Rytlock’s Critter Rampage

Rytlock’s Critter Rampage is a 2013 HTML5-based action-adventure game published by ArenaNet , developed and programmed by Delly Sartika. While in the Guild Wars series, it takes place in Guild Wars 2 players as the Super Adventure Box.

It was released around the world on April 19, 2013 for web browsers everywhere. It was developed using the Construct 2 game engine. ^[1]

The gameplay of Rytlock’s Critter Rampage focuses on exploration, the search for baubles that are used to purchase items such as potions, defeating foes, and rescuing defenseless creatures known as quaggans. The game’s story takes place before the events of Super Adventure Box, and follows a legionary Charr warrior Rytlock Brimstone as he goes on a rampage, destroying hostile creatures.

Rytlock’s Critter Rampage was an unexpected addition to the Super Adventure Box release, and is considered by many players a prime example of ArenaNet going above and beyond with their game development and marketing strategy.

Gameplay, graphics, and sound

Players control Rytlock Brimstone, a fierce Charr warrior who is a protagonist in the game Guild Wars 2 . The goal is to explore and survive the world game while collecting baubles and treasures. Combat includes many foes, Guild Wars 2 players will be recognized from Super Adventure Box, such as snakes, turtles, beedogs, rabbits and monkeys which can be used with Rytlock’s kick attack. ^[2] Players can also save some friendly creatures, such as pink quaggans , which act as savepoints, and purchase items like potions from shopkeepers. The game also includes boss fights, which are a combination of bullet hell and platforming.

The game’s graphics are designed to be a halfway point between a 8-bit NES game and a SNES game, even though the game is coded to be experienced in flash. It was designed to make it appear as if the release of the Super Adventure Box was replacing the old fashioned SNES / NES-style gameplay with a new and mind-blowing graphic enhancements. (Similar to the way N64 was an upgrade from the SNES) ^[3]

The game also features two game modes (Easy Mode or Rytlock Mode), Ten secret treasures players can find, a save feature, and four different endings.

In addition to the retro style graphics, the game’s music, composed by Maclaine Diemer, are more popular. It should also be noted that Guild Wars 2 players will recognize their adventures in the Super Adventure Box. ^[4]

There is not much to this piece, since it was designed to be in the background for a couple of seconds, but I wanted to be at least fit with the commercial’s proper music. It’s in the same key, and the bass line is a slightly modified version of the music that plays in the actual music. The melody is based on the second melody in the 8-bit version of the Guild Wars 2 theme. -Composer, Maclaine Diemer, in looks at the music of Rytlock’s Critter Rampage. ^[5]

Development

The game was made to be a thing for a Guild Wars 2 advertisement advertisement, simply making an appearance briefly before the Super Adventure Box starts in the Super Adventure Video Box . The original plan was simply to create a couple of fake sprites , but one of the developers, Delly Sartika, decided that he would be in-fact take the initiative and create an entire platformer. The whole process took him to three weeks.

Originally, we just wanted to build a couple of sprites to the game in After Effects, but one of the cinematic artists on my team (Delly Sartika) has long harbored an interest in building his own retro platform, so he volunteered to build out a playable version of our totally fake game. -Matthew Oswald, ArenaNet Cinematics Lead Team ^[3]

Release

Rytlock’s Critter Rampage was released as a free flash game and made available for everyone on the internet on April 19, 2013. It can be played here

Reception

Stories of an April Fool’s jokes and games, as well as other games, such as PC Gamer , Giant Bomb , Joystiq and many others. ^{[ citation needed ]} Fans of the Guild Wars franchise and 2d platformers alike greeted the release of Rytlock’s Critter Rampage with open arms. ^{[ citation needed ]} Many people who have previously lost interest in the Guild Wars franchise, or had a spark of interest in both Guild Wars 2 and ArenaNet as a company. ^{[ quote needed ]}Overall, ArenaNet performed well, and the game gets positive from audiences – working wonders for the company’s publicity. ^{[ citation needed ]} Some players find Rytlock’s Critter Rampage to be a bit too challenging for their tastes, but do not commit negatively to the title, since it is completely free. ^{[ quote needed ]}

References