A whimsical and somewhat amusing RPG that actually plays well, this review is based on the enhanced version of Driftmoon. You have a main protagonist and several party members that will change throughout the game. Character development is simple but not simplistic and does include choices that matter. Combat can range from a simple point to the enemy and let it play out, to more intense fights where you will have to leverage unique items and special abilities in order to persevere. Additionally, this game features several clever puzzles to solve in order to progress the story, it isn’t just slash and hack. There is also a good but simple crafting system and equipment is generally light and straightforward, just make sure you read the descriptions so you do not don a cursed item. The art is ok, nothing to brag about, but also certainly not a negative while the music is limited but upbeat without being annoying. Overall this is a straight forward good versus evil game that will make you feel nice without knowing the reason why. All over references to Christianity that were mentioned in other reviews have also been altered to more general spiritual connotations. The only drawback is that this is an extremely linear game and you will only get a couple of sessions out of it. Still, coming from someone that is considered a “harsh” reviewer, I can recommend this title.
It’s an adequate story with writing that can be described as embarrassing at times, yet surprisingly, it doesn’t dampen the immersion as much as it could as you will soon be engrossed in simply trying to survive and make sense of it all. You start with Character creation… except it really isn’t. You can’t roll stats as each class has predefined statistics, this means for example that if you start your party with two soldiers, those soldiers will be exactly alike, clones if you will. Add in counter-intuitive attribute progression as they level up, and this is an area that could easily have been more than it is. The armour and weapons do not only improve on a linear basis, but may also have a special. Some have extra stunning damage, others will hit more often. Your armour also suffers from this. Those plain gloves make you faster, that shield gives you more energy, etc. There are so many different aspects to equipment, that sometimes a lower level item can be better than a higher one. With six characters, that can equip many slots, the player could be put off by keeping track of this. Combat… what can I say, I’m not a fan of first person combat that is reminiscent of free RPG maker games but it works well enough here. The artwork and feel of the world is absolutely stunning by the way, excellent job here. The game advertises itself as an open world with the freedom to go wherever you want, sure you can, if you want to die quickly. The game is pretty linear but leaves the player to figure out the natural progression from scant clues. For example, in the first town you can do a number of missions, the first three can be taken in sequence, the fourth will kill you if attempt it without first doubling your current party level. How do you do that? Well there are a few hints in-game and you need to figure it outfor yourself. Still, with all its faults, it’s a good game and I don’t regret the purchase, some will love it, some wont.
Oh this could have been so much more... and it would have taken little effort to accomplish it. The game started out great, the writing is very good and the story draws you in. As an RPG, it was delightful to be in an environment that seemed far more plausible than fighting Orcs and un-dead. But slowly, it starts to fall apart. Equipment, (gear for your character) does not exist, you allocate points and that replaces actual armor etc. Points? seems like such a let-down for a game this detailed. Combat also goes from fascinating to "oh no, not another combat" very quickly. As another player stated, it's also un-fathomable why half your party won't join in combat, (you can only bring six characters max into a fight), even when you are outnumbered two-three to one. (The ai does not share your cap on units in combat). A decent game that gets repetitive after a while, with some very questionable decisions by the devs. Could have been outstanding with a little more thought and effort, instead it's just ok.
Imperium Galactica 2 is to RTS what Master of Orion 2 is to TBS, a classic and one of the best. It manages to execute so many things right that many games today still struggle with. Starting from the top then, you have three very different campaigns available, a number of scenarios, and the ability to play in sand-box mode. This is a game from a time when releases were pretty much complete from the get-go and didn’t rely on numerous expansion packs or DLC’s to actually present a finished product. The strategic depth of the game is outstanding! They managed to take a map with 70-80 systems total and make it feel like a huge galaxy as you literally have to scout every square inch of the map to find those systems. Speed and range were also executed in a clever manner that adds to the strategic depth. Colony development is similar to a city sim game, you have dozens of buildings available which all require energy and population to run. The population however, must be kept happy and healthy with recreational facilities, hospitals, police stations etc. Here the game shines as each colony is carefully crafted and grown throughout the game. The tech trees are different for each race and truly huge as they are divided into three areas (ships, ground forces, and buildings) and further subdivided at each level. Ground combat is also exceptional as it is just as detailed as space combat. There are many units the player can field and upgrade. One of the coolest features in both ground and space combat is that you can actually give orders to each unit or a group of them. This means you can have actual tactical control that matters… in an RTS! Where this game loses a star however, (and it is a product of when it was released), is that micro is quite intense in the late game and there is a lack of coherent short cuts in some areas. In conclusion, if you’re looking for a casual 4X or Strategy game, this is not for you. If on the other hand you are ready to actually be challenged with absolutely no guarantee of winning, pick it up, at this price it is the bargain of the century. (P.S. I have the original CDs and also played the Gog version which runs and plays just as well as of this time)
