Look, this is what put Sid Meier on the map. There is something so satisfying about making a functional rail system, running your competition into the ground, and knowing that it will work with or without you. Every entrepreneur should play this game.
And, like the other reviewers, I'm a little disappointed at the loading times. It makes my "Recommended hardware" rig feel like a "Minimum specs" rig, and that's sad. I was a Mech pilot back in the Mechwarrior 2 days, and the only reason I didn't jump on this game day one was because it wasn't a first person sim like those halcyon days. (Ah, Damocles. How I miss you!) That said, I find that while the main plot is not terribly creative, it's executed well enough. The graphics are fine by me--some things are just one artistic preference over another, but the mechs look beautiful, and the overall feel is what I'd expect. Last night, though, I did notice that the AI was being...stupid. Maybe it was the settings, but it was really the first time in playing several hours that it made a purely tactical error. I'll keep a closer eye going forward, but that didn't have to happen. And yes, I have had to restart a mission after a lucky first-hit headshot. Remind me why I spend a ton on armor for the head again, and why, even with called shot mastery, aiming for the head is a bad choice?
I sat down to play this for a few minutes and came out hours later, reluctantly. It really is that fun. And because the tunes are worth listening to on their own, it's fun to watch as well!
My kids have been itching to play Minecraft for some time, and this came out. With its bright colors, great soundscape, and thoroughly infectious gameplay, they're hooked. Multiplayer on Gamespy Arcade is a bit of a bummer. It'd be a nifty LAN game.
...and I'm not a big fan of games like Syberia and Myst that require you to immerse yourself in the pixels and sounds. But when I played UKM 20 years ago, I was hooked. The acting was brilliant, the script well-written, and I think I actually cried when I finished the game.
I grew up with Wing Commander. Most space sims ignore inertia--where you point is where you're going, but not WC. If you're a fan of Ender's Game, you'll love playing this game! I'd give it a full 5 stars if it came with the expansion packs, of course.
