PRELUDE I already owned this game on physical media. When it came out, it boasted multiplayer support both for LAN play as well as for FSGS "Free Standard Game Server". The latter was not included, but basically started out as a Battle.Net compatible server allowing you to run your own ranked multiplayer server for Blizzard titles. Support for Westwood titles such as C&C was also added. This allowed you to play those games in a non-toxic, private environment with server features (and ranking, like ladders) rather than simple LAN games. Great for LAN parties. Unfortunately, FSGS was discontinued due to pressure from Blizzard and cease-and-desist threats from its lawyers. In any case, Submarine Titans was specifically designed with FSGS in mind and supports it, at least the physical media version of this game. GAMEPLAY The game itself is basically a slower-paced underwater RTS where one can operate on several "layers". In addition to the usual directions, you get to move your units up and down as well, and build your buildings at different heights too. There are three factions and each of them has a very extensive techtree. "On the surface" it plays almost like other RTS in late 1990s / early 2000s, but the additional vertical positioning whilst still retaining an isometric perspective without becoming a full 3D game like the Homeworld-series allows additional tactics. The difference in height matters when positioning buildings / units and adds an extra dimension to the gameplay. The atmosphere feels less rushed than rival titles in other settings yet still retain that suspense and sense of urgency of imminent attack from enemy factions, albeit with a calm, soothing, underwater sound. Imagine the difference in experience between the original and the remake of Battlestar Galactica: silence in space completely changed the atmosphere in that space opera. This was an instant-buy for me the second it appeared on GoG. Hopefully they kept the multiplayer options!
One of the comments here argues that "free stuff" was OK to give away for "old games" but for "newer" titles it should be acceptable to charge a premium for DLC. Well, that depends on the quality of the content, first of all, but more importantly, Everspace is NOT a "new" game - I suppose it will depend on one's definition of "new". So whether or not the artwork and the soundtrack are worth the pricetag even on sale, I don't know, I suppose it depends in part on fandom. All the 1-star ratings aren't about being charged a premium. I'm sure none of those users will mind if it added some actual game CONTENT rather than what used to be bonus material not really a part of the game itself. Granted, 3 hours of music is something one could pay good money for commercially, and if it is interesting enough it will sell for that price. In the end it is a publisher's choice. Give it away for free to perhaps boost popularity of a title or sell it to hordes of fans to make some extra revenue, regardless of what happens with that revenue, be it develop new titles or a bonus for a developer's artists or charity and whatnot. The other point however, is that GOG.COM used to differentiate itself, set itself entirely apart from other platforms such as Steam and attracted a loyal following for that reason. The main premise being curated and/or requested DRM-free titles for which its users pay, while not falling into the trap of perpetuating paid DLC, such as with the Galactic Civilization III series, and what is now commonly known as "season passes". Yes, GOG originally stood for GOOD OLD GAMES What makes a game old though? I for one am happy with the service GOG.COM provides even though admittedly, it has slipped a little and I find myself looking more towards HumbleBundle these days than GOG, but that might also be because none of the long-wished and voted-for titles have yet made it to GOG for whatever reason (might not be GOG's fault you know).
That is what it says in game's description. I understand this should be a review. Bought this game as a gift and the recipient is happy with it, but as I don't have it myself, I can't write a proper review. Then why comment? Mainly to prompt everyone to read the description carefully. It leads me to believe the game CANNOT be played WITHOUT a controller, so it's not only supported but a prerequisite.
GAMEPLAY Expect 3D perspective instead of isometric with similar gameplay to previous incarnations. Alright for multiplayer, weak AI. Nonetheless: enjoyable TBS. ON-LINE ACCESS KEY FOR MULTIPLAYER SERVICES Reason given by publisher: "We are running our own servers for online features. This makes it possible - for example - to have both Steam and GoG players play together. It will also allow us to expand our online features in the future." One reviewer commented that an on-line access key is a way to make sure "some people actually pay for it". This game is NOT offered for FREE on GoG. Customers ARE PAYING for the game, in PARTICULAR for "DRM-FREE CONTENT". Requiring an on-line access key to access a specific aspect of the gameplay is arguably a deliberate means of enforcing control by dependency and from that perspective not entirely DRM-free. Yes, it can be circumvented by using VPN solutions IF a game has a play over LAN option that works. Yes, you can still play the game off-line. Yes, you can get that access key. My concern is not just DRM. Once a game loses popularity its servers receive less maintenance or disappear. There are plenty of games which relied on Game Spy or on publisher's servers, like SWAT3 or No One Lives Forecer 2, where there were takeovers or bankruptcy scenarios so you end up only being able to play a game single-player. EXAMPLE: Civ4. Supports up to 40 players in multiplayer, has LAN multiplayer, but needs GameSpy. GoG version will only work with TWO (host and one guest) over LAN due to a bug. GoG can't fix that and 2K Games won't, because their main revenue is from Steam. Got it there? No problem: it is patched for that platform, replacing GameSpy, BUT you need a Steam account which is in itself a form of an on-line access key. Forces me to now get it on Steam as well. What happens when Steam is gone like GameSpy? Or the game's publisher? Or there is no internet access? That is why I choose GoG over other platforms.
It would have been an instant buy for me. Battle Chess is one of those games which make chess fun to learn for everyone, even those who have rarely played chess or do so at an entry level. It has most of the trimmings that PC chess games usually come with, including multiplayer support. Some of the battle scenes between the pieces are hilarious and can make you wish to lose on purpose. Unfortunately, from what I understand the version offered on GoG is not the CD-version which used the CD audio tracks for high quality music and effects, so nearly 10 Euro for an almost 15 year old game seems a little off even if it does include a sci-fi themed version and a Chinese variant of chess. Maybe if this were bundled with Archon: The Light and the Dark or similar games it could still become that instant buy. Overall, Battle Chess has a much more polished, albeit dated, feel to it than Combat Chess (the Mind's Eye game also found on GoG, not the 8-bit strategy game by Avalon Hill), so given the choice between those two, I'd go for Battle Chess, particularly because of the subtle humour Interplay introduced (try taking a Queen with a King for example). Unlike Combat Chess (again, the Mind's Eye game, not the Avalon Hill game) it was also available on multiple platforms: 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Acorn Archimedes, Amiga CD32, Amiga CDTV, Apple IIGS, Apple IIe, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, FM Towns, NES, Mac OS, NEC PC-9801, X68000, Windows. There is a remake of this game called "Battle Chess: Game of Kings" (released on the Steam platform only, unfortunately), but may be worth getting your hands on if you wish to introduce younger generations of people to the game of chess whilst making it less frustrating to lose for those who start out with little patience. I'd still prefer the GoG -version if it included the CD version, had a lower pricetag or was included in a bundle of various types of strategy games (Archon, Droughts, and so on).
