First off, I recommend to switch off the flashing effects in the settings before starting the game. I found the combat a lot less irritating this way. The game takes place on a randomized map containing cities with different bonuses. Some cities allow you to buy special items, get faster repairs, reinforce your fleet with additional ships, buy cheaper fuel, or loot long-range (nuclear) missiles. The goal is to keep your flagship safe, capture the city of Khiva, and then hold it against a merciless counterattack. Enemy fleets are everywhere and will do their best to annihilate your fleet before you ever make it to Khiva. Fleets consist of different airships. Some ships are small, fast attack ships which can evade enemy fire. Other ships are huge, slow, but protected by armour. Some ships are completely useless in a direct fight but may be great long-range scouts. Other ships can launch missiles or fighters. The key is to use each unit according to its strengths. Most of the gameplay takes place on the map screen. You will order your fleet to move from city to city. Run out of fuel or get surrounded by enemies and you are screwed. You can also split up your forces, hunt down transports, confuse enemy strike groups by creating distractions, or attack them head on if you are crazy enough. Combat takes place on a 2D screen and requires only the use of your keyboard and mouse. It is brutal but very satisfying. The more you play the game, the more neat little tricks you will learn to survive. And there is so much more: random story events, ship upgrades, decrypting radio messages, hiring allies in a fun dialogue mini game, using radar or infrared systems to track down other ships etc. The storyline is amazing, too. The closer you get to Khiva, the more unprecedented disasters will happen in the game world. Perhaps you can become its saviour. More likely than not, you will die trying. But you will want to come back and try again because this game is just brilliant.
