Redout dogfighter spin-off Space Assault is now available on Apple Arcade
Despite being indefinitely delayed in May.
Developer 34BigThings' dogfighter-themed Redout spin-off, Redout: Space Assault, is available now on Apple Arcade, just four months after its initial release was indefinitely delayed.
34BigThings originally announced Redout: Space Assault last June, promising that the intergalactic shooter would maintain the "adrenaline rush, high skill ceiling, frantic pace, and popping aesthetics" of its excellent 2016 anti-gravity racer Redout, despite the shift in genres.
Space Assault was initially due to launch early this year, but its future began to look a little uncertain when 34BigThings announced an indefinite delay in May, saying the game was "not living up to [fan] expectations" and had "not yet reached its full potential". As a result, it was unsure "when [it] will come out, and whether it will come out this year or not."
Presumably, it didn't take long for development to get back on track; Redout: Space Assault is available to download right now on Apple's new game subscription service, with the released version taking the form of a strictly single-player experience. Six multi-mission chapters, themed around space battles and exploration, are available at launch, with a seventh "coming soon".
Missions include both on-rails shooter segments and more open-ended stages, where it's possible to explore freely within the confines of a level. Successfully completing missions rewards cash, used to upgrade the likes of weapons, shields, and hull, and on it goes. 34BigThings also promises Capital Ship assault missions, pitting players against gigantic vessels with "unique strengths, weaknesses and special attacks".
Redout: Space Assault's Apple Arcade release is compatible with iOS13, iPadOS, and tvOS, and will be made available on macOS Catalina from 13th October. There's no official word on whether the game will eventually make it to other platforms, but Redout: Space Assault is still listed on Steam, complete with a competitive online multiplayer mode, so hopefully 34BigThings will confirm its broader plans soon.