Yager
Encyclopedia
Yager is a shooter video game for the Xbox
console, later ported to Windows
. In the game, the on the role of Magnus Tide, a freelance pilot adventurer. Yager, a single-player shooting game, is set over 20 levels in which the player takes possession of various weapons and ships in an effort to accomplish each mission. Yager was published by Kemco
(in NA) or by THQ
(Europe) and developed by Yager Development.
Although the game was fairly well-received by critics, it ultimately never reached the living rooms of most American
gamers. The main reason behind this was that the game was "old" by the time it reached North American store shelves, as it had been released in Europe two years prior and it suffered from a lack of advertising.
s, most notably DST, as well as Proteus and Lobos Robotics. Although the old countries officially do not exist there are tell tale signs identifying each environment.
The Proteus Islands are a tropical paradise
and the headquarters of the Proteus Corporation. The Free Trade Zone, a landscape dotted with turbines and palm trees, is the only zone not controlled by any corporation. The DST zone and surrounding fjord
s are connected to the Free Trade Zone by a system of caves, rivers, and deltas that run deep into DST territory. Bitterfeld is a desolate area littered with disused industrial buildings, crashed ships, abandoned machinery and other debris left behind by the old Progress Company.
s, machine gun
s, a railgun, and napalm
blasters, although these require the collection of the appropriate ammunition. The enemies are pirates and the DST, the pirates have a rocket bomber, fighters, a flying AA ship, and in one level, an armored freighter. The DST have a heavily armed fighter, a bomber, and Gunter von Berg's personal frigate
, the Greifenhorst and the other hull ship Ubermacht. In Bitterfeld, there are 2 types of flamethrower
drones, a huge battle machine, a drone with seeker missiles, and a drone with a machine gun. Proteus has carriers and fighters.
Proteus appears to be modelled as an enlightened and democratic institution with "western" values. The Proteus islands themselves have several Greek ruins and statues as well as Proteus ships having a Greek theme to them, further adding to their civilised aesthetic. Proteus is always reluctant to use force unless absolutely necessary, seemingly giving the DST the upper hand for much of the game, and greatly frustrating Magnus who is distinctly gung-ho.
gave it a 7 out of 10, praising the controls for being "simple", the visuals of the game and voice acting, but criticizing the learning curve for being "ridiculously undulating", and not having a split-screen mode. Game Informer
also gave the game a 7, praising the ship's design, but cited that the controls "were frustrating". Game Revolution
awarded Yager with a C+, citing the gameplay and sound effects, but criticizing it for being linear, and not having a multiplayer mode. GameSpot
awarded the game a 6.7, citing the price, but criticizing it for not being "as free-form as it seems".
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...
console, later ported to Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. In the game, the on the role of Magnus Tide, a freelance pilot adventurer. Yager, a single-player shooting game, is set over 20 levels in which the player takes possession of various weapons and ships in an effort to accomplish each mission. Yager was published by Kemco
KEMCO
, sometimes referred to as Kotobuki System Co., Ltd., is a Japanese video game developer and publisher established in 1984 as a subsidiary of Kotobuki Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd, located in: Seika, Japan....
(in NA) or by THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
(Europe) and developed by Yager Development.
Although the game was fairly well-received by critics, it ultimately never reached the living rooms of most American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gamers. The main reason behind this was that the game was "old" by the time it reached North American store shelves, as it had been released in Europe two years prior and it suffered from a lack of advertising.
Gameplay
Yager is set in a futuristic world where countries borders no longer exist and the earth is controlled by a number of mega corporationCorporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s, most notably DST, as well as Proteus and Lobos Robotics. Although the old countries officially do not exist there are tell tale signs identifying each environment.
The Proteus Islands are a tropical paradise
Paradise
Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
and the headquarters of the Proteus Corporation. The Free Trade Zone, a landscape dotted with turbines and palm trees, is the only zone not controlled by any corporation. The DST zone and surrounding fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s are connected to the Free Trade Zone by a system of caves, rivers, and deltas that run deep into DST territory. Bitterfeld is a desolate area littered with disused industrial buildings, crashed ships, abandoned machinery and other debris left behind by the old Progress Company.
Ships
The Saggitarius is a powerful and deadly ship. Its standard armament is dual recharging laser cannons but it can also be armed with missileMissile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s, 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, a railgun, and napalm
Napalm
Napalm is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in an incendiary device, primarily as an anti-personnel weapon...
blasters, although these require the collection of the appropriate ammunition. The enemies are pirates and the DST, the pirates have a rocket bomber, fighters, a flying AA ship, and in one level, an armored freighter. The DST have a heavily armed fighter, a bomber, and Gunter von Berg's personal frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
, the Greifenhorst and the other hull ship Ubermacht. In Bitterfeld, there are 2 types of flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
drones, a huge battle machine, a drone with seeker missiles, and a drone with a machine gun. Proteus has carriers and fighters.
DST
The DST is the main enemy in the game, although it does not appear from the beginning of the game. The DST have a strong German accents and have German names. They are the most militarised corporation in the game, having the largest and most powerful weaponry and ships. The DST in the game are led by Gunter von Berg, who controls it with an iron fist. The standard DST fighter are the toughest and most advanced in the game equipped with heavy armor, duel laser guns and homing missiles. Gunter von Berg's flagship, the Greifenhorst is the first DST ship seen in the game. It has several Laser turrets and carries four DST fighters, from the infamous Black Widow Squadron, where all of its members passed the DST Flight Training with Honours. The most powerful ship in the DST's arsenal is the Ubermacht. This Ship has Turret lasers as well as Laser cannon. The Ubermacht and Greifenhorst can be combined to create an even more powerful, but hard to manouvere ship. In the game the DST are presented as fairly stereotypical "baddies", being cruel and ruthless, in levels where you enter the DST zones you can observe that summary executions are regular practice, and even something of a spectator sport. Von Berg also often threatens people with deportation to labour camps.Proteus
Proteus corporation is the mega-corporation which employs Magnus as a freelancer (mercenary).Proteus appears to be modelled as an enlightened and democratic institution with "western" values. The Proteus islands themselves have several Greek ruins and statues as well as Proteus ships having a Greek theme to them, further adding to their civilised aesthetic. Proteus is always reluctant to use force unless absolutely necessary, seemingly giving the DST the upper hand for much of the game, and greatly frustrating Magnus who is distinctly gung-ho.
Reception
Yager has received positive reviews from critics. EuroGamerEurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
gave it a 7 out of 10, praising the controls for being "simple", the visuals of the game and voice acting, but criticizing the learning curve for being "ridiculously undulating", and not having a split-screen mode. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
also gave the game a 7, praising the ship's design, but cited that the controls "were frustrating". Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
awarded Yager with a C+, citing the gameplay and sound effects, but criticizing it for being linear, and not having a multiplayer mode. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
awarded the game a 6.7, citing the price, but criticizing it for not being "as free-form as it seems".
External links
- Yager at IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
- Yager Development GmbH