Outpost Kaloki X
Added January 4th, 2006 by Kisan Parikh
While looking through the Xbox Live Arcade download menus, you will notice only one title listed under Strategy and Sims. This game, Outpost Kaloki X, is the Xbox 360 version of Ninja Bee’s light-hearted, tycoon style PC game set somewhere in space. The gameplay is relatively simple, but is entertaining and challenging at the same time.
Outpost Kaloki X involves managing your space station in order to meet a variety of goals presented to you in each mission. The game features two story modes: Adventure Story and War Story. In the Adventure Story, your goals consist of pleasing various visitors, making a certain amount of profit, building expansions, and more of the same nature. War Story provides an extra twist; while attempting to attain your goals, you must also fight off various attackers
Outpost Kaloki X involves managing your space station in order to meet a variety of goals presented to you in each mission. The game features two story modes: Adventure Story and War Story. In the Adventure Story, your goals consist of pleasing various visitors, making a certain amount of profit, building expansions, and more of the same nature. War Story provides an extra twist; while attempting to attain your goals, you must also fight off various attackers
The core gameplay of OKX involves building and modifying expansions on your space station. You begin with a set number of empty spaces to build your expansions on. Each expansion has an upgraded version that can be purchased as you progress. Your expansion categories include Social, Science, Trade, Information, and Nature. These types of buildings can allow you to generate income from your paying visitors. You can tweak options such as quality of products and prices with each of these buildings. This can make your expansions more appealing to visitors.
Another important type of expansion is Power. This type of expansion enables you to provide energy for the rest of your station. Everything you build needs power to run off, so you must manage this area carefully. As you build more, you can upgrade your energy sources. Your power sources range from tiny solar powered turbines to high powered generators. You are able to tweak these items by managing a slider that controls power output as compared to operation safety.
Maintenance expansions don’t generate income, but they are just as important to your station as anything else. These expansions allow you to keep your buildings in working order as they break down or come under attack. This can be important especially in the War Story, where you need to keep your Defense expansions in working order.
The missions you will face in both story modes start off easy enough, but as you progress you will find that a number of missions provide quite a bit of challenge. The storylines you will come across are not exactly captivating, but their humorous nature and OKX’s addicting gameplay will keep you playing.
The game also comes with various scenarios to play though. These mostly involve free play modes in which you can build your station any way you like. There are also scenarios such as Survival, where you have goals at hand. In this particular scenario, you are supposed to protect certain items from a continuous onslaught of attackers for as long as possible. These modes of play are a good alternative for those who want to play the game with fewer guidelines and no countdown timers.
OKX features a unique style of play that is both fun and accessible. I found myself addicted to it in no time, wanting to improve my times and advance through the Story Modes. The gameplay of Outpost Kaloki X definitely isn’t for every gamer, but those that give it a chance could be rewarded with a great game.
The visuals of Outpost Kaloki X are really on the simple side. The space station is relatively minimal, with expansions being cartoon-style drawings. For instance, your Defense expansions are a hand holding an oversized gun. Explosions are another well done aspect of the game, and sometimes you are privileged to have fireworks fill your screen during gameplay. Regardless of not being technically advanced, the graphics seem to work with the nature of the game. For a ten dollar game, I really couldn’t ask for much more.
Another important type of expansion is Power. This type of expansion enables you to provide energy for the rest of your station. Everything you build needs power to run off, so you must manage this area carefully. As you build more, you can upgrade your energy sources. Your power sources range from tiny solar powered turbines to high powered generators. You are able to tweak these items by managing a slider that controls power output as compared to operation safety.
Maintenance expansions don’t generate income, but they are just as important to your station as anything else. These expansions allow you to keep your buildings in working order as they break down or come under attack. This can be important especially in the War Story, where you need to keep your Defense expansions in working order.
The missions you will face in both story modes start off easy enough, but as you progress you will find that a number of missions provide quite a bit of challenge. The storylines you will come across are not exactly captivating, but their humorous nature and OKX’s addicting gameplay will keep you playing.
The game also comes with various scenarios to play though. These mostly involve free play modes in which you can build your station any way you like. There are also scenarios such as Survival, where you have goals at hand. In this particular scenario, you are supposed to protect certain items from a continuous onslaught of attackers for as long as possible. These modes of play are a good alternative for those who want to play the game with fewer guidelines and no countdown timers.
OKX features a unique style of play that is both fun and accessible. I found myself addicted to it in no time, wanting to improve my times and advance through the Story Modes. The gameplay of Outpost Kaloki X definitely isn’t for every gamer, but those that give it a chance could be rewarded with a great game.
The visuals of Outpost Kaloki X are really on the simple side. The space station is relatively minimal, with expansions being cartoon-style drawings. For instance, your Defense expansions are a hand holding an oversized gun. Explosions are another well done aspect of the game, and sometimes you are privileged to have fireworks fill your screen during gameplay. Regardless of not being technically advanced, the graphics seem to work with the nature of the game. For a ten dollar game, I really couldn’t ask for much more.
The soundtrack of OKX was the first thing that you will notice about the game. It consists of a track of crazy swing music. While it fits the game incredibly, I found that using custom soundtracks is even more satisfying. The sound effects in the game are rather basic, but again, they fit the game well.
The controls of Outpost Kaloki X are a very strong aspect of this game. The game is easily picked up, because the control scheme is very natural. The camera is controlled with the right thumbstick, and the left thumbstick changes which space is highlighted. From there you use the A button to select things, scroll through menus with the left thumbstick, and occasionally switch to your visitors menu with the Y button. The great control scheme of OXK really contributed to the quality of its gameplay.
As mentioned earlier, your game modes consist of the two stories and the various scenarios. Once you find a scenario you like, it is fun to try to beat that score or time. Another source of replay value will be found through Downloadable Content. Already, there is a free extra scenario, and I can only assume that more are on the way. Most will become tired of this game eventually, but there are enough ways to play for you to get your money’s worth.
Summary:
Outpost Kaloki X features a unique, catchy gameplay that will be fun for many. While some people will not enjoy this type of game in general, those who give it a try may be rewarded. Those that think they could enjoy this game might as well purchase it, because the price equates to only ten dollars.
The controls of Outpost Kaloki X are a very strong aspect of this game. The game is easily picked up, because the control scheme is very natural. The camera is controlled with the right thumbstick, and the left thumbstick changes which space is highlighted. From there you use the A button to select things, scroll through menus with the left thumbstick, and occasionally switch to your visitors menu with the Y button. The great control scheme of OXK really contributed to the quality of its gameplay.
As mentioned earlier, your game modes consist of the two stories and the various scenarios. Once you find a scenario you like, it is fun to try to beat that score or time. Another source of replay value will be found through Downloadable Content. Already, there is a free extra scenario, and I can only assume that more are on the way. Most will become tired of this game eventually, but there are enough ways to play for you to get your money’s worth.
Summary:
Outpost Kaloki X features a unique, catchy gameplay that will be fun for many. While some people will not enjoy this type of game in general, those who give it a try may be rewarded. Those that think they could enjoy this game might as well purchase it, because the price equates to only ten dollars.
