American McGee Presents: Scrapland is a game developed by MercurySteam, with American McGee as an executive producer and published by Enlight Software. A remastered version was released for Windows on December 13, 2021.[1]

American McGee Presents: Scrapland
Developer(s)MercurySteam
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)American McGee
Designer(s)Enrique Alvarez
Luis Miguel Quijada
Darío Halle
Raúl Rubio-Munárriz
Programmer(s)Carlos Rodríguez
Darío Halle
Artist(s)Rafael Jiménez
Writer(s)Enrique Alvarez
Composer(s)Eugeni Martínez
Oscar Araujo
Platform(s)Windows, Xbox
Release
November 4, 2004
  • Windows
    • NA: November 4, 2004
    • EU: March 18, 2005
  • Xbox
    • NA: March 7, 2005
    • EU: March 18, 2005
    • AU: April 7, 2005
  • Remastered
  • Windows
    • WW: December 13, 2021
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Setting edit

Scrapland's story is set in the robot-populated world of the same name, also known by the inhabitants as Chimera, which seems like a giant asteroid vastly industrialized as a metropolis and surrounded by a world-scaled energy field and an orbital ring, both used to control entrance and exit of the planet.

Development and release edit

According to American McGee, the game was designed and produced by Enrique Alvarez, the studio head at MercurySteam. McGee refers to himself as a "marketing tool".[2] Alvarez pitched the idea for Scrapland to McGee while McGee was working as an executive producer at Enlight.[3] The game was in development for 2 years.[4]

The game was initially released for Windows in North America on November 4, 2004.[5] A port for Xbox shipped on March 4, 2005, and arrived on store shelves three days later on March 7.[6] Both versions were released in Europe on March 18, 2005.[7] The Xbox port was released in Australia on April 7, 2005.[8]

Reception edit

Scrapland received "average" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[25][26] Game Informer criticized the Xbox version's on-foot sections, "which would appear to be in the game for the sole purpose of annoying people. Scrap indeed."[13] IGN gave the same console version a more positive review, saying "I would have liked to have seen more variety and lateral flexibility in the single-player... Overall, the game's refreshing sense of personality wins out over everything else."[22]

The editors of Computer Gaming World nominated Scrapland for their 2004 "Action Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.[27]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Remastered version published by MercurySteam.

References edit

  1. ^ "Scrapland Remastered on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  2. ^ McGee, American (21 January 2013). "Reddit AMA answer". Reddit. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Scrapland: Do androids dream of American McGee?". Xbox Nation. No. 18. Ziff Davis. September 2004. pp. 72–73.
  4. ^ "Enric Alvarez (Scrapland) Q&A". armchairempire.com. November 25, 2004. Archived from the original on March 25, 2006. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  5. ^ "Scrapland PC Ships to Retailers Nationwide". GameZone. November 4, 2004. Archived from the original on January 5, 2005. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  6. ^ "Scrapland Xbox Ships!". GameZone. March 4, 2005. Archived from the original on November 1, 2005. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Bramwell, Tom (March 18, 2005). "What's New?". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  8. ^ "Scraplan". Gameplanet. Archived from the original on June 24, 2005. Retrieved May 22, 2024. Release date: 7th April, 2005. List price: AU$69.95.
  9. ^ "Scrapland". Computer Games Magazine. theGlobe.com. February 2005. p. 67.
  10. ^ McDonald, Thomas (25 December 2004). "American McGee Presents Scrapland" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 246. Ziff Davis. pp. 88–89. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  11. ^ EGM staff (April 2005). "Scrapland (Xbox)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 190. Ziff Davis. p. 125. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Scrapland (PC)". Game Informer. No. 140. GameStop. December 2004. p. 188.
  13. ^ a b "Scrapland (Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 144. GameStop. April 2005. p. 136.
  14. ^ a b Syriel (April 2005). "Scrapland". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. p. 85. Archived from the original on 17 February 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  15. ^ Navarro, Alex (11 November 2004). "Scrapland Review (PC)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  16. ^ Navarro, Alex (18 February 2005). "Scrapland Review (Xbox)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  17. ^ Osborne, Scott (9 November 2004). "GameSpy: Scrapland (PC)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  18. ^ Chapman, David (4 March 2005). "GameSpy: American McGee Presents: Scrapland (Xbox)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  19. ^ David, Mike (7 December 2004). "American McGee Presents: Scrapland - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  20. ^ Valentino, Nick (27 February 2005). "American McGee Presents: Scrapland - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  21. ^ McNamara, Tom (3 November 2004). "American McGee Presents: Scrapland Review (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  22. ^ a b McNamara, Tom; Perry, Douglass C. (23 February 2005). "American McGee Presents: Scrapland (Xbox)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  23. ^ "Scrapland". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. March 2005. p. 78.
  24. ^ "Scrapland". PC Gamer. Vol. 12, no. 1. Future US. January 2005. p. 80.
  25. ^ a b "Scrapland Critic Reviews for PC". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  26. ^ a b "Scrapland Critic Reviews for Xbox". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  27. ^ CGW staff (March 2005). "2004 Games of the Year (Action Game of the Year)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 249. Ziff Davis. p. 61. Retrieved 19 October 2018.

External links edit