American McGee Presents: Scrapland is a 2004 action-adventure video 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

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ Remastered version published by MercurySteam.

References

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  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.
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