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Space Giraffe

EMAIL PRINTxbox360

7.4 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 24 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 80 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Llamasoft

Developer: Llamasoft

Genre(s): Shooter

Players: Multi

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: August 22, 2007

Summary

[Xbox Live Arcade] Space Giraffe features uniquely beautiful graphics and 100 levels of shoot-em-up action gameplay from the makers of Llamatronand Tempest 2000. Collect power-ups to activate Bonus Rounds and master the strategies necessary to maximize your score on every level! Enjoy the unique graphical appearance of each level due to the use of the Neon engine. Learn special moves to increase the Bonus Multiplier, and collect power-ups to gain access to the Bonus Round. Bonus challenges: Finish all 100 levels to unlock a hidden gameplay mode. [Microsoft]

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameFAQs

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Hardcore Gamer Magazine

Most importantly, Space Giraffe is pure addictive fun, constantly demanding one more round as the pulsing light melts your eyes out of their sockets. [Oct 2007, p.66]

100

GotNext

Space Giraffe does an incredible job of tying score to performance, and the feeling that there's always a way to squeeze a few more points out of a level provides amazing replay value.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Space Giraffe doesn't just hand out achievements. When you finally get one under your belt, you feel like you've earned it.

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X360 Magazine UK

Feels amazingly fresh and new. [Issue 26, p.118]

Game Almighty

Just as the film industry has had David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, or the music industry Laurie Anderson and Phillip Glass, or the art world its Salvador Dali, so to does the videogame industry have its own creative maverick in Jeff Minter. I'm glad he exists and I'm ecstatic that he's still doing what he wants, how he wants. Best 400-points I've ever spent.

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Games Master UK

Original, often breathtakingly beautiful retro-styled shooter. [Nov 2007, p.85]

games(TM)

It’s hard not to think of Space Giraffe as one of the best value games currently available. [Nov 2007, p.126]

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

Play it until the scoring system clicks and it'll have you forever. At 400 points, it's a bargain. [Nov 2007, p.96]

Eurogamer

Its uniquely British humour and gentle progression system (the ability to restart levels with saved high-score is a hugely welcome feature) provide light relief to what is, essentially, one of the most unorthodox and alien gaming experiences you'll ever have.

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Edge Magazine

This is a simple game at heart, a game about learning the rules, becoming really good at manipulating the elements, and then getting a huge high score to brag about. And who could argue with that? [Oct 2007, p.98]

Gamestyle

Space Giraffe won’t appeal to everyone. It demands you play by its rules, adjust to its learning curve.

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IC-Games

Space Giraffe is the type of game that high score tables were made for, but only if you have the patience to figure it all out.

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Worth Playing

As much as I personally love it, there are plenty of people out there who will outright loathe it. Many won't manage to see past the colors and will simply be unable to play the game. It can also be deeply unforgiving, and while there are concessions in the form of the automatic save, you'll usually advance two or three levels and then hit an absolute brick wall of a stage that will take multiple tries to finish.

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GameSpot

Space Giraffe is an extremely weird and well-designed arcade game, but its unique brand of madness isn't for everyone.

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MS Xbox World

The game offers a very frustrating learning curve but once you pass that you’ll uncover a pretty decent game with a lot of replay value.

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AceGamez

A game that benefits from extended demo play before taking the leap to the full version.

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1UP

When the (catchy) electronic music is pounding and you're in tune with the game, it's an exciting, transcendent few seconds; it just never lasts, as you're brought back to earth by the sheer inanity of what you're involved in.

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GameDaily

The game is simple to play, but unfortunately nearly impossible to master, due to the overwhelming amount of swirling colors on the screen.

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GamingExcellence

Ultimately, the game falls apart when the player is bombarded with harmless background colours and life-sucking enemy bullets at the same time. The two become almost indecipherable from one another.

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Games Radar (in-house)

It’s absolutely functional and undeniably one of a kind, the product of a truly creative mind - but it’s so atypical and requires so much effort to appreciate that very few will find it truly worthwhile.

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IGN

Maybe if the gameplay were more endearing to the casual gamer, or if the visuals didn’t make half of the people who play the game foam at the mouth, or perhaps if the levels weren’t designed to cheat the player, then maybe, just maybe Space Giraffe would have been as cool as its designers had hoped.

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Team Xbox

A game that will only appeal to a few people. These players will have to be dedicated to the task of figuring this thing out, like a grueling math problem or logic puzzle.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

We say the gameplay is 'deceptively simple', because there's effectively two buttons. [Nov 2007, p.106]

Official Xbox Magazine

With incredibly poor visibility(apparently by design)and a thumping electronica soundtrack peppered with sophomoric sound effects, Space Giraffe offers a generous 100 levels of damn-near-unplayable technoslop. [Oct 2007, p.74]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 80 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Bradley T gave it a10:
Great game deserving of patience to get you through an initially very confusing first few plays - listen well to the tutorial and you shouldn't suffer this however. This is not Tempest and you will likely get frustrated if you play it this way. All bad reviews show a complete lack of understanding as to why this game is so fab and those reviewing should be fairly ashamed quite honestly their inability to recognise well working mechanics. Superb risk vs reward design allows for greater score vs progression depending on your your bravery. Lovely visuals and great soundtrack. Nice work Jeff.

Steven R gave it an8:
Probably not the zenith of Yaks career that many fans proclaim, certainly not the nadir either. While hardly worth a 10 as it's not without it's flaws, SG is more about the original 'soul' of videogaming than the story led "go to waypoint", "hold X to pick up object" that most gamers will be used to now. Very challenging but twice as rewarding, your first few games may - no - WILL leave you stuttering between levels wondering what killed you how and why, but you know what? That happens to me pretty much every time I play Halo on XBL. Most will just pick this up, play the demo and go "ewwww", which is a pity as they're denying themselves the chance - after a bit of patience to one day pick up, play and go "ahhhhhhh!". One of the finer games on XBL and certainly one of the few that I'll keep coming back to again and again. Undoubtedly one of the best 400 points I've ever spent.

DeSangre IIDX gave it a9:
Sure, Space Giraffe won't be for everyone, sure, it's (on the surface) very similar to Tempest, but I was expecting part of the critic to at least try this game for more than 15 minutes rather than dismissing it as crap. After you get the hang of it, Space Giraffe is a very solid arcade game that OMIGOSH! requires skill and concentration, something which is rarely seen these days. At 800 points it would probably be an 8 or a 7, but the 400 points price tag deserves a praise.

Rob M. gave it a9:
Magnificent game - wonderfully trippy visuals combined with sheer arcade perfection. A must buy.

Matt O. gave it a10:
A pure game for real gamers. Requires some investment time, but once you've paid your dues you'll love it. I can't believe how gaming has lost its way. Has the spirit and excitement of pure games really been lost?

Kevin F. gave it a9:
An original, fun and score-intensive arcade game. Its medium-to-hard level of difficulty to get a good score, and psychedelic gfx may be too much of a challenge for some, but, all in all it is a game that is pure adreneline arcade action ol'skool style. For around $5 bucks, it is a deal !

Jhon P. gave it a0:
Confusing, busy, seizure inducing. Loved games like Frequency and Amplitude before the GH craze, but this is... this is bad Tempest to worse techno with fireworks exploding in front of your screen.

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Space Giraffe

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