Did not get past Copper yet. They did not add Bronze as a middle Tier, despite Tin, and then Copper being avaliable as work materials. As expected, you mine stuff below. Mobs have cutsey descriptions, at least on the ones that are sold as cute, like slimes and such. Mobs can be hit through walls, I for one don't mind that. Mobs don't find you easy, they need to have sightlines, already a good programming and fair. If you are diligent in collecting Mushrooms, you can heal often enough. Damage and knockback can be high, watch for terrain. You can use 1 block wide corridors to not get flanked, and to lure ranged enemies closer via popping your head out at the end of it, then moving away. Water slows you down, don't be in it in a fight. Shops are decent, quests to kill / collect certain things can be an issue, if it does not spawn. Had not had that issue, picked wisely however on quests. Boarding the escape shuttle should tell you you are vunerable, and require a button press, not walk on it. Small misgivings, procentually generated maps, game is good. I just saw so many, so I am hesistant to give good scores. 4/5 or 3/5, either is close to it. Also, don't forget...permadeath.
The scope of the game is quite large. You can do a lot, research, build... you are not limited that much by buildslots, like some modern games make you. You will need to build a lot of economy, and that already is a boon and curse on its own. There is no buildquere, and while the AI could build en masse out of each building, you would have to spend minutes and later many minutes setting each building to build each turn, and refresh that once it is done. A quere for building is so SORELY needed, for a game of this scope. You can plaster a whole planet in economy, and you do need to, even. Combat is just ... numbers and phases. It is like a RPG, first long range, then direct medium range, then close range. It rewards using all sorts of units, mix and match. However higher tier units cost more upkeep, though they eat less food. If you got much food, massinge milita is worth it. Otherwise, if you got a lot of tax income, tiering up for better units is worth it, though you need o pay upkeep for technology itself too. Large invasions are effort to setup, though doable. However, all units need to eat, and be supplied with this on the battlemap. You would have to bring a stack of food for engagements outside of your home, and lead it around like a unit. It is a crucial target for your enemy. Spacecombat..... Beware the Symbionts. Their ships are stronger than the Humans own. You can mass more than they can, if you do it right. Politics.... the other houses threaten, but with how hard it is to go over the map to others, and such, its more empty threats. Selling tech can pay off big, recouping your expenses, and giving others expenses, since they then have to upkeep the techs. Visit the Forum to learn more about the game, if you try it out. The Demo lasts for ... maybe 30 turns, or so.
Special for its time. Today, it is a hilarious story, that might pinch some nerves. Pathfinding might have been good for its time, but while they get there, Units constantly block each other. Economy is easy to do, its just 1 Resource, oil. Balance is more on Survivor side. Evolved can basecreep to oil deposits easier, because they have 1 extra building. However, that 1 extra building splits their building que into two, meaning you cannot tech up to make economy oiltankers, and have good combat units at the same time. Unit statwise, consult the *enclosed instructionbook* (PDF) Infantry wise, just like with vehicles, most units are the same for both sides, with minor stat differences. Cannonfodder, besides specialists. Most vehicles, past the first 2, can drive over infantry, meaning only mass can safe them, and even then. 10 Survivor Infantry cost 500, and a Vehicles that can squish costs around 500 in Turn. Vehicles wise, beasts from Evolved Faction work just like Vehicles. From 250 cost Scouting Bikes and Scouting Wargriders, to Technicals and Bikes with Sidecar, the early stage has what a Mad Max fan would like to see. Just as early, these are obsolete. Only big maps with little terrain blockage, allow these units to shine. With hit and run tactics. Any decent player however, would protect his tankers, since they won't need to take far away oil deposits in the so called early game anyway. After that, drills that allow oil deposits to be used, and the first squish vehicles. An ATV for the Survivors, and a Giant Scorpion for the Evolved. C&C is better.
