Savage Moon
Encyclopedia
Savage Moon is a PlayStation 3
and PSP
tower defense
strategy game
which sees the player protecting a remote, off-world mining facility from constant attack by Insectocytes, a type of carnivorous creature inhabiting the planets. The mission is to strategically place an array of upgradeable, defensive weapons in the way of the bugs. There is a range of towers, from rapid-fire machine guns to support towers such as the chaos tower. The developers describe the strategy as;
In keeping with the xeno-biological theme, the Insectocytes evolve throughout the game, with each wave becoming tougher, and the creatures mutating into new forms to meet the human threat. In response to this, the player needs to research and deploy new forms of technology to meet the escalation of bug toughness. The strategy of the game is a mix of open and directed levels — in some levels the player can place towers to herd the Insectocytes into their cross-fire.
The game was released for download from European PSN on December 24, 2008 and in North America on January 29, 2009.
for the title as released called 'Waldgeist
' - the German name for a forest spirit. The developers build on the ideas of evolution and adaptation, remarking;
As the Insectocytes have evolved, so new threats have surfaced: the Death Blossom Insectocyte; a deadly evolution that carries within itself a payload of beautiful but lethal missiles. It responds to being in range of towers it considers a threat by detonating itself and launching it's cruel cargo. A new sub-species of Insectocytes have emerged using photochromic biological adaptations, similar to those found on native Terran species such as the chameleon or the cuttlefish. They have acquired the ability to adapt their skin colour across a wide spread of the electromagnetic spectrum, rendering them invisible to all normal towers' targeting systems.
The game continued the idea of naming the levels after mythical creatures, deity or figures from ancient history;
In 2010 the soundtrack to the DLC of Savage Moon: Waldgeist - also composed by Elsaesser, was nominated for Best Original Video Game Score in the 55th Ivor Novello Awards
.. This was the first year that music from games was given a category in the awards.
Savage Moon: The Hera Campaign (named after the Aegophagus or goat eating aspect of the Greek goddess of the same name) is set within a huge gathering of Imoons, the Hera Cluster, that drifted into human space. Preliminary intelligence suggests that it consists of, at least, 20 Imoons populated by a rich variety of Insectocyte forms, some of which we have encountered before and some of which are new.
The PSP game also carried on the naming the levels after mythical creatures, deity or figures from ancient history. Most of the names appear to come from Mayan mythology.;
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
tower defense
Tower defense
Tower defense is a subgenre of real-time strategy computer games.The goal of tower defense games is to try to stop enemies from crossing a map by building towers which shoot at them as they pass. Enemies and towers usually have varied abilities, costs, and ability costs...
strategy game
Strategy game
A strategy game or strategic game is a game in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome...
which sees the player protecting a remote, off-world mining facility from constant attack by Insectocytes, a type of carnivorous creature inhabiting the planets. The mission is to strategically place an array of upgradeable, defensive weapons in the way of the bugs. There is a range of towers, from rapid-fire machine guns to support towers such as the chaos tower. The developers describe the strategy as;
In keeping with the xeno-biological theme, the Insectocytes evolve throughout the game, with each wave becoming tougher, and the creatures mutating into new forms to meet the human threat. In response to this, the player needs to research and deploy new forms of technology to meet the escalation of bug toughness. The strategy of the game is a mix of open and directed levels — in some levels the player can place towers to herd the Insectocytes into their cross-fire.
The game was released for download from European PSN on December 24, 2008 and in North America on January 29, 2009.
Level Names
The game is divided into nebulae, each of which has 4 levels (moons). The game uses names in an alphabetical order rather than numbers to indicate the levels. Each nebula and moon is named after a mythical creatures, deity or figures from ancient history;- Nebula: Xipe - Full name Xipe TotecXipe TotecIn Aztec mythology and religion, Xipe Totec was a life-death-rebirth deity, god of agriculture, vegetation, the east, disease, spring, goldsmiths, silversmiths and the seasons. Xipe Totec was also known by the alternative names Tlatlauhca, Tlatlauhqui Tezcatlipoca and Youalahuan...
was, in Aztec mythology, a life-death-rebirth deity, god of agriculture, vegetation, the east, disease, spring, goldsmiths, silversmiths and the seasons.- AgamemnonAgamemnonIn Greek mythology, Agamemnon was the son of King Atreus and Queen Aerope of Mycenae, the brother of Menelaus, the husband of Clytemnestra, and the father of Electra and Orestes. Mythical legends make him the king of Mycenae or Argos, thought to be different names for the same area...
- Agamemnon was the commander of the Achaeans (Greeks) during the Trojan War. - Baxajuan - In Basque mythology, the basajaun (plural: baxajaunak) are a race of large hairy wild men who were megalithMegalithA megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
builders. - CerberusCerberusCerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping...
- Three headed-dog that guards the gates to Hades in Greek mythology. - DuergarDuergar (Folklore)The Simonside Dwarfs also known as Brownmen, Bogles and Duergar are a race of ugly dwarfs, particularly associated with the Simonside Hills of Northumberland, in northern England...
- are a race of ugly dwarfs, particularly associated with the Simonside Hills of Northumberland, in northern England.
- Agamemnon
- Nebula: YmirYmirIn Norse mythology, Ymir, also called Aurgelmir among the giants themselves, was the founder of the race of frost giants and was later killed by the Borrs.-Etymology:...
- was the founder of the race of frost giants and an important figure in Norse cosmology.- EinherjarEinherjarIn Norse mythology, the einherjar are those that have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla by valkyries. In Valhalla, the einherjar eat their fill of the nightly-resurrecting beast Sæhrímnir, and are brought their fill of mead by valkyries...
- The Norse name for 'lone fighters' are those that have died in battle and are brought to ValhallaValhallaIn Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
by valkyries. - Fenrir - A monstrous wolf from Norse mythology.
- Ghede - Full name Ghede NiboGhede NiboIn Haitian Vodou, Ghede Nibo was a handsome young man who was killed violently. After death, he was adopted as a spirit or Lwa by Baron Samedi and Maman Brigitte and became a leader of the spirits of the dead. Envisioned as an effeminate, nasal dandy, Nibo wears a black riding coat or drag...
, is a spirit or Lwa in the Haitian Vodou religion. - Hyperion - Is the TitanTitan (mythology)In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
son of Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky) in Greek mythology.
- Einherjar
- Nebula: ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
- The father of the Gods in Greek mythology.- IncubusIncubusAn incubus is a male demon that has sexual intercourse with sleeping women.Incubus may also refer to:- Film :* Incubus , a film in Esperanto starring William Shatner* Incubus , a horror film starring Tara Reid...
- A demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers and seduce them. - JikininkiJikininkiIn Japanese Buddhism, jikininki are the spirits of greedy, selfish or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses. They do this at night, scavenging for newly dead bodies and food offerings left for the dead...
- In Japanese Buddhism these are the spirits of greedy, selfish or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses. - KitsuneKitsuneis the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...
- Intelligent fox-like spirits that possess magical abilities from Japanese folklore. - LotanLotanLotan or Lawtan is the seven-headed sea serpent or dragon of Ugaritic myths. He is either a pet of the god Yamm or an aspect of Yamm himself; the cosmic ocean of myth is often known as a great stream. In the Hebrew analogue Lotan is who was also known as Yam the Leviathan. He represents the mass...
- The seven-headed sea serpent or dragon of Ugaritic myths.
- Incubus
Previews
The game received a good response from a number of the top game websites when shown at games shows:- This sounds like it could be a very entertaining action/strategy title, and another good one for the Store. PSX Extreme
- For those of you that were curious as to what the mysterious Savage Moon would entail, Sony did not disappoint when revealing the game in Leipzig today. PlayStation Universe
Reviews
The game has received a good response from a number of computer game websites:- Savage Moon, from little known Bristol developer FluffyLogic, is about as good as it's going to get for just over six quid on PSN. Videogamer.com (awarded 8/10)
- Graphically, it's one of the better-looking titles on the PSN, but it's certainly not the best. The game's messy landscapes are pardoned by cool sci-fi towers and a range of weird, Starship Troopers-esque alien designs...Savage Moon is a quality Store title that deserves recognition.. Play Magazine (awarded 86%)
- Unlike many other defense games, Savage Moon conveys a sense of ballistic punishment to its convoy or marauders. Later levels offer different texture maps to offer variety to the extraterrestrial skirmishes. The game's sound effects portray an effectively bleak environment peppered with the thunder of war and cry of dying beasts. tech-gaming.com (awarded B+)
- Savage Moon is an entertaining game which has a good difficulty curve, adequate visuals and entertaining gameplay. Worth a look. futuregamez.net (awarded 76%)
- You cannot compare Savage Moon to any other tower defense games currently available on other platforms. It delivers a unique combat system and a large selection of different types of enemy waves. If you’re a tower defense fan, you’ll find Savage Moon very entertaining. Build turrets, kill incoming enemies, upgrade your guns and kill some more! nextgn.com (awarded 88%)
- Savage Moon costs just $9.99 on the PlayStation Store, and it is well worth the price for tower defense fans, as well as gamers new to the genre. PS3Center.net (awarded 8/10)
Waldgeist (PS3 Extra Content)
On the 6th August 2009 the first DLCDLC
DLC may refer to:* Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, which has the IATA code DLC, a military and public airport in Ganjingzi District, Dalian, China* Dead Letter Circus, an alternative rock band from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
for the title as released called 'Waldgeist
Waldgeist
The term Waldgeist is German for ‘woodland spirit’, believed by ancient pagans to be the custodians of the forest. The Waldgeist spirit was believed to live in the forest and be the protector of those with 'pure spirit' who entered the forest...
' - the German name for a forest spirit. The developers build on the ideas of evolution and adaptation, remarking;
As the Insectocytes have evolved, so new threats have surfaced: the Death Blossom Insectocyte; a deadly evolution that carries within itself a payload of beautiful but lethal missiles. It responds to being in range of towers it considers a threat by detonating itself and launching it's cruel cargo. A new sub-species of Insectocytes have emerged using photochromic biological adaptations, similar to those found on native Terran species such as the chameleon or the cuttlefish. They have acquired the ability to adapt their skin colour across a wide spread of the electromagnetic spectrum, rendering them invisible to all normal towers' targeting systems.
The game continued the idea of naming the levels after mythical creatures, deity or figures from ancient history;
- Nebula: WaldgeistWaldgeistThe term Waldgeist is German for ‘woodland spirit’, believed by ancient pagans to be the custodians of the forest. The Waldgeist spirit was believed to live in the forest and be the protector of those with 'pure spirit' who entered the forest...
- the German name for a forest spirit.- Menja - One of two female slave giantesses from the Old Norse poem GrottasöngrGrottasöngrGrottasöngr or the Song of Grótti is an Old Norse poem, sometimes counted among the poems of the Poetic Edda as it appears in manuscripts that are later than the Codex Regius...
. - Niht - Is Continental Germanic mythology she is the Goddess of Night.
- OdinOdinOdin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
- Is considered the chief god in Norse paganism. He is associated with wisdom, war, battle, and death, and also magic, poetry, prophecy, victory, and the hunt. - PugotPugotThe Pugot is a mythical fiend that is found in the Ilocos region. It can assume various shapes such as hogs, dogs or even as humans. However, it usually appears as a black, gigantic headless being. The creature usually resides in dark places or deserted houses...
Also known as "the decapitated one" is a mythical fiend that is found in the Ilocos region of the Philippines. - QiqirnQiqirnIn Inuit mythology, Qiqirn is a large, bald dog spirit. It is a frightening beast, but also skittish and foolish. Men and dogs run from it, and it runs from men and dogs. It has hair on its feet, ear, mouth and the tip of its tail....
- In Inuit mythology, Qiqirn is a large, frightening, bald dog spirit. - RabisuRabisuIn 14th century BC vassals sent from Egypt to Canaan were described as Rabisu or senior Rabisu meaning commissioner or high commissioner respectively....
- In Akkadian mythology Rabisu ("the vagabond") is an evil vampiric spirit or demon.
- Menja - One of two female slave giantesses from the Old Norse poem Grottasöngr
In 2010 the soundtrack to the DLC of Savage Moon: Waldgeist - also composed by Elsaesser, was nominated for Best Original Video Game Score in the 55th Ivor Novello Awards
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
.. This was the first year that music from games was given a category in the awards.
The Hera Campaign (PSP)
On the 22nd December 2009 a new game set in the same universe and featuring some of the same units and towers was released titled 'The Hera Campaign';Savage Moon: The Hera Campaign (named after the Aegophagus or goat eating aspect of the Greek goddess of the same name) is set within a huge gathering of Imoons, the Hera Cluster, that drifted into human space. Preliminary intelligence suggests that it consists of, at least, 20 Imoons populated by a rich variety of Insectocyte forms, some of which we have encountered before and some of which are new.
The PSP game also carried on the naming the levels after mythical creatures, deity or figures from ancient history. Most of the names appear to come from Mayan mythology.;
- HeraHeraHera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
- In Greek mythology, Hera was the wife and older sister of ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
.- Ahpuch - Is a from the pantheon of Maya Death GodsMaya Death GodsThe Maya death gods, known under various names, belong to only two basic types, respectively represented by the 16th-century Yucatec deities Hunhau and Uacmitun Ahau mentioned by Spanish Bishop Landa. Hunhau is the lord of the Underworld...
. - BacabBacabBacab is the generic Yucatec name for each of the four pre-Spanish, aged Maya deities of the interior of the earth and its water deposits. The Bacabs have more recent counterparts in the lecherous, drunken old thunder deities of the Gulf Coast regions...
- The name for four deities of the interior of the earth and its water deposits. - Cizin- A god of death who lived in Metnal.
- DzahuiDzahuiIn Mixtec mythology, Dzahui or Dzavui was the god of rain. Child sacrifices were performed for Dzahui on the tops of hills during times of drought, sickness, and at harvest time....
- In Mixtec mythology, Dzahui or Dzavui was the god of rain. - Ekchuah - The patron god of warriors and merchants.
- FextFextFext is a mythical undead creature in Slavic mythology. Its origins are found in the terrors of the Thirty Years War in central Europe. It is said that the Fext is invincible to bullets, except bullets made of glass. Some of the great generals of that time were supposed to be fexts because of...
- Fext is a mythical undead creature in Slavic mythology. It is said that the Fext is invincible to bullets, except bullets made of glass. - GukumatzGukumatzQ'uq'umatz was a deity of the Postclassic K'iche Maya. Q'uq'umatz was the feathered serpent god of the Popol Vuh who created humanity together with the god Tepeu...
- Feathered Snake god and creator. - Hun-nal-ye - Hieroglyphic reading of the name of the Classic Maya maize god.
- IxchelIxchelIxchel or Ix Chel is the 16th-century name of the aged jaguar goddess of midwifery and medicine in the ancient Maya culture. She corresponds, more or less, to Toci Yoalticitl ‘Our Grandmother the Nocturnal Physician’, an Aztec earth goddess inhabiting the sweatbath, and is related to another...
- Jaguar goddess of midwifery and medicine. - JentilJentilThe jentil , were a race of giants in the Basque mythology. This word meaning gentile, from Latin gentilis, was used to refer to prechristian civilizations and in particular to the builders of megalithic monuments, to which the other basque mythical legend the Mairuak are involved too.The jentil...
- These were a race of giants in the Basque mythology. - Kauil - Believed to be a Mayan deity representing lightning.
- LubaantunLubaantunLubaantun is a pre-Columbian ruined city of the Maya civilization in southern Belize, Central America...
- A pre-Columbian ruined city of the Maya civilization in southern Belize, Central America. - MextliMextliIn Aztec mythology, Mextli was the god of war and storms and was born fully armed as a warrior. He accepted hundreds of sacrifices annually. citation need His name is thought by many to be the source of the name "Mexico".-References:...
- A god of the moon and was born fully armed as a warrior. - Nohochacyum - A creator god, most important deity of the Lacandon. His name means "Our True Lord".
- Oxlahuntiku - 'Thirteen Gods', possibly sky gods, opposed to the Bolontiku (a group of nine underworld gods).
- Patecatl - A god of healing and fertility, and the discoverer of peyote.
- Qaholom - One of the second set of Mayan creator gods.
- RougarouRougarouThe Rougarou , is a legendary creature in Laurentian French communities linked to European notions of the werewolf.-Versions:...
- A legendary creature in Laurentian French communities linked to European notions of the werewolfWerewolfA werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
. - SimbiSimbiIn Haitian Vodou, Simbi is a large and diverse family of serpent Loa from the West Central Africa / Kongo region. Some prominent Simbi Loa include Simbi Dlo , Simbi Makaya, Simbi Andezo , and Gran Simba...
- In Haitian Vodou, Simbi is a large family of serpent Loa (Vodoun spirits) from the West Central Africa/Kongo region. - Tepeu - A sky god and one of the creator deities who participated in all three attempts at creating humanity.
- Ahpuch - Is a from the pantheon of Maya Death Gods