Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Adam Smith on a new TBS, called Pandora: First Contact:

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/26/impressions-pandora-first-contact/

Homepage: http://www.slitherine.co.uk/games/PandoraPC


What do you think?

Seems interesting but too early to make judgement of final product. As far as I can see, they're still developing game mechanics (seem to have moved hexes resently) so final game may seem and act very differently from what they show now. Still, new civ like games are always welcome.

Just one question: will there be steamfree version?

They are not giving a lot of information, and their website asks for a lot of personal information to register to the forum. They want your address and phone number. As for civ-like games... really?

What the heck they need all that information for? I for one would not want to give all that just for access to a forum. Well, outside Civ series itself which is steamshitworks only since Civ5, are there that many similar game out there?

They look to be small sales company, this is probably an attempt on their part to get onto the map.
age of wonders, europa universalis 3, romance of the three kingdoms, and a number of tactical games I have not yet played are worthwhile TBS.

From what I have seen on the screens, its not going to be a must have product. Although I cross my fingers to be wrong.

Nevertheless if there is no "Pod Recovered" sound, its not worth to be played !

Yes, the game more resembles Civ 4 than Alpha Centauri. Though it's supposed to come out "at the end of spring", they aren't giving a lot of information.

They concentrate on showing off interface while I think most AC players would be interested in lore, which AC did a good enough job with in the months before it's release. I understand the need for a gameplay video, but I am not going to purchase the game because of a talk on tax-rates, specialists and pollution with gory combat at the end . Let them discuss factions and the tech tree. Slitherine the publishing company has hired a group of programmers to make a sound-siimliar, and I don't get the feeling either one of them knows a thing about players, advertising or science-fiction.