Battle Isle Platinum (includes Incubation)

Yes, as soon as I've seen there had been Incubation and its expansion included in the package, I didn't hesitate for a minute. I remember the very days when this game came out, I didn't really get to play it then but I was dreaming about it! First chance I finally got to play this brilliant jewel of a game was a few years later and it still was an amazing turn-based strategy/RPG, and that remains true to this date. When I bought it and installed it, I immediately lost myself in the atmosphere and couldn't stop for three hours... It's just as good as it was back then, this is a classic and one game you definitely don't want to miss on!

Firstly, I haven't played much BI1 or 3. BI1 is just a step too far into clunky for me. Incubation is fun for a while, but does get very difficult. Good atmosphere, though. I bought this for BI2, a game I loved but never completed. Now I remember why. The music, controls, units and missions are all excellent. Unfortunately, some missions have a turn limit. But the game doesn't tell you in the briefing, and doesn't give you any visible indicator. You can play a mission for hours, then suddenly get a "Game over" message. You can't go back to a recent save as it is the same game, you won't have had enough turns left. If GOG had added an option to remove turn limits the game would have been perfect, and highly recommended. With the turn limits it is just too frustrating.

==DE== Ich kenne die Originale noch aus den 90er. An der Sammlung hat mich am meisten Battle Isle IV interessiert. Leider hat genau dieser Teil zunächst nicht auf meinem PC funktioniert! Ihr bekommt das Spiel mit folgendem Patch bzw. Mod zum Laufen: https://www.nexusmods.com/incubationtimeisrunningout/mods/1?tab=description Neben der Original CD habe ich auch die UPlay Version. Diese hat leider auch Schwächen wie die fehlende Zusatzkampagne (ich sehe sie nirgends - Addon Waffen sind da!!!) und einige Bugs (z. B. Musik hört auf). Mit der GoG Version und dem Mod hat man die beste Wahl getroffen. Zu Battle Isle IV - Incubation: An dem Spiel gefällt mir am besten das düstere Design und die coole Musik. Mit dem Mod ist es recht schwer und man muss sich eine gute Taktik überlegen. ==EN== I still remember the original games from the 90s. What interested me most about this collection was Battle Isle IV. Unfortunately, this particular installment initially didn’t work on my PC! You can get the game running using the following patch/mod: https://www.nexusmods.com/incubationtimeisrunningout/mods/1?tab=description In addition to the original CD version, I also have the UPlay version. Unfortunately, this version has some drawbacks, like the missing extra campaign (I can’t find it anywhere—though the Add-On weapons are included!!!) and some bugs (e.g., the music stops playing). With the GoG version and the mod, you’ll get the best experience. About Battle Isle IV – Incubation: What I like most about the game is the dark design and the cool music. With the mod, it’s quite challenging, and you’ll need to come up with a good strategy to succeed.

From the creators of such classics like Albion, UGH!, Archimedes Dynasty or The Settlers series expect to be blown away again. These games are hex turn-based classics crafted with Blue Byte's attention to detail; a good mix of novelty with known working formulae, BB's signature eye-pleasing graphics, fun (if somewhat hard) gameplay and all-around well-thought experience. I especially like Incubation - jetpacks, secondary firing modes, "guard mode" for enemy turns, chainsaws (for the wilderness missions), flamethrowers, the tension of limited resources, mortars, bayonets, guns overheating...what's not to love?

Originally based on the japanese Nectatris, Battle Isle added a lot of value for the western target audience... while Battle Isle 1 was more or less a clone with some interesting units, but is still very playable today. Battle Isle 2 added a very interesting, mission based story, as well as a competent AI (which took ages to take turns though)... also it introduced changing terrain (winter/rain) and a fitting soundtrack... There where even 2 books written on the battle isle 2 premise... which I've devoured in glee, and fit perfectly into the universe BlueByte had created... The game itself was challenging enough, while giving room for new strategists to adapt to the ideas. Battle Isle 2 - apart from the AI thinking time was nearly perfect. Battle Isle 3 is very similar to 2, but dismissed the long AI thinking and display time into summaries, which takes a bit from the atmosphere, but improves on game speed... also they introduced FMVs for Storycutscenes, which at the time where a mixed bag, but these days look horrible... still - they continue the story, which is still entertaining... the gameplay improvements are minimal, although each unit change has its history, and more importantly, unit experience could be carried over to other missions... all in all it played vastly quicker, and could have easily surpassed Battle Isle 2, it it wheren't for its somewhat weaker maps and story.... still a worthy successor to one of the greatest turn based strategy games ever made.... now Incubation... it doesn't really fit into the genre, as its more of a tactical, XCOM type of game, where you control a squad, with movementpoints... but thats no reason to write it of, as Incubation is one of the best tactical squad games I know to date, with challenge and story as well... not buying this pack in a combo is a crime for anyone who loves TBS and strategy games.