Halfway

It's simple, but challenging and fun. Fast enough to learn but not too easy, and most missions are not too long or too short, overall making it an excellent game if you don't have a lot of time each day to play. I wouldn't call it exactly "casual", anyway. Also, I don't agree with other reviews: it's indeed necessary to move around all the time, looking for cover or going into hiding in order to regenerate shields. There's not a lot of weapon variety, but it doesn't seem to me that sniper rifles are always the best option (though I haven't finished it yet). It's certainly not the most tactically challenging game around, but I don't think it was intended to. The gameplay reminds me a little of Space Crusade and Heroquest boardgames. It's got a certain feel that I really enjoy. It's not without its faults (the inventory system is a little clumsy at first, tutorial could explain some issues better*) but it's well worth your time and money. * For example, when you choose the team members to deploy just before a mission (once you know if there's a mandatory member for that mission), you can still buy and change equipment between them. In fact, this is the fastest and easiest way to do it, as you already know who is going with you.

Promising pixel graphics and scifi theme ultimately end up with lukewarm results. Initial levels are too easy then there is a mid-game increase in difficulty; things never feel impossible but it's necessary to retry levels several times in a few cases. The limited resource management aspects are appealing and balanced - you'll have to scavage for ammo but not be able to afford too many grenades. There is a good variety of characters each with a unique special ability.

I had a ton of fun with this game, however the game feels incomplete–its story, level scenarios, user interface, and programming robustness all only barely hold together, making it acceptable but not excellent: An interesting backstory could develop, yet it never concludes and leaves you hanging; Given a large party with varied character abilities, you can repetitively stick with the same strategy; Minor bugs interrupt gameplay, breaking flow and immersion. These examples indicate missed opportunities.. I really think it could've been exponentially better. Despite the negatives, the game is still amusing and fun to play. The artwork and soundtrack are very well done, and the game's battles are scary and intense. Every kill is satisfying and strangely addicting (especially when using a sniper rifle), and upgrading your character is exciting, having you look forward to the next fight. Also, the game's light strategic style works well for an entertaining, streamlined run, allowing you to focus on playing rather than doing calculations. Bottom line, I like this game.

Nice little strategy games that for some reason makes me think of the 80s and early 90s. The characters and dialogue are witty, amusing and provide a fitting contrast to the doom and gloom of their current predicament and the overall universe (think dystopian space faring society). Concerning criticisms levelled at the ending: If you absolutely need a complete unambiguous resolution to all your stories where you need to know what happened to all characters down the line, you might be disappointed in the ending. But if you were satisfied by the ending of games like Phantasy Star 2 or movies like the original Planet of the Apes, then this game will leave you satisfied. Personally, I found the full circle ending amusing and very much in sync with the overall tone of the story. In terms of challenge, the first half of the game is ridiculously easy, but the second half holds some interesting battles: Nothing that will make you sweat, but enough to force you to re-think your strategy. The unique ability of various characters add an interesting layer to the game and the ever-more powerful gear and stimpacks give an adequate feeling of character progression and customization. Overall, this is not an earth shatteringly deep game nor is it revolutionary, but it is fun and has a nice retro feel to it. It is obviously a labor of love.