective.In computer and video games, the term specifically delineates the ease or difficulty with which an average user may complete a game or a part of a game. Arcade games as well as many early console...
and spans twenty levels. The player has access to ten aircraft during the campaign; the player starts with one available, and can acquire others by stealing them during some stages of the campaign. Most playable craft can be upgraded once—each using money and upgrade tokens found or awarded during missions. High Road to Revenge, however, lacks the aircraft customization features present in the Crimson Skies game for the PC. Designer Jose Perez III later lamented the game's upgrade system, opining in favor of the one present in the PC game.
Several levels in the game are structured similarly to the open-world missions of the Grand Theft Auto series
Grand Theft Auto (series)
Grand Theft Auto is a multi-award-winning British video game series created in the United Kingdom by Dave Jones, then later by brothers Dan Houser and Sam Houser, and game designer Zachary Clarke. It is primarily developed by Edinburgh based Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games...
. On these stages, missions are represented by icons located throughout the game map. The player triggers a mission by flying to one of these icons; the events of the mission then unfold on the same environment. A predetermined set of story missions advances the game's plot during these levels. In addition to pursuing story-based missions, the player may explore the area, steal additional aircraft, complete optional missions, plunder neutral airships, or participate in air races. These actions may earn the player money, which is necessary to use repair stations or to upgrade a player's aircraft.
Multiplayer and Xbox Live
Multiplayer in Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is available through split-screenSplit screen (computer graphics)
Split screen is a display technique in computer graphics that consists of dividing graphics and/or text into non-movable adjacent parts, typically two or four rectangular areas. This is done in order to allow the simultaneous presentation of related graphical and textual information on a computer...
on one console for up to four players. Multiplayer for up to sixteen players is also available via System Link and Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
. In the latter mode, two players may play on one Xbox Live account via split-screen.
The following multiplayer modes are available for the game out of the box:
- Dogfight: a deathmatchDeathmatch (gaming)Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
mode, in which players earn points for shooting down enemies. - Flag Heist: a capture the flag (CTF) mode in which the objective is to seize a flag from an enemy team's base and return it to one' own.
- Keep Away: a mode in which the goal is to capture and hold an artifact (in-game item) for a set amount of time.
- Wild Chicken: a deathmatch/CTF variant in which points are earned either for killing enemies or for returning a "wild chicken" (in-game item) to a team's base.
A player's online ranking for High Road to Revenge is determined by his or her win or loss record according to Crimson Skies Xbox Live scoring system. The scoring system is designed to allow players to earn more points by shooting down higher-ranked enemies or by winning games against more powerful teams. The scoring system also credits players who play matches to completion, intended to punish players who "drop" out of an online match they are losing.
In addition, Microsoft has released free downloadable content for the game during 2003 and 2004 via Xbox Live. This additional content has included new planes, multiplayer game maps
Level (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
, and the following two multiplayer game modes:
- Chicken Pox: a variant of Dogfight and Wild Chicken in which chickens are used as power-ups.
- Gunheist: a mode in the objective is for players to seize and maintain control of the territory's AA guns.
Setting
The game takes place in the Crimson Skies universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
, set in an alternate history of the 1930s. In this fictional setting, increasing sectionalism
Sectionalism
-Defined:Sectionalism is loyalty to the interests of one's own region or section of the country, rather than to the country as a whole.-United States:...
within the United States of America has caused the country to splinter into numerous sovereignties
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
. These nation-states are in a constant state of war with one another, and thus an interstate highway system never developed. This in turn caused the primary means of transportation to shift from the car and train to the plane and Zeppelin; consequently came the formation of air pirate gangs who plunder aerial commerce over North America.
As a result of the events surrounding the world of Crimson Skies, advancements in technology within the game universe proceeded at a faster rate than actually occurred in the same era. Certain designs and technologies were created specifically for the game, some beyond the scope of actual 1930s technology, examples of which include remote-controlled rocket launchers, magnetic rockets, weather control
Weather control
Weather control is the act of manipulating or altering certain aspects of the environment to produce desirable changes in weather. Weather control can have the goal of preventing damaging weather, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, from occurring; of causing beneficial weather, such as rainfall in...
devices, and a Tesla coil
Tesla coil
A Tesla coil is a type of resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla around 1891. It is used to produce high voltage, low current, high frequency alternating current electricity. Tesla coils produce higher current than the other source of high voltage discharges, electrostatic machines...
-like weapon. The game's aircraft were designed to be true to the era yet unique, with some models inspired from actual period aircraft or from the experimental designs of the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. Art director Robert Olson has stated that his team faced challenges in developing content that "fit the time setting" and was also "both fantastical and believable," particularly in the design of the game's bosses.
The game takes place in four regions set in North and South America. Sea Haven is an island in the Nation of Hollywood; it is a refuge for various pirate groups, but the Hollywood militia attempts to uproot the raiders. Arixo is a desert nation-state, formed from the remnants of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Due to its vast, desolate, and lawless expanses, Arixo has become a haven for bandit activity. . The Navajo Nation is an isolationist and militant haven for the Navajo
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes that encompasses territory from the former states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
remains an industrial city, while the "Lost City" is a complex of ancient ruins located deep in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. In designing many of these environments, developers used inspiration from real-world locales, but reworked them to incorporate flight spaces accordingly with the Crimson Skies universe. For example, Chicago was significantly redesigned for High Road to Revenge with the addition of avenues for aerial commerce among its skyscrapers and landing areas within the buildings themselves.
Characters
The player characterPlayer character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
is Nathan Zachary, leader of the Fortune Hunters air pirate gang. The character of Nathan Zachary was redesigned from his previous role in the PC game Crimson Skies, redefined by the darker tone of High Road to Revenge in comparison to the "campy
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
" and "pulpy
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
" tone established in the PC game. Zachary's character was also modified to have a number of flaws and weaknesses in addition to his strengths. He is described as having a dry sense of humor, and is also portrayed as a somewhat reckless character. Overall, developers wanted to maintain that Zachary was not "born a hero" and instead was forced to become one as a result of extraordinary circumstances.
Other members of the Fortune Hunters include Zachary's wingmate, "Brooklyn" Betty Charles; and "Big John," who captains the Fortune Hunters' Zeppelin base, Pandora. Later joining them is the adventurer Maria Sanchez, who owns a fuel station in Arixo. Another ally of the Fortune Hunters is "Doc" Fassenbiender, a scientist who has developed new technologies for the pirate group and is a close friend of Nathan Zachary.
Opposing the Fortune Hunters include rival pirate gangs such as the Ragin' Cajuns, led by Louis “Wild Card” Thibodeaux; and the Red Skull Legion, led by Jonathan "Genghis" Kahn. The game's primary antagonist is Dr. Nicholas Von Essen, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
expatriate and leader of Die Spinne (German, "The Spider"), a fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
militia force. The game originally featured a larger cast of onscreen characters and more abundant character development. These, however, were removed when the game's "playable movie" concept was scrapped.
Storyline
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge begins the morning after Nathan Zachary (Tim OmundsonTimothy Omundson
Timothy Michael Omundson is an American actor perhaps most notable for his supporting roles as Sean Potter on the CBS television series Judging Amy, Eli on the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, and as Carlton Lassiter in the hit USA Network series Psych...
) the leader of the "Fortune Hunters" Sky Pirates, has gambled away his signature fighter plane "Gypsy Magic" (a Hughes Devastator) and his pirate zeppelin the Pandora to the Ragin' Cajuns a rival band of Sky Pirates. Thibodeaux (Jimmie Woods), the Cajuns' leader, attempts to claim Zachary's fighter and Zeppelin; Nathan, however, with the aid of Betty another member of the Fortune Hunters, manages to recover them both. Nathan and his crew have another run in with the Ragin Cajuns when Thidodeaux steals Betty's plane, which prompts Nathen to destroy his pirate gang. Later, Nathan receives a distress call from Nathan's old friend Dr. Fassenbiender (Neil Ross
Neil Ross
Theodoric Neilson "Neil" Ross is an English voice actor and announcer, born in London, England and now resident and working in Los Angeles, in the United States. He has provided voices for in many American cartoons, particularly those based on Hasbro products and Marvel Comics, and numerous...
), who reports a break-in at his lab. He informs Nathan of what he believes had been the target of the attempted burglary: his plans to construct a wind turbine, a device capable of artificially generating storms. He warns Nathan about Von Essen (Charles Dennis
Charles Dennis
Charles Dennis is a Canadian actor, playwright, radio actor, journalist, author, director, and screenwriter.-Background:...
), a scientist who had unsuccessfully tried to engineer a wind turbine for a German superweapon
Superweapon
A superweapon is an extremely powerful weapon by the standards of its time and its scale. Examples include the Tsar Bomba , various superguns and other various weapons employed to give a decisive advantage over opposing countries or forces. The given advantage is usually based on intimidation and...
earlier during the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Suspecting that Von Essen had been behind the break-in, Doc entrusts Nathan with the schematics for the turbine.
Nathan and the Fortune Hunters with the aid of a pirate ship captain, destroy the hidden base of the "Hollywood Knights", a militia run by the "Nation of Hollywood" dedicated to stopping Sky Piracy in the surrounding land. They then receive a distress call from Doc who reports being under attack. When Nathan and the Fortune Hunters return to Fassenbiender's lab, they find it under attack from Die Spinne, a large group of planes with advanced weaponry. They destroy the attacking group's Zeppelin, causing it to crash. Although they repel the threat, they find that the attackers have still succeeded in killing the Doc. Nathan, along with Betty (Tasia Valenza
Tasia Valenza
Tasia Valenza is an American actress who has most recently found acclaim as a voice actor.- Television :...
), Big John (Wally Wingert
Wally Wingert
Wallace E. "Wally" Wingert is an American actor and voice artist. He is originally from Des Moines, Iowa but he currently works and lives in Los Angeles, California. He is the current announcer for the second incarnation of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the current voice of Jon Arbuckle in...
), and the other Fortune Hunters, embarks on a campaign to find those responsible and have them "brought to justice." He and the Fortune Hunters travel to Arixo, seeking out a titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
mine, which produces a unique type of titanium that is extremely light, the only material that could be used to build the wind turbine; there, they hope to gain clues as to the identity of Doc's murderer. During his search, Nathan comes across Maria (Nika Futterman
Nika Futterman
Nika Futterman is an American actress, singer, voice artist, and comedienne.She did the vocals "Give it to me, baby" in The Offspring hit single "Pretty Fly ."-Animated Series:...
), who agrees to lead him to the titanium mine on the condition that she is allowed to join the Fortune Hunters. They run into a road block, as to get to the mine they must cross, Navajo Nation which has had its boarders closed. The Fortune Hunters retrieve a sacred statue and return it to the Navajo, as a show of good will. Nathan also passes three tests set by the Navajo to prove his worth. Together they all continue to the mine, and discover that the mining operation is controlled by the Red Skull Legion, headed by a man named Khan, who Nathan personally knows. After destroying the Red Skulls and a giant mechanical worm created by Die Spinne.
With the knowledge that the Red Skulls are working with Die Spinne, the Fortune Hunters proceed to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, from which the Red Skulls are based. When Nathan goes to confront Khan he and Betty are attacked, Betty is captured and Nathan escapes in a hijacked Red Skull plane. Nathan and the Fortune Hunters ally themselves with the DeCarlos a Pirate gang battling Khan for Chicago. After several clashes with the Skulls, Nathan rescues Betty, and confronts Kahn (Keith Szarabajka
Keith Szarabajka
Keith Szarabajka is an American actor and voice artist.-Early life:Szarabajka was born in Oak Park, Illinois, the son of Anne, a school teacher, and Edward Szarabajka, a savings and loan officer....
) about his connection to Von Essen. Kahn reveals to Nathan that he had struck a deal with Die Spinne, in exchange for the titanium Die Spinne would help him destroy the DeCarlos, but Von Essen had gone back on their agreement, and begun using him to collect information. Kahn also discloses that Die Spinne is preparing to attack Chicago. Joining forces, the Fortune Hunters and Red Skulls successfully defeat Von Essen's invasion force. During the ensuing victory celebration, however, Maria betrays Nathan and steals the blueprints for Doc's wind turbine.
The Fortune Hunters track Maria's movements southward, to a "Lost City" in South America which they identify as Von Essen's principal base of operations. Nathan infiltrates the base, and there witnesses Maria and Von Essen have a falling out, following which Von Essen shoots her. A firefight then ensues between Nathan and Von Essen, during which Von Essen reveals his plan to use the Starker Sturm —his completed wind turbine weapon—to force Chicago and eventually all of North America under his fascist rule. Von Essen activates hidden explosives causing the hide out to collapse. Nathan escapes but the Pandora is damaged by debris in the explosion and Von Essen escapes. After repairing the Pandora, Nathan and the Fortune Hunters return to Chicago and find it already besieged by Die Spinne. The Fortune Hunters and the Red Skulls once again join forces to stop the invasion. Von Essen then appears in the Starker Sturm, and begins to attack Chicago's vital commercial and governmental structures. Nathan destroys the war machines' power turbines causing it to explode, killing Von Essen in the ensuing explosion. Khan invites Nathan and the Fortune Hunters to a party to celebrate, saying he'll call ahead and tell them to put the drinks on ice. Remembering how the whole ordeal started, Nathan declines, saying that he is going to stay away from the gambling tables for a while.
Development
Developers insisted early on that Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge would not simply be a portPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
of the its predecessor Crimson Skies. Although Project Art Director Robert Olson complimented the radio play
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
that frames the campaign of the previous title, he notes that a different presentation was needed for the game's new target audience. The development team decided upon an adventure along the vein of the Indiana Jones franchise
Indiana Jones franchise
The Indiana Jones franchise is an entertainment franchise, based on the historical fantasy adventures of Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, a fictional archaeologist. It began in 1981 with the film Raiders of the Lost Ark. A prequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, followed in 1984 and the sequel...
, adding elements of "over-the-top, 1930's pulp-fiction
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
style action," such as the game's boss battles
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
. The style chosen by the developers led them to hire Drew Struzan
Drew Struzan
Drew Struzan is an American artist known for his more than 150 movie posters, which include all the films in the Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and Star Wars film series. He has also painted album covers, collectibles, and book covers.- Early life and education :Drew Struzan was born in Oregon...
, the artist responsible for the Indiana Jones film posters, to do the box art.
Jordan Weisman
Jordan Weisman is an American game designer, author, and serial entrepreneur who has founded four major game design companies, each in a different game genre and segment of the industry.-Biography:...
noted that the game had a "difficult development," and went through many different creative directions. Throughout the development process, Weisman worked with the game designers to ensure that "the essence of the [Crimson Skies] IP
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
was coming through." When development of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge was first assumed by FASA Studio
FASA Interactive
FASA Studio was a video game developer that was founded in 1995 by the tabletop game company FASA Corporation, Spectrum HoloByte and Denny Thorley....
, it was conceived that the game be made into an "interactive movie," a concept that would have involved an elaborate storyline and a large number of cutscenes. This process would have needed a linear mission design, potentially restricting gameplay. Programmer Patrick Schreiber later noted about the "playable movie" concept that "It looked great on paper, but […] was difficult to implement in a way where it felt like the player had some control over what was happening."
Consequently, developers pushed back the game's release date by a year in favor of increased development time. At this point, both playtest
Playtest
A playtest is the process by which a game designer tests a new game for bugs and flaws before bringing it to market. Playtests can be run "open", "closed", "beta", or otherwise....
feedback and inspiration from games that offered more gameplay options helped shape the game's development. The game's "interactive movie" concept was scrapped, the storyline simplified, and the original linear
Linearity (computer and video games)
A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player sees only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played in a different order. A video game with linear gameplay will confront a player...
mission design was reworked to promote more choice-driven gameplay. One example of this is the game's open-ended missions, which allow players to "explore the […] world of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge at their leisure." Another is the ability to substitute a fighter plane for a stationary weapon or another aircraft, which was added in order to give the player "different ways to accomplish the same goals."
The developers made several graphical improvements during this extended development period, focusing resources on improving the looks of the game's water and aircraft. The team also made the decision at this point to add online support to the game. This was an important decision for the game's developers due to the technical and gameplay obstacles involved, although their association with the team that produced MechAssault
MechAssault
MechAssault was the first BattleMech video game published for the Xbox. Developed by Day 1 Studios and published by Microsoft, MechAssault was initiated when Denny Thorley of Day 1 Studios approached Jon Kimmich of Microsoft about developing an original BattleTech game built from the ground up to...
(another Xbox Live-enabled title by FASA Studio) managed to considerably reduce the amount time needed to implement Xbox Live in High Road to Revenge.
The game's soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
was composed by Stan LePard, conducted by Adam Stern, and performed by the Northwest Sinfonia. The game's music was written to be "period" music true to the 1930s without being too derivative of any one particular style or composer. According to Stan LePard, the soundtrack takes inspiration from various sources, including Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
swashbucklers
Swashbuckler films
Swashbuckler films are an action-adventure subgenre often characterised by swordfighting and adventurous heroic characters, often set in Renaissance Western Europe with appropriately lavish costumes. Morality is often clear-cut, heroic characters are clearly heroic and even villains tend to have a...
and the concert music of Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
and Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
. In composing the game's music, LePard chose to incorporate complex harmonies into his music so that the various tracks could be linked without having to make sure that the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
s of the two pieces complimented each other. This allows the game to randomize the order of the game's battle themes and avoid looping the music in a predictable order. Initially, the game was to exclusively feature big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
music. The resulting music was lighter in tone than the game required, so developers considered an orchestra in order to achieve a more cinematic approach. As a result, the audio team hired a full forty-piece orchestra to record the game's music.
Developers decided early in the game's development cycle that they wanted the game to have an interactive environment. When the game was first announced in 2002, features announced for the game included destructible environment
Destructible environment
In video games, the term destructible environment, or terrain deformation, refers to an environment within a game which can be wholly or partially destroyed by the player...
s which could be used to eliminate enemies, hidden areas containing bonus weapons, and "danger zones" similar in function to those featured in the previous Crimson Skies for the PC. Although many of these features were scrapped from the final version of the game, the game's art team still designed the environments to be more than just a backdrop. Spaces for planes to fly through were integrated into the game world to allow players to use the environment to their advantage.
The Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
is backward compatible with Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge through a downloadable emulator
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
. The game was also one of the first titles announced for the Xbox Originals service, which as of December 4, 2007 allows Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
users to download the full retail game from the Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
for 1200 Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and to reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees, which Microsoft would...
.
Merchandise
In October 2002, Del Ray published the mass market paperback book Crimson Skies as an official tie-in to the Xbox game. The book is not a prequelPrequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to the Xbox game; it instead offers the backstory of the world of Crimson Skies, and also details the adventures of three of the series' main characters in the form of three short stories (the first two of which had been published previously on the Crimson Skies website):
- Paladin Blake and the Case of the Phantom Prototype by Eric Nylund
- The Manchurian Gambit by Michael B. Lee
- Bayou Blues by Nancy Berman and Eric S. Trautmann
Published a year before the final release date of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, the book contains several inconsistencies with the final version of the game. Although billed as a tie-in with the game, numerous main characters and prominent aircraft from the book do not make an appearance in High Road to Revenge. In addition, the book contains a reference to a "Zeppelin casino," which was featured only in the beta version of the game.
The game's soundtrack was later released separately from the game by the record label Sumthing Else Musicworks
Sumthing Distribution
Sumthing Distribution is a New York based company started by Nile Rodgers that distributes recording artist and independent record labels. It is the largest African-American owned distribution company in America.-External links:**...
. The soundtrack contains two discs—a CD featuring 54 tracks from the game, and a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
containing Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
5.1 surround sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
mixes of the game trailer and two pieces from the soundtrack.
Reception
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is not considered a best-selling title on the Xbox. The game had a software-to-hardware attach ratio of about one percent, and is considered to be a "cult classicCult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
."
The game's critical reception was much more positive. GameSpy described it as "one of the most fun, and almost more importantly, unique games to hit the scene in awhile." The game's graphics were very well received by reviewers; of particular note were the game's explosions, long draw distance, fanciful plane models, and large, open environments. Critics wrote favorably of the game's audio, applauding strong voice acting as well as its swashbuckling and adventurous background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
. Reviewers lauded the game's presentation, highlighting the contribution of the game's visuals and audio to the game's style and atmosphere.
Game Informer and GameSpot complimented the game's streamlined arcade control scheme, noting the ease with which it is possible to learn the game in comparison with other flight games. However, IGN noted that the gameplay would appeal more to casual players than flight sim
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
fans. Reviewers also praised the game's mission design, with Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
magazine stating that "the mission structure is surprisingly open-ended," and that the ability to utilize stationary turrets "adds a much needed strategic aspect to combat and spices up the online play immeasurably."
The game's single player campaign was generally well received, partially because critics found its "escort missions" less frustrating than those in other flight games, and partially due to its depth in comparison to similar Microsoft Game Studio
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
titles. However, critics most notably acclaimed High Road to Revenge for its Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
features, many describing the online component as the game's best feature. IGN has stated, "The freedom to fly […] in any direction and unleash tons of firepower on human opponents will want to make you hug your Xbox Live subscription," and has commended elements such the game's capacity for 16-player matches and the quality of downloadable content.
Although 1up.com likewise approved of the game's action-oriented gameplay, the site criticized the "lame 'favors for everyone' mechanic" surrounding the missions, noting that the player is always forced to perform "chores" for other characters in the game. GameSpy noted that the game had "some repetitiveness." IGN disapproved of the game's undescriptive plane selection screen, which does not inform the player of a plane's weapons loadout. IGN also disparaged the game's upgrade system, which was described as "dry and unimaginative" in comparison to the plane customization feature in the Crimson Skies PC game
Crimson Skies (video game)
Crimson Skies is an arcade flight computer game developed by Zipper Interactive and published in 2000 by Microsoft Game Studios. Although a flight-based game, Crimson Skies is not a genuine flight simulator, as the game is based less on flight mechanics than on action...
.
External links
- Official Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge website at xbox.com
- Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge on the FASA StudioFASA InteractiveFASA Studio was a video game developer that was founded in 1995 by the tabletop game company FASA Corporation, Spectrum HoloByte and Denny Thorley....
website - Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge Instruction Manual (PDF file)