Posted May 09, 2010
This third-person shooter/strategy game makes for a short, but fun and memorable play. It has its problems, but they didn't stop me from playing until 2:00 AM.
GRAPHICS 4/5: Not bad. Insofar as the terrain is not very detailed, all the bright colors and variations thereof make the game visually very spiffy. My biggest and only problem with the game's appearances is actually with the targeting reticule; oddly enough, the point where you actually fire seems to be a little below and to the right of where the reticule is centered. That's not usually noticeable, but it can be frustrating when you think your aim is dead-on and your last round still misses, or when it hits the hill you're hiding behind instead of the target.
SOUNDS 4/5: Nice weapon noises, great recorded dialogue. Music is limited to a few tracks, but it's generally decent.
GAMEPLAY 3/5: If you like running around and blowing stuff up, you'll love this game. That said, there are some flaws that mar an otherwise enjoyable experience.
First, ally AI stinks. The Meccaryns who back you up when you're playing Baz have an annoying tendency to fly into walls, and you can't give them complicated commands of any kind. You also cannot split them up; you must command all of them to do the same thing. The offspring of Kabuto have it worst, though; it's unusual for them to actually attack enemies in the area they are in. Instead, they tend to just sit there and get shot at, which is about all they are good for.
Second, faction balancing leaves a fair bit to be desired. Ironically, the Meccs, the faction you begin play with, are the most easily killed and have the most difficulty destroying enemy bases. Sea Reaper Delphi, on the other hand, has some difficulty healing without a body of water nearby and tends to get swarmed because she cannot travel with any allies. Her spells, for the most part, are less useful than her weapons. Kabuto is the easiest to play with, since he's basically impervious to small arms and can heal himself by eating all enemies.
Third and last, YOU CANNOT SAVE YOUR GAME. I cannot stress this enough; whenever you die, you are returned to the start of the mission. Given how often you die while playing the Meccs and/or Delphi, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how bothersome this is.
STORY 5/5: It's nonsensical and hilarious. What's not to like?
In short, it's not a bad deal for six bucks.
GRAPHICS 4/5: Not bad. Insofar as the terrain is not very detailed, all the bright colors and variations thereof make the game visually very spiffy. My biggest and only problem with the game's appearances is actually with the targeting reticule; oddly enough, the point where you actually fire seems to be a little below and to the right of where the reticule is centered. That's not usually noticeable, but it can be frustrating when you think your aim is dead-on and your last round still misses, or when it hits the hill you're hiding behind instead of the target.
SOUNDS 4/5: Nice weapon noises, great recorded dialogue. Music is limited to a few tracks, but it's generally decent.
GAMEPLAY 3/5: If you like running around and blowing stuff up, you'll love this game. That said, there are some flaws that mar an otherwise enjoyable experience.
First, ally AI stinks. The Meccaryns who back you up when you're playing Baz have an annoying tendency to fly into walls, and you can't give them complicated commands of any kind. You also cannot split them up; you must command all of them to do the same thing. The offspring of Kabuto have it worst, though; it's unusual for them to actually attack enemies in the area they are in. Instead, they tend to just sit there and get shot at, which is about all they are good for.
Second, faction balancing leaves a fair bit to be desired. Ironically, the Meccs, the faction you begin play with, are the most easily killed and have the most difficulty destroying enemy bases. Sea Reaper Delphi, on the other hand, has some difficulty healing without a body of water nearby and tends to get swarmed because she cannot travel with any allies. Her spells, for the most part, are less useful than her weapons. Kabuto is the easiest to play with, since he's basically impervious to small arms and can heal himself by eating all enemies.
Third and last, YOU CANNOT SAVE YOUR GAME. I cannot stress this enough; whenever you die, you are returned to the start of the mission. Given how often you die while playing the Meccs and/or Delphi, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how bothersome this is.
STORY 5/5: It's nonsensical and hilarious. What's not to like?
In short, it's not a bad deal for six bucks.