I just beat the campaign on my second attempt (after an utterly catastrophic first run), and it was one of the most nerve-wracking, heartbreaking, maddening, difficult, hopeful, exhilarating, and ultimately cathartic gaming experiences I've ever endured. When the weather broke, and the temperature started to rise again, I clapped my hands together, gleefully exhausted and triumphant exclaiming: "we did it. WE MADE IT." We. I completely absentmindedly said we. I had become so engrossed and attached to my city, that I genuinely felt it was somehow a collective effort. I wasn't just some sort of floating omnipotent demi-god controlling everything; I was one of them. And we did it. I'm not sure how much replayability it has, but it's one of my favorite games I've ever played through. It has some wonky interface decisions, and a few quirks here and there, but everything else? The decisions-space, the strategy and tactics, the atmosphere and world-building? Superb, in my opinion. Even if it was JUST the single campaign, I feel that it would be worth the full price (which is what I paid), but it has, in addition, 5 more scenarios and an endless mode. It might just be the best city-builder I've played. That feeling of incredible satisfaction when things start falling in place after a seemingly impossible start, only to constantly be worrying about if/when they are going to fall apart is a rush. I don't know any other game quite like it. Also, that Tesla guy got what he deserved.
The world is huge so long as you don't try to go anywhere; and you can approach the missions any way you want, so long as you want to run and gun down the main path. I've never been more frustrated by a game that presents you with so much and yet lets you do so little. Like a gaming mirage. As a pure shooter it's fine I guess? I liked pretty much every other shooter released around the same time more though.
This game, from a mechanical perspective, is basically sci-fi civ II, with a few wrinkles here and there. Civ II is one of my favorite games, and space/sci-fi is my favorite genre, so what's missing? Civ II CONSUMES me for periods of time in such a way that it is practically impossible to tear away from it, whereas Alpha Centauri is just very good. I think for me, what Alpha Centauri lacks is that sense of grand progress; that with each passing turn, you're unlocking new potentials, new history, radically new technology and new ways of playing the game. That's the addictive cycle which eggs on that "just one more turn" mentality. In Alpha Centauri, there is a progression, but the scale of the game is a smaller timeframe. The technologies you research don't alter the way you play the game moreso than provide additional tools to enhance you're existing strategies and goals. There are a LOT of techs, and the customization potential of every unit in the game busts my brain, but even so the game doesn't feel all that much different from turns 10-20 and turns 200+. The thing that Alpha centauri does really right is the environment. Managing the ecosystem at play, (the native fauna, the terrain, and the way the world functions around the various factions) makes it feel like a real place to explore and unlock its mysteries. It's really cool how each faction plays much differently from each other, giving them all a unique identity and style. However the downside to that is you are kind of locked into the playstyle of the faction you choose. Most importantly, the actual gameplay is great. Setting up colonies, exploring the planet, mixing unit types, engaging in diplomacy and battling the other factions, conquering or coexisting with the natives, etc. I think it's a very fun game to play, it just doesn't enthrall me the way some other civ games have. Still, It's a very good 4x. Worth getting if you like the genre.
I still remember the first time I found the water chip. I had explored so many leads, rummaged around almost every town, wandered aimlessly through the wastes... and time was running out. I had all but given up, and figured my vault was going to die of thirst in a few weeks. Then, it happened. As I was in the middle of helping out some other people I ran into, I FOUND A WORKING WATER CHIP. I legitimately felt like I had saved the fucking day. This game has a unique feeling to it that is hard to pin down, but I think it obviously resonates with people as it spawned so many follow-ups and attempts to recapture the original's spirit. Exploring a derelict vault in Fallout really feels like the world has ended, and you're sifting through the wreckage. The humor is what you might expect in that environment: dark and macabre; trying to sarcastically emotionally cope with the bleak reality by laughing at it. Constantly juxtaposed with the dead world is the happy-go-lucky style and tones of 50s Americana, and you can't help but internalize the sardonic, cynical irony of it all. That's what I think the original gets right that none of it's successors managed. It's hilarious, and immersive, and dark ... but it's also deeply, deeply sad. It has an emotional weight at its core that is at odds with the amount of humor and fun there is in the game, and to me that highlights just how precious those lighter moments are. I also believe this more than any other cRPG I've played lets you truly develop the character you want to be, and not just a version of the character the game wants you to be. It's not something that will be able to be appreciated by everyone. The graphics and some of the systems it uses are definitely not the most accessible, but I think if you are looking for what the game does provide, it is a unique experience that will resonate long after you walk off into the sunset to the tune of the Ink Spots.
The game does a lot of things so so right: the style; the soundtrack; the brutally efficient world-building; the fast-paced kinetic gameplay; the satisfying hook of the life-timer; all awesome. You have 18 minutes to live. Can you survive and get to the top of the evil megacorporation fast enough? The more time you spend exploring to acquire better weapons and abilities, the closer you get to impending death. But if you don't take the time to get a better loadout, the baddies will be incredibly tough to beat. It's perfect. The one problem in the game, is that despite having a large selection of weapons and special abilities to combine for an insane amount of potential character builds, many of those weapons and abilities are just not worth bothering with. I began the game wondering what sort of cool combinations and strategies were possible, and by the time I played enough to unlock everything I found that there are relatively few fun or effective builds. It's not a huge flaw, but it makes having such a wide assortment of equipment a bit of a mirage. Ultimately your goal is to do as much damage in as little time as possible; anything else is cosmetic. That said, the game is a blast. One of the better things about it is that even though there is roguelike randomness at the core of its experience, the game rewards your skill and quick thinking such that regardless of what is handed to you, progressing and winning is decided by your actions and not the rng. That's what keeps me coming back to climb the tower each time: even though I've only beaten the game once, I know every time I have a chance.
