Milkmaid of the Milky Way
{{short description|2017 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| collapsible =
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| italic title =
| title = Milkmaid of the Milky Way
| image = Milkmaid cover.jpg
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| developer = Mattis Folkestad
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| platforms = iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
| released = January 5, 2017
| genre = Adventure
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| designer = Mattis Folkestad
| programmer = Mattis Folkestad
| artist = Mattis Folkestad
| writer = Mattis Folkestad
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Milkmaid of the Milky Way is an independent adventure game for iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. It was developed by Mattis "machineboy" Folkestad and released on January 5, 2017. The game's plot features a Scandinavian milkmaid, Ruth, who loses her cows to a spacecraft, and has to jump aboard to save them.
Plot
The puzzle adventure game takes place in space and in 1920s Norway.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/milkmaid-of-the-milky-may-a-rhyming-adventure-game-is-out-now/ |title=Milmaid of the Milky Way a Rhyming Adventure is Out Now |last=Sykes|first=Tom |date=January 8, 2017|work=PC Gamer}} The main character is Ruth, a milkmaid living alone with her cows on a farm in a Nordic fjord in the 1920s. The game's story begins with Ruth doing tasks and chores on her farm, longing for a different life after the mysterious disappearance of her mother and death of her father. Then a spaceship flies overhead and abducts her cows from a field. Ruth has to get on the wing of the ship as it flies away, and figures out how to get inside to rescue her friends the cows. Later gameplay involves an intergalactic feud involving an oppressive monarch, and other characters such as an oracle, and space cows.{{Cite web|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/3172936/ios/go-on-a-snarky-sci-fi-adventure-in-milkmaid-of-the-milky-way.html|title=Milkmaid of the Milky Way Review |last=Purewal|first=Sarah Jacobsson|date=February 24, 2017|website=Macworld}}
Gameplay
The game is a point-and-click adventure game.” Players start by exploring the farm and surrounding area, encountering various challenges and puzzles. The game allows both running and walking speed. Early tasks include milking cows, patching the roof, making cheese, and also rescuing a lost cow. Puzzle solving is used to get through obstacles, not leveling up, and the skills learned in the first day are useful later on in the game. In between gameplay, there are also animated video clips to move the story along. On day two, the game becomes a science fiction venture concerning alien situations. When a spaceship abducts Ruth’s cows, Ruth has to get on the wing of the ship as it flies away and figure out how to get inside.{{Cite web|url=http://www.idigitaltimes.com/milkmaid-milky-way-walkthrough-guide-how-dry-wood-rescue-cow-open-spaceship-panels-577396|title='Milkmaid Of The Milky Way' Walkthrough & Guide: How To Dry Wood, Rescue Cow, Open Spaceship Panels And More|last=Harbison|first=Cammy|date=January 9, 2017|website=iDigitalTimes|access-date=May 21, 2017|archive-date=July 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706110311/http://www.idigitaltimes.com/milkmaid-milky-way-walkthrough-guide-how-dry-wood-rescue-cow-open-spaceship-panels-577396|url-status=dead}}
Development
The game was independently developed by Mattis "machineboy" Folkestad, a developer in Oslo, Norway. He got illustrator Natalie Foss to make the cover.[http://machineboy.com/milkmaid/ Milkmaid of the Milky Way at Machinery’s website] He worked on the project over two years, in his free time while also working a full-time job. The game was initially released for iOS. In January 2017, this was followed by a release for Steam (for Windows and Mac) and Apple’s Mac App Store. It only came out for Android on May 18, 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Milkmaid+of+the+Milky+Way/news.asp?c=74025|title=Pixely adventure game Milkmaid of the Milky Way points its way to Android |last=Renaudin|first=Clement |website=PocketGamer|date=18 May 2017 }} The soundtrack is available on iTunes.
While the images are done in a pixelated style, the backgrounds are hand-painted with a pastel color palette.{{Cite web|url=http://toucharcade.com/2017/01/06/toucharcade-game-of-the-week-milkmaid-of-the-milky-way/|title=Milkmaid of the Milky Way is Arcade Game of the Week |last=Harbison|first=Cammy|date=January 6, 2017|website=TouchArcade}} The game is completely written in rhyme, and is available in English, French, and Norwegian.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = iOS: 77/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/milkmaid-of-the-milky-way/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad |title=Milkmaid of the Milky Way for iPhone/iPad Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=July 4, 2018}}
PC: 74/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/milkmaid-of-the-milky-way/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Milkmaid of the Milky Way for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=July 4, 2018}}
| AdvGamers = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/32189 |title=Milkmaid of the Milky Way Review |last=Tekaia |first=Pascal |date=March 6, 2017 |website=Adventure Gamers |access-date=July 4, 2018}}
| PG = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/072618/milkmaid-of-the-milky-way-review-a-charming-sci-fi-adventure/ |title=Milkmaid of the Milky Way review - A charming sci-fi adventure |last=Valentin |first=Christian |date=January 5, 2017 |website=Pocket Gamer |publisher=Steel Media |access-date=August 2, 2019}}
| TA = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://toucharcade.com/2017/03/07/milkmaid-of-the-milky-way-review-a-melancholy-game-of-saving-cows/ |title='Milkmaid of the Milky Way' Review – A Melancholy Game of Saving Cows |last=Dotson |first=Carter |date=March 7, 2017 |website=TouchArcade |access-date=July 4, 2018}}
}}
The Microsoft Windows version of the game was given a score of 74 out of 100 by Metacritic, a review aggregation website. Adventure Gamers praised its story, but complained about the rhyming and lack of hints, giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. Stuff.tv gave it 4/5 stars, stating the script had moments like a Douglas Adams story, and the “entire project feels like a concise, modern take on a classic Lucasfilm game.”{{Cite news|url=https://www.stuff.tv/app-reviews/milkmaid-milky-way/review |title=App of the week: Milkmaid of the Milky Way review |last=Grannel |first=Craig |date=21 January 2017|work=Stuff.tv }} Gamezebo thought it was “charmingly retro.”{{Cite news|url=http://www.gamezebo.com/2017/01/10/milkmaid-milky-way-review-charmingly-retro/|title=Milkmaid of the Milky Way Review: Charmingly Retro|last=Allen|first=Jennifer|date=January 10, 2017|work=GameZebo|access-date=May 20, 2017|archive-date=July 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708135037/https://www.gamezebo.com/2017/01/10/milkmaid-milky-way-review-charmingly-retro/|url-status=dead}}
iDigitalTimes gave it 5/5,{{Cite news |url=http://www.idigitaltimes.com/milkmaid-milky-way-review-best-mobile-adventure-game-youll-play-year-577138 |title='Milkmaid Of The Milky Way' Review: The Best Mobile Adventure Game You'll Play This Year |last=Harbison |first=Cammy |date=January 6, 2017 |work=iDigitalTimes |access-date=May 20, 2017 |archive-date=July 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713165428/http://www.idigitaltimes.com/milkmaid-milky-way-review-best-mobile-adventure-game-youll-play-year-577138 |url-status=dead }} saying that it was “already a strong contender for one of the best mobile games of 2017,” because of its “engaging storyline, beautiful graphics and clever gameplay.” Macworld thought that “everything about Milkmaid of the Milky Way has clearly been carefully designed, and the result is gorgeous.” Also, Pocket Gamer gave the game the “Pocket Game Silver Award."[http://machineboy.com/press/ Press for machineboy at the Machineboy.com website]