Recent reviews by Scramblin_Man

Basically <i>Aliens</i> Space Marine Squad Simulator. Innovates on XCOM-style gameplay to create a unique, squad-based tactical RTS experience that plays surprisingly well on controller.

Some reviews complain about the level of stealth required in this game. In terms of stealth vs. action, I would rank it somewhere between Alien Isolation and Alien Fireteam Elite.

*Multiplayer review only, for people trying to cut through the noise of mixed reviews*

If you're new to the series but love RTS games like StarCraft, C&C Red Alert, etc., enjoy a WWII setting, and like a more tactical micro experience with some RNG and complex cover system (think X-COM) instead of units standing in the open blasting each other doing the same amount of damage with each hit, then you should just go ahead and get this game. Gitting gud depends knowing the units' strengths and weaknesses and learning how to combine them effectively, unlike other RTS games that are more about macro, amassing resources, producing tons of units, and CPM. Skirmishes are intense, strategic, and require your full attention.

If you're fan of the prior CoH games but do not want to be patient while more maps are added and better balancing implemented, then maybe you should wait. For those CoH fans who are relentlessly panning this game and saying they'd rather play CoH2 for a couple of years, try to remember how long it took the devs to properly balance the factions in CoH2 and realize how difficult it is to really balance a game with this many factions, units, and other variables against all the cheesy ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ that a large player community can come up with.

I experienced multiple quest-breaking bugs. I tried to live with those, but then my last five saves were corrupted with some kind of camera bug that makes it impossible to move at all except to fast travel, and the only saves I have that work are from many levels ago that would require me to reply tedious content again--I'm just not interested in doing that. I would have never started this game if I knew it had so many quest-breaking and save-destroying bugs. The last time I played a game with these types of problems, it was Cyberpunk 2077 at launch. I almost never request refunds of games, but this is broken--I wish I could get not only my money but my time back.

easy as picking up a bird in carrdiff

Shining example of an indie developer taking a classic (Harvest Moon) and making it even better. 10/10 would discover that all my Spring crops died after staying up late chopping trees because no one would dance with me at the Flower Festival again.

Made it to the last expedition with Harriet Tubman. Was forced to sell party members into slavery for supplies until only her ox and a local native was left. The native turned into a cannibal abomination and ate Harriett's ox. Harriett was pretty angry about the ox and ate the cannibal, had one last cup of tea, and died.

11/10 would starve to death locked outside of a golden pyramid again

I have purchased so many disappointing indies this past year-and-a-half attempting to find a roguelike-strategy-combat-rpg-thingy as compelling as FTL. This is the one I've waited for. Multiplayer could use some tweaks to make it less tedious to manage resources among players, but other than that I wouldn't change anything. Please develop this into a franchise and take my money.

I am astonished by the volume of negative reviews of this game. Before you dismiss this one, let me say that while the first couple of playthroughs had me condemning the game as a Civ 5 skin, but my persistent attempts to like the game have paid off in spades. I recommend it, and here's why:

1) Simplicity and Continuity with the Series . . .

As many point out, the form of the game is very similar to Civ 5. Some who expected novelty and more complexity complain about this, but the plus is that if you're experienced at all with its predecessors, you can jump right into this game and be familiar with the mechanics. I would also say that this game has a lower learning curve for newbies than its predecessors as some mechanics have been streamlined. For instance, the research interface is much more transparent, lending itself to premediated and careful play without having to play 100 hours just to get a firm grip on how the research tree works.

2) . . . But Still a Refreshing Twist

Although heavily criticized for being a Civ 5 skin comprising just a few tweaks, IMO the relatively minor changes done were very clever and the combined effect of them has an emergent, significant affect on the gameplay. After numerous playthroughs, these games feel significantly different than Civ 5. For instance there are more opportunities for combat—as well as opportunities to avoid it, should the player choose. The player's relationship to the alien presence is much more nuanced and compelling than barbarian spawning, and the decisions one makes about aliens has a huge impact on relations with other civilizations, which in turn affects how one treats the alien presence, and so on. Furthermore, the affinity system allows for much more fluid development of a civilization based on circumstance and events, and I've found that the outcome of games is much less predictable and more exciting than Civ 5. One can no longer assume what sort of victory another player will shoot for based on the civ they chose. Espionage is constant threat and can really create some sudden gamechanging events. I can go on about other gameplay elements, but suffice to say there are enough changes to make this feel like a new experience. One hundred hours in and I have hardly scratched the surface of orbital coverage gameplay.

3) This Game Is Art

One thing I have always loved about the Civ franchise is drawing parallels to history and current events. One can always analogize the game theory behind Civ to real life statecraft. In adding a speculative fiction/sci-fi element into the mix, Firaxis has masterfully created a universe that is both fantastic and plausible. The alien world is harsh and civilizations must must adapt to thrive there. Adaptation is a key theme in this game, and the three affinities are believable extensions of how our current values would survive and transform in space. There are no moral judgments regarding the affinity choices; there is no right or wrong—only surviving and ensuring victory for your civilization. Because the game does not supply these judgments, the player is inevitably left to value their own decisions and contemplate the most desireable fate for a spacefaring humanity in the not-so-distant future.

4) Ripe for New Content

As mentioned in #1, many of the elements of the franchise have been streamlined and simplified. Some diehard fans have denounced this, but sometimes you need to demolish a house before you build a new one. That said, I see lots of room for exciting DLC additions to this game and earnestly look forward to them. After purchasing every Civ 5 expansion, IMO that game became indundated with needless complexity and added bells & whistles but not a substantially different gameplay experience. With a blank slate in Beyond Earth, Firaxis is in a great position to develop this on a tangent from the rest of the franchise—I hope they take some bold moves in doing so. I get the sense that these have been in the works well before Beyond Earth's release. Or maybe I will regret this whole review.

Either way, I agree with a number of complaints, including: 1) very poor explanation of victory conditions and the paths to victory, 2) victories feel sudden and underwhelming—comeon guys,, I just won a 10-hour match, let's have a little more ceremony, 3) the leaders, inspirational quotes, etc. can feel pretty corny sometimes and kill the immersion; 4) lack of variety in structure and unit design/style, etc. (I expect this will be remedied with DLC).

First of all, as of 6/29/2014, this game is in excellent shape for early access. Do not let the early access bit deter you.

That aside, KSP gets high marks all across the board. It is fun yet challenging, innovative yet accessible, educational but never tedious, and—IMO—a shining example of game as art in that it has indellibly reshaped the way I perceive the universe around me.

The only drawback about this game could also be considered one of its strengths: the learning curve. Although I have taken college-level courses in physics and astronomy and possess a graduate degree in a non-scientific field, I had to supplement the in-game tutorials with a number of hours reading wiki guides to understand the mechanics, and I am still learning. The beauty of this, though, is that the game is immensely rewarding to the intellectually curious. Becuse the physics system is so realistic, I occassionally find myself reading about something like Hohmann transfers or gravity slingshots without realizing that I had left the game's wiki page and am now in the deep recesses of Wikipedia learning about rocket science.

Whether you are looking for a fun sandbox, a challenge, to expand your knowledge of the world around you, or simply a diversion, you most definitely should check out this game.