Space Rangers 2: Dominators

Space Rangers 2: Dominators (Russian: Космические рейнджеры 2: Доминаторы), released in North America with the subtitle Rise of the Dominators, is a multi-genre science fiction computer game developed by Elemental Games for Windows and first published in 2004 by 1C Company. The player takes the role of a spaceship pilot, and may explore, trade, engage in space and ground based combat, and undertake various types of missions. Space Rangers 2 is the sequel to the 2002 computer game Space Rangers.

Setting
Space Rangers 2 is set in the year 3300. Sentient combat robots known as Dominators are attacking the five civilizations of the Coalition: the humans, the Maloqs, the Pelengs, the Faeyans, and the Gaalians. There are three Dominator types, each at war with each other: the Blazeroids, the Kelleroids, and the Terranoids. The player begins the game as a trainee member of the Space Rangers – a corps of pilots charged with defending the galaxy from the Dominators.

Gameplay
Space Rangers 2 combines multiple gameplay modes. Space travel takes place in a third-person perspective turn-based 2D engine. The game also includes a 3D real-time strategy engine for planetary battles, with the option to control units within the RTS engine to play the battles as third-person shooters. The game also features an arcade shoot 'em up mode, and text-based missions that include interactive fiction and logic puzzle elements. The player character can gain experience points and improve skills, and the player character's ship can be upgraded as the player earns more cash. Sources of income for the player character include trading, piracy, completing missions for various factions, mining, and deploying research probes.

Reception
Space Rangers 2 attracted mainly positive reviews from the gaming media. Many reviewers noted its extreme open-endedness, the variety of its mini-games, and its off-beat style. Criticisms centered on its perceived lack of polish, the uneven quality of its various mini-games, and the poor quality of the English translations.

It has a metacritic score of 84 (out of 100).

Publishing history
Space Rangers 2 was originally published in Russia by 1C Company in November, 2004. In June 2005, Excalibur Publishing released a DVD version that included both Space Rangers 2 and its prequel, Space Rangers. Australian distributor Red Ant Enterprises released a CD-ROM version (Space Rangers 2 only) in 2005. In March, 2006, Cinemaware Marquee released a CD-ROM version subtitled Rise of the Dominators in North America. Space Rangers 2 is also distributed electronically via Trymedia, Steam and TotalGaming.net.

Expansion Pack
An expansion pack called Space Rangers 2: Reboot has been released as a download from Stardock. The European retail version also includes the original Space Rangers, along with a combined version of Space Rangers 2 and the expansion pack.