Recent reviews by Cosmic Engine

http://youtu.be/wt3McLTHZfw

A fairly fun bridge building sim that makes failing almost as fun as succeeding. Some bugs but overall a good stable game.

The current early access version does feature the majority of the campaign mode. In the campaign you go through different landscapes known as worlds. Each world has several levels that increase in difficultly and complexity as you go along. The also has a sandbox mode where you can create your own levels, play them and export them online for others to play as well as playing other peoples yourself.

The premise behind each level in the game is simple, build a stable enough bridge over the water to allow a variety of vehicles to get across using the whatever building resources your given and remaining under budget. It’s a simple concept that in execution becomes a lot more difficult as you progress. Difficulty progression is key in a puzzle based game and Poly Bridge does it quite well.

There’s plenty of content to get into in the early access build, Poly Bridge is a well-built little game that would also be good for kids. It’s the kind of game that hints at what games could potentially do for education, in this case maths and engineering. One very gimmicky feature of the game is the ability to save replays of your epic bridge failures or wins as sharable GIFS that you can send direct to your social media. The game gives you the space to have plenty of creative flair but is fairly limited in terms of scope at this point however the developers are planning on expanding the game further with more content.

If you’re interested in the game you’ll get your monies worth in early access and since there will be no price difference between this version and the full launch version it’s a case of picking it up when you want.

Full video - https://youtu.be/Bkcz5kkdZwM

It’s fair to say that while chess will always be chess, regicide mode is not chess. While it takes the basics of chess it has none of the balance nor rules of play. In fact if you try to play regicide mode as a straight up chess match it’s likely you’ll lose. With the ability of gunning down pieces from afar it forces you to adapt on the go and make sacrificial moves. What I like about regicide from a critique standpoint is the way that both rulesets blend and creates a new experience that combines classic chess with more modernized turn based strategy games that in turn creates a fun, enjoyable chess variant.

The single player campaign is fairly enjoyable for the story and mixes things up in terms of missions. Each mission is not simply a game of chess instead you’re given scenarios and objectives. An example of one is several pawns and knights facing down several enemies and the objectives being not to lose any of your knights as well as killing all the enemies. Maps are also changed for the campaign and will feature impassable objects that can be used as cover. I like that the developers tried to create something different for the campaign and while some missions are fairly enjoyable and keep you employing fresh tactics, some missions are repetitive and outright frustrating.

The multiplayer on the other hand is the games stand out feature. Facing down friends or strangers with 40k chess pieces never really gets old. Both classic and regicide modes are fun and there’s of plenty of settings to fine tune your game for things such as speed chess. Like most chess games, Regicide does feature asynchronous matches, so you can play several opponents at one. Multiplayer is really where the longevity of this game is at, while the computer AI can be fairly challenging and brutal, it still doesn’t compare to the feeling of a real person on the other end.

The art style of the game is great with the whole aesthetic really paying attention to the grimness of the franchise. The character models are what stand out the most and each model looks as good as the real life miniatures. What makes the visuals great to look at however is the character animations. In particular the kill cam animations when a piece is taken. The animations are wonderful, gory and outright packed with 40k brutality, they alone make the make the game enjoyable to watch. I however experienced some problems visually, for example the kill cam camera would often fly through objects making the whole experience poor. The game does need some serious optimization in places, on some matches I would keep a steady 30 to 40 FPS range and then on other maps it would consistently tank to as low as 19FPS which frankly for a game that doesn’t have that much going down on the screen at any one point is pretty bad. There are bugs in the game as well as some long loading screens which will all hopefully be addressed in coming patches, however be warned.

Overall Regicide is a great digital Warhammer 40k Chess variant. It has a high standard of quality and is packed with content to the point that for its 15 dollar price tag you can get a ton of value for money out of the multiplayer alone. While little fixes are needed here and there and I would certainly like to see more maps and free additions such as more chapters and clans, there’s very little to complain about in this game. Hammerfall have done a good job with Regicide and while the regicide mode may not be everyone’s cup of tea, classic chess certainly will.

Early Access Examination full video - https://youtu.be/hSW_LR0TR20

In Nekro you take the role of a recently made Necromancer in the service of a dark god. Your sole purpose is to go through the lands creating foul creatures and destroying all those in your path. The game is infused with a quirky sense of humor throughout. In fact the game reminds me of a cross between dungeon keeper and overlord.

At the start of the game you'll be able to choose what type of Necromancer you wish to play as. There are currently three choices all with different styles of play, the first is the Alchemist that focuses on healing and summons, second is the grim keeper who is a ranged attacker and the third is the Outcast who is a up close and personal melee fighter. After deciding which Nekro you wish to play you then have to choose a scourge power which is an attack ability that can have varying effects depending on your choice.

Summoning creatures is the key to winning fights similar to Overlord, there's strength in numbers. Each summon has different roles, strengths and weaknesses. All summons will require a specific amount of blood to be used. Most summons need a corpse to be sacrificed to be able to bring them forth however some usually the higher blood requirement summons only require blood to be used. As you progress you'll be able to unlock more summons who are powerful at a specific role like the crust king who can be used as large tank.

The enemy variety in the game is very good and there are some tough old codgers out there. The further into the story you get, more and more unique enemies come into the frey, each with their own mechanics and unique tactics. The enemies are really what make the game for me currently, they provide all the challenge. You'll start off with farmers and as your conquest expands you'll meet witchers, bounty hunters, soldiers, templars and more. The tougher the enemy the more blood and health their corpse will be worth, which is handy considering, they will most likely kill many of your summons.

The battles are fun, challenging and often messy. While you can give commands to your summons and tell them which target to attack, you don't have direct control over them in terms of movement. It can lead to having to make several attempts to take down a tough group of enemies as your summons can be torn down in a huddle. I would have liked clearer battle lines with more unit collision as its difficult to aim when your a ranged Nekro when your summons surround the target. Boss battles and special enemies can be found in the game such as Major biscuit that is a character based on totalbiscuit.

After completing a mission you'll be taken to the character progression screen where you'll be able to equip your necromancer and upgrade his abilities. The first tab is where you can purchase stat upgrades and new skills with power that you gather in levels. You can also equip trinkets which are items found from fallen foes that have all kinds of effects such as random summons, increased damage, aoe effects and more. After this you head to your summons tab, from here you can see all the summons currently available to you and those you can unlock via the sins currency that drops from enemies. Each summon has two combat roles that can be switched in and out before a battle for example the skelebones can either function as a melee fighter or as an archer. You are also able to upgrade summons using sins to increase their stats, abilities and unit capacity allowing you to field more of them in battle

Nekro's level design is fairly simplistic. Each level varies in its environment but they all remain fairly small maps that can easily be navigated with the mini map. Each different level has a variety of objects that can be interacted with such as pumpkins you can make come to life, traps and livestock to each. There are also environmental hazards such as toxic barrels and oil spills that can be used against both you and your enemies. As combat arenas go, Nekro's levels are simplistic but work well and are as aesthetically diverse as they are pleasing.

Nekro's story and setting is packed with dungeon keeper style humor. The narration of the characters journal between missions is often at it's best historical and at worst brings a cheap smile. It's a game that does not take itself too seriously and enjoys throwing it's humor into both it''s story, art and level design. What story there is so far is well written with plenty of comedy, self deprecation and satire.

The art style of the game is dark but vibrant and looks great. The comical cartoon styling of the characters not only looks great but adds to the humor of the game. The spell effects and lighting in the game all add to the chosen aesthetic but its the sound of the game that stands out most of all. The narrator and voice acting is very good, humorous and entertainment. Nekro's soundtrack is filled with a blood boiling heavy metal soundtrack with guitars and drums rocking away as you summon your undead masses. It's a great soundtrack that's fun to listen to as you desolate the lands in front of you.

As early access games go Nekro has plenty of content and quality for your money already. Its one of the few early access games that is worth a purchase and the games stability is great with me encountering next to no bugs thus far. Similar in quality to games like darkest dungeon, I only wish that these types of early access games were the norm in terms of content and quality. Its a great game that should appeal to many players. I personally would have liked a more in depth story and I think the game would have benefited from a questing system with a world map with multiple locations to go too when every you wished. Overall If your interested in Nekro, there's certainly monetary value in the current early access version. There's also plenty more content to come in the final release as well as new summons and new gameplay features too.

Full video review = https://youtu.be/lC1uAUQEjRo

Titan souls is a classic case of easy to pick up but hard to master. There's not much to the game in terms of its mechanics and controls. Your character has the ability to run and roll, that's it. Weapon wise, you have a bow with one arrow that once you have shot it will return to you by holding down a button, like Yondu from guardians of the galaxy, Yes I whistled every time.

That's it all you can do no less no more. The interesting elements in the game come from the battles with the Titans. Each titan is different in design and mechanics. Titans will have one weak point which is your arrows ultimate goal. Hitting the weak spot with the arrow will kill the titan dead. Some battles will require you do wear down a defense using environmental factors such as using fire to melt ice or using a titans own attack to knock out his teeth. Titan souls boss battles are all about learning your enemies attacks, movements and timing, then striking when the time is right.

The boss mechanics are both fun and frustrating. Learning how the boss works is one thing but having to time your single attack just right while avoiding getting flattened is quite another. This is a one hit kill game and if you get hit your done. All is not lost you'll respawn at the nearest checkpoint and have the long walk of shame back to the titan to try again. Shooting your arrow is also a test in timing as you have to power up the shot which takes maybe half a second but it can only take that long to get stomped.

Let's have no illusions, you'll be dying a hell of a lot in this game which I don't mind terribly, nor do I mind the difficulty of the Titans, I like a good challenge. I do however mind the amount of time I have to spend walking back from checkpoints as it can take an age. There's no enemies, or for that matter anything to do bar a few puzzles and boss fights so why I have to spend so much time walking is beyond me. It's unbelievably frustrating, the sheer amount of time you have to back track through various zones to get back to a titan. It wouldn't be so bad if there was things to see or do on the various routes to the boss locations but the pixel environments are not particularly interesting nor is there anything to collect or see. The traveling ultimately becomes a test in patience which is something that for me personally ran out very quickly.

The games chosen art style is not bad by any stretch. The pixel style works well and the titans look really good. The soundtrack too ironically provides nice soothing tones as you feel the slow burning rage of frustration. The pixel art style while it is not bad and works well, doesn't do anything for me. It's an easy solution for indie developers which is why it is used in so many games. I think that it's beginning to lose its appeal on the eye for me personally and I feel the game would have looked stunning with a hand-drawn styling but again that's a personal preference.

It should be made clear that mechanically the game is sound. It works as intended, its a stable game with very few bugs and for people who live for boss fights, it's a treat. However for me it lacks depth in its game-play. I understand the idea behind the one arrow mechanic, indeed the very concept of the game is 'you only have one' and that its supposed to be about using what you have to overcome the enemy. The game admittedly does this well, it makes you think, use your brain to overcome the titans, learn their strategies and test your evasion skill to survive.

What the game doesn't have is progression depth, nor indeed does it have a story or even a motivation which for me ruins the experience. I would have liked some pay off from defeated titans which you don't get in Titan Souls, yes you unlock more titans but the experience of running around and fighting bosses was not enough for me. The lack of any character progression makes the victory of taking down a boss......lesser for me. I like progression, item progression, character progression, skill progression, something to keep me engaged. Something to keep me motivated past the frustration. Tough games like Dark souls have items, weapons, Armour, leveling and story. All those things keep you going when your getting pummeled by a boss time after time after time.

Titan souls has none of this, which while it does provide a nice simplistic streamlined experience, also means that its a game with all the annoyances of similar games but without any of the good sides. It becomes a punishment simulator, a wet dream for self flagellation. Run here, die in four seconds, run back, die, run back, it grows tiresome very fast. This being said of course, I can also see fans of games like dark souls taking a shine to this and enjoying it a lot. There's merit in the Titan's design and the battles are very well constructed. The biggest design flaw if not the only one in my opinion is the checkpoint system, it adds far to much frustration on top of the battles to the point of becoming uninteresting. For a game that's sole purpose is for me to fight big huge titans, I seem to be spending a lot of time running and looking at nothing. I want to be right back in the action as soon as possible not running though maps that have nothing there.

Ultimately it's a well built game that should please fans of games like shadow of the colossus and dark souls. While it certainly didn't have enough content and depth for me, looking from someone else's perspective, I could see why they could get a lot of enjoyment from it. Since the game is well built and mechanically sound that's what it comes down too, your personal preference, what your looking for in a game, what things you like and what things you don't. For me its a no but even while I do no like and did not enjoy playing it, I can still sit and admire the well built mechanics, great looking Titans and overall intention the developers set out for the game.

Full Video Review - https://youtu.be/Apnr5tbuqlY

The MOBA market is highly competitive with the two major players being DOTA 2 and league of legends. Infinite Crisis shares a lot of similarities with both but more so with LOL. In fact I would go as far as to say the infinite crisis is a LOL clone, much in the same way as the MMO star wars the old republic is a world of warcraft clone. Infinite crisis shares most of LOL's mechanics and gameplay and players of both LOL and DOTA will walk into this game with ease.

Once in battle its all your run of the mill MOBA lane battle. Each team has a power core and turrets in each of the lanes. Bots will be sent by both teams in each lane and obviously the goal is to stop then enemy from destroying your base while trying to destroy theirs. One thing I did like about infinite crisis is that the focus is more on objective taking rather than just run of the mill player killing. Around the maps are relays which which enhance your bots abilities as well as creatures to farm for gold and some even give your team bonuses. The game also employs a doomsday mechanic that allows your team at the specified time to defeat a boss to gain a device that allows you to fire a powerful blast onto any target location such as a group of players, a turret or their base.

Taking these objectives on a regular basis is important and because the relays will unlock after a certain time period, its important to stay aware of the battlefield. Each of the level's is pretty well designed with a strong LOL influence noticeable with middle jungles and stealth pads all in play. A major problem I have with the level design is that it is in my opinion far too safe, the developers have not really pushed for something interesting or unique here. It's like the took the safe bet and didn't even attempt something new or at least interesting which is sad considering its based in the DC universe. Hopefully in the future content they will push the level design and introduce interesting battle mechanics that fit the IP and make the game feel more apart from its competitors.

Playing as superheroes mind you, is a hell of a lot of fun. Doomsday teaming up with superman and the flash never really gets old. The powers you can select also come in handy when playing as a team. For example If I'm playing doomsday with super strength and your green lantern with meteor strike. You can fire down a meteor to hit a group of enemies and then I can go in use strength to pick up that meteor and throw it at them doing even more damage. I like the little combinations you can create with other people and I certainly think its a mechanic that should be expanded upon.

As with most MOBA's just leveling up abilities in a match won't be enough you'll need items which in infinite crisis are known as Artifacts. The more experienced player can pick and choose from the shop of which items to purchase for their build and most will be able to be upgraded several times. I like that infinite crisis also has a recommended system for those either new to the game or just looking to focus on the action. You can simply buy the recommended artifact from the HUD without even having to open up the shop.

Overall, Infinite Crisis is a solid DC universe MOBA that should be fun for fans of the IP. It should appeal to newcomers to the genre or players from other MOBA's that want a break. My biggest problem with the game is that it reeks of playing it safe. Nothing in the game strives to be mechanically better or unique that others, which for a game that contains Superman, Batman and the Joker is disappointing. I would certainly recommend that the developers keep up the story elements in any new content they bring out as that could be a big draw. That all being said once more maps and characters are available it may be worth a try to more people and it is solid fun game to play. After all playing Green Latern and Doomsday was a rewarding experience particularly when you get a unrelenting kill streak.

Full VIdeo Review - https://youtu.be/-SEA-LZRtCc

Short Version:
1. Pull a sickie from work
2. Send wife and children to grandparents for a week
3. Buy Pillars of Eternity
4. Remember to use bathroom and eat occasionally.
5.. See you in a week.

Full Video Review - https://youtu.be/7KjLqJHzqzI

As you would expect this game is all about the ground combat. Etherium comes at a time where we have very few good real time strategy games around. The last one I played was mechs and mercs black talons which was a woefully bad game in every aspect. Rather than base building, Etherium core mechanic focuses around control points called monoliths. Instead of base building, one you have captured a monolith you can add extensions to it. These extensions have different functions such as a Etherium refinery for improved Etherium production in that zone, to a spaceport allowing you to deploy troops for that location.

Each zone must be connected in some way to your main base to function properly. Should the enemy take a middle zone and split your territory. Buildings and more importantly Etherium production will go offline until reconnected. Speaking of Etherium, its the only production resource in the game and is aquiced every minute. Some regions will have Etherium spheres to harvest which are valuable zones to control and others won't.

There are a variety of units available in each faction and more can be unlocked via the tech trees. Units each have strengths and weaknesses and through combat can be promoted in battle to become stronger. Etherium has a decent mix of infantry, tank and air units. My issue with them is that each factions is very similar in appearance to the next not just in aesthetic but in gameplay too. You also have turrets available to protect your bases but you are limited to three per region.

One thing I love about the game is the indigenous sub factions on the planets. These sub factions can either be ignored, destroyed or even rallied to your cause in battle. By converting the necessary extension you build up points with a sub faction over time once the bar is full you gain control of these powerful ally's which can literally turn the tide of a battle. The enemy can also rally these sub factions to their side and it can often be a race to gain control of them.

At the bottom of the screen you can see several abilities known as command skills. These skills are different for each faction and use up command points in battle which replenish over time. Command skills come in handy in a variety of situations, such as the orbital barrage which can be used to destroy units or buildings quickly.

Another great feature of Etherium is the environmental hazards in battle known as climatic events. Depending on the type of planet your on you'll get a timed weather event that can have different effects. An example of this is a volcanic planet having eruptions that destroy units or electromagnetic storms that play havoc with your ability to use command skills. These events can hamper your battle plans but can also be used to your advantage.

Battles are pretty fast paced which is something I like to see, it doesn't mean matches can't be long but it does mean than your kept on your toes often. I personally enjoyed that there is a variety of tactics to employ in battle and of course to ultimately win. I was also pretty impressed with the enemy AI as on the harder difficulties it was a serious challenge to compete.

One to four player online multiplayer is available too which can be very fun. The fast paced nature of battles and with all the skills, environmental effects and sub factions in play, multiplayer can be a lot of fun. It certainly adds to the longevity of the title and I feel without the multiplayer component the game would not be worth the price tag.

In all I feel that Etherium provides a good competent RTS experience. It's complete focus on macro-management rather than micro management leaves it feeling somewhat without the depth of other more renowned RTS games. It certainly has lots of room to improve, I think a larger conquest mode would have been better allowing for a longer campaign. Like I have mentioned I would have also liked to have seen more diversity between the factions units and play styles to give the game more replayability. However that being said, it is in my opinion one of the better RTS's to have been released in recent years.

Early Access Examination - http://youtu.be/9K_ASr1EZ4w

Beat em ups usually fall into one of two categories, button bashers and combo based. In Onikira you can do both, you could just about get along by button bashing although you'd have to be pretty prepared to die on a regular basis. I like beat em ups that have combo's, if done well it gives combat more depth. Onikira thankfully pulls of combos well, you can pull of ground and aerial combo's easily. Your able to seamlessly transition between weapons in battle allowing you not only to pull of great combos for example slicing the enemy up on the ground with the katana then lifting and slaughtering them airborne with a nagita, then hammering back down to the floor with the dual blades.

Each weapon has different attack combos and more can be purchased by using souls at the store that comes along every now and again. As you build up combos you will gain a rank that will which will effect the amount of souls you collect to spend on combos. Throughout the levels you'll come across dragon-blood shards that once you have collected three you'll gain a permanent increase to your health.

The enemy variety in the game is pretty good, there's a selection of both airborne and ground enemies and each has different attack mechanics that can either be dodged or is some cases countered like the bomb throwing demon samurai where you can hit the bomb back at them. There are several boss battles throughout, each requiring different tactics to win. The bosses look pretty cool like the giant demon samurai.

One thing I personally didn't like was that there is no block which means that you must rely on your dodge. The main problem with this is particularly against bosses and tougher enemies is that often you can't dodge their attacks due to their attack radius being so large. It can become quite frustrating, that being said with enough skill and making sure you dodge well and stay airborne quite frequently you'll manage to avoid most attacks.

There's is also some platforming elements in the game, these usually entail wall jumping or running away from something such as fire for part of the level. The platforming sequences are not usually long and can provide a nice break after a tough fight. There are quite a few secret areas where you'll find the dragonblood fragments as well as bonus souls so keep on the look out for areas to explore.

Graphically the game is not bad, like I said I like the art style though I would have liked everything to look a lot sharper so that everything stands out a bit more, everything is has almost a blur effect over it. The game currently does have a few bugs but nothing game breaking has happened to me quite yet but that's the nature of early access games. As long as it doesn't translate into a buggy full release I'll hold off the scorn for now.

In terms of actual playable content you can only access a few levels at the moment with more on the way. Levels are a decent length and tend to be pretty well paced. As the developers add levels they do intend to add more enemies too. I think that for $10 its not a bad price for the game if you want to play it in its limited early access form. I like Onikira it's a solid beat em up that will entertain and for $10 its well worth it when it comes to full release.

Full video Review - http://youtu.be/lrH4HEbcJHo

Instead of creating a nameless hero of your choice, in Blackguards 2 you take the role of Lady Cassia, wife of the ruler of Mengbilla. You are taken while you sleep and put into the labyrinth under the arena left to rot until you die of starvation or the poison of the spiders that dwell there. After four years the poison starts to deform cassia and she starts becoming unhinged mentally until one urge overrides all the urge to rule. Cassia escapes the labyrinth and starts her quest for domination and revenge enlisting the aid of the silent legion and some much loved characters from the original game including Takate, Naurim and more.

the major addition in the sequel is the world map in which now is more like a conquest mode. The objective is to control the land and so you must attack each village, fort and settlement to unlock its town screen where you can gain access to their facilities such as shops. However its not all about attacking the enemy won't go down without a fight and they will try to reclaim their lost ground. Once your attacked you'll have to defend and unless your main characters are at the settlement at that time you won't be able to use them in battle. You'll be relying on the silent legion a lot through out the game.

When defending you'll have the option of setting a certain number of traps before the engagement which always come in handy as you'll be facing a lot of enemy units when your on the defensive. Speaking of enemy units, the enemy variety in the game is very good in my opinion you have a mix of normal human enemies and monsters big and small that all require different tactics to take down. The monsters themselves often have a mechanic where you can take control of them if they are in the summoning circle once you've reached a certain point in the game. Boss battles often introduce new unique mechanics into battle that can be either fun or frustrating depending on your party makeup and level.


The core mechanics of the game haven't changed all that much since the original instead the developers have refined the mathematical checks in the combat to make small improvements here and there but nothing dramatic. One thing I noticed that has improved significantly was the hit chance rolls, often in the original you would miss your hits and this would happen frustratingly often. In the sequel however it seems that very few hits seem to miss and when they do its often down to various debuffs your character has acquired.

Usable environments return to combat, crates, cranes, drawbridges and more can be used to your advantage in battle. Often the environmental objects can be used to change the landscape of battle for example destroying the main bridge across a gorge to force your enemies round the side paths. The interact-able objects in battle is something I have always enjoyed in Blackguards and its adds a nice tactical depth to each different map you fight on.

A major problem with the game was that it was very buggy. Everything from computer crashes, AI mishaps and graphical glitches are present. The developers do patch the game fairly regularly to improve balance and stability however the sheer amount of bugs led me to believe that the games launch had been rushed best and at worst not properly QA tested.

Where the game has significantly improved in my opinion is the story. Playing as the scorned Cassia is very intriguing and fun. The story allows you to make decisions as a ruler would, do you be cruel or merciful? Do you hang an old friend who betrayed you? Enlist them to your cause? Or let them go? Blackguards 1 relied heavily on the cast of characters to supply the interest rather than the playable main character where as in this you have a interesting female lead with the interesting and often funny characters from the first. The story itself is well written for the most part and the voice acting is not bad at all, Cassia herself is a dark character so your not playing a hero or villain, your playing a mix of both in some cases. The story-line is dark and riddled with choices, its in my opinion far better than the first games story.

My biggest disappointment with blackguards 2 is that its essentially the same game as the first. Reused assets and more are common and it looks and feels more like a good expansion rather than a full sequel.
I think the developers have done really well with the story but should have added a new land or new areas to explore. While the new conquest system on the map is fun and expanding your forces and empire, its still the same locations with the same backgrounds. I also think that should have expanded the available items such as weapons and armor a lot more than they have to allow much more customization to the game.

Overall Blackguards 2 is not a terrible game and would be a lot better once the stability has improved with patches. I still think its more of a fleshed out expansion than a true sequel. Fans of the original will be more than right at home as its basically the same game with improvements. If you enjoy tactical turn based games than I certainly recommend blackguards 2 as its combat is pretty solid and the story is much more interesting than the original. I still think it will put some people off with its slow paced nature but that game does have a certain character and charm about it.

Video Here - http://youtu.be/syHNc4UyU1w

nstead of base building the game has landing pads throughout the maps on most missions. Once you have captured one you can use to it summon a new squad by spending power which is the only resource in the game. You can only summon a squad once every five or so minutes and you have a limited number of times you can summon, unlike the enemy AI which has an infinite number. Which begs the question, why even bother having a power resource when you can only summon a limited number of squads anyway. It also seems like having the enemy spawning unlimited squads is a very cheap and artificial way to create difficulty.

The controls of the game aren't designed well and can be unresponsive. Sometimes commands are even ignored by troops. Both the controls and the UI are poorly designed and have some real issues both mechanically and aesthetically. The UI offers barely any feedback and icons on the screen are so small you can barely make out what they are. In fact the UI throughtout the game is dated and poorly designed, it feels like your looking at an 80's arcade screen on occasion.

My core issue with the game is that it seems like the developers set out to make an RTS but forgot to put in the core fundamentals of the genre. One of the biggest issues of the game is balance. Take your light armor troops, they are utterly worthless in every respect. They cant do enough damage to take out a unit on their own and don't have enough defence to stand up for long in any fire fight. They die so quickly that even using them as cannon fodder is pointless. In fact the game is so unbalanced that the only units worth a damn are heavies and mechs. Heavies are the only units that can hit and get hit without dying in a few seconds flat. What it seems they tried to do is have a few classes to allow you to employ different tactics in battle but due to the balance it's done the opposite and thrown tactics out of the game.

Again another major issue with the game is the fact that there's not much meat on the actual bones of combat. There's only really three main mechanics in battle, one being cover so get being cover to gain defence bonus. Two is that when crossing bridges you have a defence penalty and finally is crossfire that is simply two units attacking the same unit so the defending unit will be suppressed and receive a defence penalty. That's not exactly much to work with when your trying to create a tactics based game. Due to its slow paced nature it becomes even more of a problem because you don't have the complexity of games like company of heroes whose units for example could do a variety of things like go prone.

The enemy AI is also non existent and is frequently stupid. All the enemy seems programmed to do is either sit in wait or actively go towards you on the battlefield no matter where you are. There is no patrolling or acting like real soldiers, just defend or follow. There was one instance that if you get your distance just right you can attack an enemy and they just stand there like nothing is happening. They don't fire back as your not in range and the fact they are taking damage completely eludes them so they don't bother to attack or move. There's even several experience exploits in the game due to both the problems with the AI and the mission design itself. On many of the side missions you can just place your troops near a enemy landing pad a keep picking them off until all your units are at max level.

Map design is very important in RTS games and sadly once again mechs and mercs falls short in this department. Maps are not thought out they seem to be just thrown together. I was very surprised by this as level design can create difficulty and fun experiences when done correctly especially in a RTS focusing on squads. Its like trying to combine the gameplay of dawn of war 2 with the maps on command and conquer, it doesn't work. Level design needs to reflect and complement the game mechanics not just be a poorly textured canvass for your units to step on.

I could go on and on about the games flaws and problems. Needless to say is a very sub par RTS, I can imagine the developers overreached, did not understand the complexities of the genre or wrote something that sounded good on paper but in practice failed. There really isn't any kind of redeeming feature for this game, it does nothing well, it has badly designed gameplay, a bad story and its just not worth your time in my opinion. Even big fans of RTS's should steer clear as I cannot see how you would find an enjoyable experience from this. I was really hoping for a decently solid RTS, I can forgive the poor textures, UI design and lackluster story but the mechanical failings and the poor game design overall, I cannot.