Assault: Retribution
{{Short description|1998 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title= Assault: Retribution
|image= Assault Retribution PS cover.jpg
|caption= North American cover art
|developer= Candle Light Studios
|publisher= {{vgrelease|EU|Telstar|NA|Midway Games}}
|released={{vgrelease|EU|September 1998|NA|November 18, 1998}}
|genre= Action
|modes= Single-player, multiplayer
|platforms= PlayStation
}}
Assault, known in North America as Assault: Retribution, is a 1998 action video game developed by Candle Light Studios for the PlayStation console.{{cite web|url=http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/981118/midway_1.html|title=Midway Ships Assault: Retribution|website=Business Wire|publisher=Berkshire Hathaway|via=Yahoo.com|date=November 18, 1998|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990204010417/http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/981118/midway_1.html|archivedate=February 4, 1999|accessdate=July 3, 2019}}{{cite web|author=GameSpot staff|date=November 18, 1998|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/midway-serves-retribution/1100-2465567/|title=Midway Serves Retribution [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]|website=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000115174059/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_11/18_vg_midway/index.html|archivedate=January 15, 2000|url-status=live|accessdate=September 14, 2020}} It was published in North America by Midway Games and in Europe by Telstar.
Gameplay
Assault: Retribution is a 3D combat shoot 'em up style game that heavily focuses on the combat. The game is set in an outer-space environment with hordes of aliens attacking the player.{{cite web|first=Douglass C.|last=Perry|date=June 25, 1998|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/06/26/assault-retribution-2|title=Assault: Retribution (Preview)|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|accessdate=July 6, 2019}} Players can take control of either two characters Reno or Kelly, the two soldiers sent down to protect the city of Arcadia from the aliens.
Development
Assault was the sole game developed by Candle Light Studios, a development forged from a team of ex-Accolade designers who had worked on the futuristic combat sports title, Pitball.{{cite web|first=Zack|last=Murphy|date=February 18, 2019|url=https://queuetimes.com/assault-retribution-psx-review/|title=Assault: Retribution PSX Review|website=QueueTimes|accessdate=July 6, 2019}} Before release the game was proclaimed a Contra killer by PSM Online. A port for Nintendo 64 was planned, but never released.{{cite magazine|title=The N64 Gets Assaulted|magazine=N64 Gamer|issue=10|publisher=Next Publishing|date=December 1998|page=10}}
Candle Light Studios was based in Manchester, England.{{cite web|url=http://www.candle-light.co.uk/cls/jobs.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19991130025108/http://www.candle-light.co.uk/cls/jobs.html|title=Job Opportunities|website=Candle Light Studios|archivedate=November 30, 1999|accessdate=January 24, 2025}} It consisted of a team of 8 people.{{cite web|url=http://www.candle-light.co.uk/cls/team.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19991130043002/http://www.candle-light.co.uk/cls/team.html|title=The Team|website=Candle Light Studios|archivedate=November 30, 1999|accessdate=January 24, 2025}}
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Reception
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 60%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/196657-assault-retribution/index.html|title=Assault: Retribution for PlayStation|website=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501123649/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/196657-assault-retribution/index.html|archivedate=May 1, 2019|accessdate=September 14, 2020}}
| Allgame = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|first=Joe|last=Ottoson|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20502&tab=review|title=Assault: Retribution - Review|website=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115105956/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20502&tab=review|archivedate=November 15, 2014|accessdate=September 14, 2020}}
| EGM = 5.125/10{{cite magazine|author=EGM staff|title=Assault: Retribution|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=113|date=December 1998}}
| GI = 7.25/10{{cite magazine|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=dec98&doc=assault|title=Assault [Retribution]|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=FuncoLand|issue=68|date=December 1998|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990914051318/http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=dec98&doc=assault|archive-date=September 14, 1999|url-status=dead|access-date=September 14, 2020}}
| GamePro = {{Rating|1.5|5}}{{cite magazine|author=Major Mike|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_113_December_1998/page/n199/mode/2up|title=Assault: Retribution|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG Entertainment|issue=123|date=December 1998|page=196|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040315121815/http://gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/248.shtml|archivedate=March 15, 2004|url-status=live|accessdate=September 14, 2020}}
| GameRev = C+{{cite web|first=Tim|last=Hsu|date=December 1998|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33975-assault-retribution-review|title=Assault: Retribution Review|website=GameRevolution|publisher=CraveOnline|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929071608/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/assault-retribution|archivedate=September 29, 2015|url-status=live|accessdate=September 14, 2020}}
| Hyper = 66%{{cite magazine|first=Kevin|last=Cheung|url=https://archive.org/details/hyper-062/page/92/mode/2up|title=Assault|magazine=Hyper|publisher=Next Media Pty Ltd|issue=62|date=December 1998|page=93|accessdate=February 27, 2021}}
| OPMUK = 6/10{{cite magazine|first=Robin|last=Alway|url=https://archive.org/details/opm037/page/n133/mode/2up|title=Assault|magazine=Official UK PlayStation Magazine|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=37|date=October 1998|pages=134–35|accessdate=September 14, 2020}}
| OPM = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|title=Assault: Retribution|magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine|publisher=Ziff Davis|volume=2|issue=3|date=December 1998}}
| rev1 =Tampa Bay Times
| rev1Score = B+{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84998154/assault-retribution-review/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909030847/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84998154/assault-retribution-review/|title=Assault: Retribution|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|archivedate=September 9, 2021|date=March 15, 1999|accessdate=August 15, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|url-status=live}}
| rev2 = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
| rev2Score = 2/5{{cite web|first=Tracy|last=Collins|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99386587/pittsburgh-post-gazette/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409112316/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99386587/pittsburgh-post-gazette/|title=Small Soldiers wins big|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|page=77|archivedate=April 9, 2022|date=February 7, 1999|accessdate=April 9, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|url-status=live}}
}}
The game received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. Craig Harris of IGN said, "It's obvious these guys watched a lot of science-fiction movies before sitting down and designing Assault. Literally, this game looks like Robocop killing Starship Troopers aliens". Peter Bartholow of GameSpot said, "While the basics may sound playable enough, Assault{{'}}s problems are almost too many to list in this review."
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References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/19991130013108/http://www.candle-light.co.uk/assault/index.html Assault: Retribution] at Candle Light Studios
- {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/19981203074724/http://www.telstar.co.uk:80/tes/html/assault/game.htm}} (archived)
- {{moby game|id=/playstation/assault-retribution}}
Category:Cancelled Nintendo 64 games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:PlayStation (console) games
Category:PlayStation (console)-only games