Microsoft's exclusive game 'Salvage' combines dubstep and spaceships for one fun blastravaganza

Spaceships, dubstep, lasers, bass and explosions. If that sounds good to you, then you’ll like Salvage for Windows and Windows Phone. Created by veteran developers from the Guitar Hero and DJ Hero series, Salvage combines music with the task of avoiding obstacles, collecting items, and shooting down enemies. The background music helps you understand when to swipe or tap on the screen.

We announced the game the other day, but now it's time for our gameplay video on the brand new Surface Pro 3!

There’s a tutorial in the beginning that’s going to help you out, but Salvage is very straightforward to play. Avoid obstacles by swiping on the screen. There’s an incoming wall to the left? Swipe right. When enemy ships show up, tap on them at the right time, complementing the beat of the music. Salvage tells you if you tap early, late, or just right.

There are three levels in Salvage: Colony, Outworld, and Highway. Colony is playable right away. You need points to unlock Outworld and Highway is exclusive to the VIP Access Pack.

The variety comes from the music and difficulty. Initially, there are three songs available from Noisia, Zomboy and SKisM. You’ll need to get at least three medals in Normal and Hard to unlock Expert mode. To get more tracks, you can buy packs from the store. Track packs cost $1.99 each or you can get the VIP Access Pack for $5.99. It includes:

  • Zomboy Track Pack
  • Noisia Track Pack
  • Never Say Die Pack
  • 2 exclusive tracks
  • Highway environment
  • Super Salvage 2,500,000

Salvage Results

You can update the ship with the money you’ve collected. You can improve the ship’s stability and handling, power-ups, and overdrive. If you’re tired of your ship’s paint job, you can change it too. You’ll need to play several times to have enough coins for the upgrades. You can also go to the store and spend real money to get more coins. For example, 7.5 million coins are worth $4.49.

Salvage Store

Salvage is free to play and can be downloaded from the Windows (opens in new tab) and Windows Phone Store. Microsoft has exclusive rights on the Windows platform until Q3 2014 when iOS and Android counterparts will be released.

Have you tried Salvage yet? Let us know in comments what you think and how it can be improved!

Mark Guim

Mark Guim is Video Editor at Windows Central. He switched to Windows because the MacBook Pro isn't Pro enough. You can follow him on Twitter at @markguim.

62 Comments
  • Awesome, awesome game.
  • It would be better if it actually made use of the XBM API to use our own songs. Also I still want a next-gen AudioSurf.
  • +1520HD
  • Came to say this ⬆ .... I loved AudioSurf for Zune HD and this game is reminiscent of that game... And it sucks that we can't use our own music... But that would take money away from them...from selling music packs, so I don't think they will ever let us! Unless they sell us an upgrade that will allow us to use our own music, they can make money that way... But then that would take royalties from the artists whose music it's featured in the music pack... So I don't know!
  • Is it a crime to want a Star Fox imitation with Xbox game/music support plus MOGA controller or an official alternative... ;P
  • +SP3 I second this comment. Bought the VIP Access pack. Still, like all music/beat games, some of the gameplay could be improved a bit for timing. Always super hard to get that right (also had a few stutter issues when playing).
  • I agree there seems to be timing issues. For example, when the rings "target" something, like a portal, the final ring doesn't always seem to match the beat of the music. If I want to get a Perfect, then I have to ignore the music and go by the visual clues. I see it in Guitar Hero, too, on Xbox. Really well done game, but I also like dub/brostep. :)
  • I'll check it out
  • Needs more (any) metal/rock.
  • Yeah, more music would be good. I think it was probably just easier for timing to use dubstep.
  • That's not dubstep, that's brostep...
  • You just invented that.
  • Nope, It's a word. Check it.
  • Anyone who's a REAL dubstep lover knows the difference between brostep and dubstep.
    It's actually quite easy: Listen to some real dubstep (like stuff by DJ Youngsta, Biome, J:Kenzo, etc.) and then listen to the garbage that plays in the background of this game, and here you go - now you know the difference...
  • "Microsoft has exclusive rights on the Windows platform until Q3 2014" and yet they couldn't make it so the developers added Xbox Live to it? Lame, Microsoft. Lame.
  • +SP3
  • Agree. Shows MS has given up on Windows Phone games to me.
  • I'd rather see Microsoft loosen (or make easier) the Xbox Live cert process, rather than harp on developers for not going through it. I can't blame a dev, there's little incentive to go through the rigmarole.
  • I thought Microsoft had loosen the process already. At least they said they would make it easier not only to certify but to make easy for Xbox Games to become available on Android too.
  • If they have, no one has noticed.
  • .....This is even the Microsoft after Ballmer
  • I was thinking the same, another missed chance.
  • My head explodes from that "music"
  • Dubstep is not a music...
  • It is now. Deal.
  • Hope this game will soon be available here in Brazil.
  • k
  • It's still meh. It needs more music, more everything.
  • I really love the music. Being as old as I am, I recently got into dubstep and haven't looked back. I'm sick of words in songs. its' soo 20th century.
  • Yeah, I can't say I'm into dubstep but I like it in this game for some reason.
  • It's the power of dubstep. When you listen it for the first time, you say that's bad. But in a week or so, you find yourself on Spotify or YouTube, listening to Skrillex... Long story short, dubstep pulls you inside. Because dubstep has no logic, it is random, it relaxes you. Unless you're 50+ ;)
  • Or you don't care for it. Seriously, it gives me migraines and tinnitus
  • That's like saying you don't like Rock music because Death Metal gives you a headache. Dubstep is an umbrella genre for such a huge and diverse range of music. I agree that Skrillex can be quite irritating at times, but he doesn't represent the genre. Check out Noisia, Blackmill, Kill the Noise, Bassnectar, Flux Pavillion, Kermode, Lung, Mt Eden, Nero, Sub Focus, Zircon etc etc.
  • Didn't WPC already cover this❔❔❔
    ...............
    Update:::: F### what I previously said.
  • Zomboy is my favorite. DO WANT
  •  Cool.... The dev who made the Film closet app, is making a new app for Windows Phone.
  • Nice looking game but a bit too basic for my liking.  A bit off topic : where is WPCentral's SP3 review ? 
  • We're opting to spend more than 48 hours with it ;) Seriously, hoping to have it soon, but since you can't buy it yet, not a huge rush, lol
  • The shooting at the salvage is late IMO. The beat does not coincide with the shrinking circle and I find myself going off beat, to hit the circle and avoid getting a LATE.
  • VIP dlc throws three fullfilment errors.
    No gamesave sync between phone and pc.
    No usb xbox pad support on pc.
  • Insaaaane
  • I didn't even get past the initial tutorial because I got bored. Mobile games are boring in general and this one more so. In my opinion, anyone who thinks this game is any good or gaming on a mobile phone is of any merit should really examine their lives. You are either very sad and lonely or very rude if you are serious about gaming on a phone.
  • Wow. Look at the armchair psychologist here, everyone! So how small are the people when you look down on them from your tower of perfection? Like, ant sized? I think it's awesome that instead of stating your opinion of the game, you take it the extra step of judging and insulting anyone that likes it. That's a level of hubris and charm that most people don't have the guts to dish. Sure, you come off as being pompous, but at least you put those idiot strangers who might like this game in their place! You're doing gawd's work. Hat tip, sir.
  • Daniel, you shouldn't have even stooped to the posters level by gracing him with a reply.
  • You have to admit it was a great reply though (Nicely done, Daniel!). Worzel takes being a douchebag to whole nother level and needed to be told so.
  • So you like windows phone... Your people who play this game like windows phone.... Interesting!
  • Well I admit that my life isn't so fulfilling and happy that I log in to tech news sites to post troll comments, but I try :D
  • Doesn't work after the tutorial... -.-
  • For a moment I thought that was an iPad with a Windows key at the side... What have you done Microsoft...
  • when i look at ipad....it looks like Surface tablet without windows key.....lol apple losing their creativity...copying others :P
  • Exclusive with no Xbox points? = sad
  • Dubstep only? Ewwwwww I pass that creepy pseudo music
  • It's ok meh
  • Damn I hate IAP's
  • I don't know. This game hates me; the ship never goes where I want it to go ...
  • OK, totally off topic here...What phone is that on the speaker? It looks like my beloved Lumia 810 with the wireless charging back on it.
  • Stupid game
  • It's alright, great that its exclusive, not so great you gotta pay for over half the content. (why not just put a price tage on the game?) Also I find the controls unresponsive, not in a lagging way just a kind of not registering as I tap on the beat sorta thing, even though its the up beat they want you to hit.
  • Spaceheads is waaaay better than this turd.
  • Bloody thankyou for this post! I unistalled this tripe in favour of Space Heads and it is soo much better.
  • Gonna check this out!
  • I'm going to get that game.