Time for a science fiction themed short game review roundup.
[HEADING=2]X-COM Apocalypse (PC,1997,Steam version reviewed)[/HEADING]
It's hard to do a short review of X-COM: Apocalypse without talking about the original X-COM, known originally as UFO: Enemy Unknown. Apocalypse would be a rare game in today's world as it is a sequel to a successful but complicated game where they decided to go down the path of making the game even more complicated. New features were added and they chose not to port to consoles like they did with the previous version. Unfortunately, not all of these features work well to the point where the game does not come out favourably in a comparison with the original.
There are two parts to this title. A management game where you run counter terrorism, sorry, counter alien forces in a futuristic city. The second part is a tactical game where you take direct control of teams of soldiers on missions to deal with the alien menace. Both have a lot of features so I would recommend reading the manual before attempting to play. You get a ton of choices such as deciding how to equip your troops, deciding what intelligence or technology to research and even deciding whether to play the tactical combat game in real time or in turn based mode. The problem with this breadth of choice is that sometimes not all of the choices feel fully polished. I personally tried the real time mode once then decided it wasn't for me then resented it every time the turn based mode did something that wasn't as good as the turn based combat in X-COM.
The graphics are not as low resolution as some early nineties games but they are not especially attractive and show a lot of jagged edges and bad colour dithering. In a game like this the graphics should be clean and readable. The characters should stand out and be iconic or recognisable. The real crimes happen in the user interface and path-finding where you too often find yourself trying not only get the game to do what you want but to stop it doing something really stupid by accident.
After all of this, you might think that my opinion of Apocalypse is that it is a bad game with nothing to recommend it. This wouldn't be true at all as despite it's flaws it's an engrossing and unique game in a genre that does not have too much competition. The intrigue and complexity of the city game makes it worth learning the confusing user interface. The tactical battles might be bewildering but they have a sort of knife edge quality where you can clean up if you play well or sometimes be outmanoeuvred and have to accept losses.
A good one for people with a lot of patience.
[HEADING=2]Flotilla (PC,2010,Blendo games)[/HEADING]
Flotilla is similar in some ways to X-COM apocalypse but the polar opposite in terms of some the strengths and weaknesses that I am picking up on. This is a game that was clearly designed to also be played on consoles and it is due to be released on the 360 indie games section at some point in the future. It isn't exactly a generic console game but good work has been done to make it intuitive.
The idea for Flotilla will be familiar to people who have played the Infinite space games from Digital Eel. What you get is a sort of small group of planets to explore and on every planet an event occurs. This is either a combat encounter or more commonly a story like event where you get to make a choice which may or may not give you an item, a new ship or affect events that will happen in the future. Each time you play the map is randomised but as you learn what effect the choices make on each play through meaning that the game has replay value but and will learn what the different choices lead to.
It does help that most of the events are pretty funny. The choices you make are easy and fun and if they don't seem to have an effect on one play through then chances are they will if you make the same choice again in another game.
All of that is just a framework for the tactical space battles which is where the real test of your Flotilla commanding ability is. These battles are real 3d space battles with full movement in three dimensions like Homeworld but with much more direct control over ships. Some people just may not enjoy this level of playing and thinking in three dimensions but the turn based system makes it more than possible for the rest of us who just find find it confusing.
The camera controls are simple and intuitive for what it is, although many will find them to be hard at first. Once past learning to move the camera and giving orders you can concentrate on learning how to win. Flotilla uses a simultaneous turn based system where you have a planning phase where you give orders and a viewing phase where your orders and the enemies orders play out at the same time. This means that winning often means that you have not only understood the strengths and weaknesses of the different ships but have managed to predict what the computer is going to do.
Some people may find it confusing and I'm not convinced that it is going to stay fun for as long as something like X-COM but Flotilla is cheap, factory fresh, is being frequently patched with new features. I like it a lot.
[HEADING=2]REDDER (Flash,2010,Newgrounds)[/HEADING]
REDDER isn't a strategy game at all. In fact it is a platformer with exploration and puzzle gameplay and while it needs some thought my brain can take a rest playing it compared to the other two.
This 16 bit style palindromic platformer starts with a sort of Metroidish landing on a planet where it is made clear that you have to collect a certain amount of things in order to leave. You do this by exploring a satisfyingly large flip-screen underground complex complete with guard robots, turrets and switches that turn platforms on and off. It took me more than one session to collect all the space things but the game does save progress between browser sessions.
There is one thematic twist in the game and a couple of secret areas but mostly it what you expect. The real star of the title though is really excellent level design. Rather than going all out to be frustrating or not offering much challenge at all this game is great for people who are moderately good at this sort of game and want something that is just plain satisfying to play. If you collect all of the collectable space things then you are rewarded with something that let's you see the level design in a new way.
Over and out. Have good space fun out there and don't be too rude to the aliens.
[HEADING=2]X-COM Apocalypse (PC,1997,Steam version reviewed)[/HEADING]
It's hard to do a short review of X-COM: Apocalypse without talking about the original X-COM, known originally as UFO: Enemy Unknown. Apocalypse would be a rare game in today's world as it is a sequel to a successful but complicated game where they decided to go down the path of making the game even more complicated. New features were added and they chose not to port to consoles like they did with the previous version. Unfortunately, not all of these features work well to the point where the game does not come out favourably in a comparison with the original.
There are two parts to this title. A management game where you run counter terrorism, sorry, counter alien forces in a futuristic city. The second part is a tactical game where you take direct control of teams of soldiers on missions to deal with the alien menace. Both have a lot of features so I would recommend reading the manual before attempting to play. You get a ton of choices such as deciding how to equip your troops, deciding what intelligence or technology to research and even deciding whether to play the tactical combat game in real time or in turn based mode. The problem with this breadth of choice is that sometimes not all of the choices feel fully polished. I personally tried the real time mode once then decided it wasn't for me then resented it every time the turn based mode did something that wasn't as good as the turn based combat in X-COM.
The graphics are not as low resolution as some early nineties games but they are not especially attractive and show a lot of jagged edges and bad colour dithering. In a game like this the graphics should be clean and readable. The characters should stand out and be iconic or recognisable. The real crimes happen in the user interface and path-finding where you too often find yourself trying not only get the game to do what you want but to stop it doing something really stupid by accident.
After all of this, you might think that my opinion of Apocalypse is that it is a bad game with nothing to recommend it. This wouldn't be true at all as despite it's flaws it's an engrossing and unique game in a genre that does not have too much competition. The intrigue and complexity of the city game makes it worth learning the confusing user interface. The tactical battles might be bewildering but they have a sort of knife edge quality where you can clean up if you play well or sometimes be outmanoeuvred and have to accept losses.
A good one for people with a lot of patience.
[HEADING=2]Flotilla (PC,2010,Blendo games)[/HEADING]
Flotilla is similar in some ways to X-COM apocalypse but the polar opposite in terms of some the strengths and weaknesses that I am picking up on. This is a game that was clearly designed to also be played on consoles and it is due to be released on the 360 indie games section at some point in the future. It isn't exactly a generic console game but good work has been done to make it intuitive.
The idea for Flotilla will be familiar to people who have played the Infinite space games from Digital Eel. What you get is a sort of small group of planets to explore and on every planet an event occurs. This is either a combat encounter or more commonly a story like event where you get to make a choice which may or may not give you an item, a new ship or affect events that will happen in the future. Each time you play the map is randomised but as you learn what effect the choices make on each play through meaning that the game has replay value but and will learn what the different choices lead to.
It does help that most of the events are pretty funny. The choices you make are easy and fun and if they don't seem to have an effect on one play through then chances are they will if you make the same choice again in another game.
All of that is just a framework for the tactical space battles which is where the real test of your Flotilla commanding ability is. These battles are real 3d space battles with full movement in three dimensions like Homeworld but with much more direct control over ships. Some people just may not enjoy this level of playing and thinking in three dimensions but the turn based system makes it more than possible for the rest of us who just find find it confusing.
The camera controls are simple and intuitive for what it is, although many will find them to be hard at first. Once past learning to move the camera and giving orders you can concentrate on learning how to win. Flotilla uses a simultaneous turn based system where you have a planning phase where you give orders and a viewing phase where your orders and the enemies orders play out at the same time. This means that winning often means that you have not only understood the strengths and weaknesses of the different ships but have managed to predict what the computer is going to do.
Some people may find it confusing and I'm not convinced that it is going to stay fun for as long as something like X-COM but Flotilla is cheap, factory fresh, is being frequently patched with new features. I like it a lot.
[HEADING=2]REDDER (Flash,2010,Newgrounds)[/HEADING]
REDDER isn't a strategy game at all. In fact it is a platformer with exploration and puzzle gameplay and while it needs some thought my brain can take a rest playing it compared to the other two.
This 16 bit style palindromic platformer starts with a sort of Metroidish landing on a planet where it is made clear that you have to collect a certain amount of things in order to leave. You do this by exploring a satisfyingly large flip-screen underground complex complete with guard robots, turrets and switches that turn platforms on and off. It took me more than one session to collect all the space things but the game does save progress between browser sessions.
There is one thematic twist in the game and a couple of secret areas but mostly it what you expect. The real star of the title though is really excellent level design. Rather than going all out to be frustrating or not offering much challenge at all this game is great for people who are moderately good at this sort of game and want something that is just plain satisfying to play. If you collect all of the collectable space things then you are rewarded with something that let's you see the level design in a new way.
Over and out. Have good space fun out there and don't be too rude to the aliens.