Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide
Rising Tide is one small step for a game that’s now in need of one giant leap.
If nothing else, Rising Tide certainly makes a fantastic first impression. The once sterile presentation of the vanilla game has undergone a hostile makeover with everything from the UI, tech web, loading screens, and reward popups all receiving new artwork and a fresh lick of paint.
In terms of actual gameplay content, the Rising Tide expansion comes loaded with four major new features that dramatically change the way in which a typical session of Beyond Earth plays out. These are: all new aquatic gameplay, artifacts, hybrid affinities and a revamp to the diplomacy system.
Read More: Best Strategy Multiplayer Games.
tl,dr: Feels better, but plays worse. Overprized at 30$/€. Wait for the inevitable discount.
So here we are. One year has passed since we made planetfall with Beyond Earth. Now the first expansion is out, adding new features like Ocean Cities, Hybrid Affinities, Artifacts and a new Diplomacy System.
For those familiar with CIV5: Rising Tide feels a lot like the first expansion (Gods and Kings). A lot of cool ideas and some stuff that should probably have been part of the base game, but sadly just as many issues and problems. On top of that Rising Tide has significant balance problems, some very unfortunate design decisions (more about that below) and tons of (quite obvious) bugs.
X-COM: Interceptor
Quite a nice game.
Unfortunately it crashes a lot until u swich 3d acceleration thingy. Also u have to find a fix for alien probe mission bug, when it spawns IN your ship and u can do nothing about it.
In addition to this, controls are somewhat weird.
Edit 6 years later:
Still loving this one, though i do wish devs had more time and resources on their hands to refine it before releasing.
i didn’t encounter that bug with things spawning god knows where anymore. Game crashes a lot so i recommend you save before going to “equip ship” and “buy equipment” screens. I do still recommend to turn off 3d acceleration to minimise crash rates. There’s a manual with keybord control map in the end of it so you might want to look into it before starting a game.
– Real player with 114.8 hrs in game
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Good game, even after two decades, but no experience with multiplay. First install in windows 10 with standdard setting caused regular error messages, exiting the game. I worked around with saved games but got annoyed. With properties options in steam menu you can acces the installed maps and change the launcg mode to windows 95 or 98.
Alas, my controller lost 2 buttons, used in the first install with the joytokey program(third party). But with some adaptions i can play it anyway, just with enoug buttons left. CONTROLLER/JOYSTICK IS VERY RECOMMENDED!
– Real player with 96.7 hrs in game
Etherium
Etherium Review
Developed by Tindalos Interactive (known for Stellar Impact) and published by Focus Home Interactive (Cities XL Series, Trine 2, Farming Simulator), Etherium is a daring new multiplayer RTS game looking to pump fresh energy into a slumbersome genre. Not since Starcraft 2 has there been such a relevant sci-fi entry for a 4X multiplayer game. Tindalos is a small, independent studio so much credit is deserving for even attempting such a monumental task.
In Etherium players will choose one of three different factions, each with their own unique abilities. These factions battle across multiple maps for control of a precious resource called etherium either against other players in multiplayer games or against AI players in single player skirmish mode and conquest mode. There are a multitude of units and upgrades available and units can level up through combat. Aside from the main factions, some maps also include a neutral faction which can advantageously be swayed into aiding your cause and be a nuisance for your opponents. The maps offer a variety of terrain features and can be used to your advantage as well. Additionally, Etherium contains a weather element based on terrain that can greatly impact battles and strategies.
– Real player with 41.7 hrs in game
Read More: Best Strategy RTS Games.
Kind of disappointing that there is no real campaign for the game. Instead of making one that players could really sink their teeth into, we are given conquest mode which is similar to what Planetary Annihilation and Star Wars: Empire at War use for their single player “campaigns”. For those that haven’t played either or those games, you get an overview of a universe to play on (sounds good so far right?) but unfortunately rather than having unique maps with a story to go with them, you find yourself being plunged into skirmish after skirmish. I assume that skirmishes don’t have fleet actions (colonize/conquer, attack enemy fleet, and travel to a new planet being among them) but those really don’t change much in my opinion.
– Real player with 29.9 hrs in game
Armada 2526
Armada 2526 is described by it’s developers as “Master of Orion meets Total War” and while that might be something that intrigues you a thing to keep in mind is that merging two genre’s does not always mean bringing over only their qualities.
Armada is, in it’s basic form, true to the developers claims. Half of the game takes place in a turn based galaxy view where you conduct research, engage in diplomacy, move your fleets around and designate construction and production on the various planets in your empire. The other half of the game happens when your fleets collide with those of your enemy and battle ensues, you are then transported into a real time battle field where you must find victory.
– Real player with 108.2 hrs in game
So I played the game here and then I purchaed the gold edition on Gamer’s Gate. The game is fun to play and moddable. However once you hit turn 200 or colonize 20 planets the game has a dramatic slow down in game play. At that point you’ll mostly be waiting on the Resource or Population Manager, often times 20 mins plus for your turn to come up. At turn 200, I was just getting into the game and having fun. So I checked if there was a fix for this. No fix. Per the developers, the game is not designed to be played for long periods or for you to colonize every planet in sight. I usually won the game after 30-45 minutes of game play, often winning before I ever met another race, having gotten bored with that, I modded the victory conditions for more time. What’s the point of having a universe with hundreds of planets, but if you colonize more then 20 planets, the game becomes unplayable with long periods (many minutes waiting on the AI to complete processing your turn) between turns. Eventually you’ll get tired of waiting and hit crl+alt+del, kill the game and go play something else.
– Real player with 87.7 hrs in game
Battle for Antares
Battle for Antares is a fast-paced strategy game. You grow your empire, colonize star systems, build planetary infrastructure and combat drones to battle your opponent. Will you focus on research to crush your opponent with superior technology? Or do you outnumber and overwhelm the enemy early on? The fate of your empire is at your hands.
Procedural generated, face-paced game play
Battle for Antares is face-paced. Every round is different due to procedural generated galaxies and one round lasts roughly 15 minutes. Grow your empire, install crucial infrastructure projects on your planets and research new technologies. Command your fleet of drones and crush your opponent.
Deadlock: Planetary Conquest
I’m old school. I bought and played Deadlock back when it was something new and different as far as game goes. Reading folk who are jaded by flash-bang FX and blood and guts in their gameplay won’t change that. This game was one of the first I played against others. You picked a race, set the conditions and went at it, talk about cut throat!
Decades later, I still enjoy this game, hence my buying it when I found it on steam. It would qualify as “comfort food” if a game were to be compared to something that brought good feelings of good times to mind when eating it.
– Real player with 761.2 hrs in game
I received this game as a gift from my friend Hinori, thank you for gifting this game to me!
The first time I played this game was in 1997, it’s one of the first games I’ve ever played on PC. I’ve played this game for countless hours! I can tell you that at first I had no idea how to play this game properly, it took me a while to even realize how to end my turn! This game might be quite complex at first but you get the hang of it pretty fast. You can always check the ingame manual for help if needed.
– Real player with 65.2 hrs in game
Mini Gal4Xy
I’ll try to keep it short as MiniGal4Xy is. This game is a Distilled 4x Strategy Game made with its base parts. Meaning it shows you a standard eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate experience. The difference though is that this is not a multiplayer game and it is a solitary experience because of that.
This game it built in an arcade style with score building and randomness (similar to Roguelikes). The reasons that I give this game a positive review is that it is simple to learn. Which makes it a decent learning tool for those that don’t know how to play or feel overwhelmed with most other games in this genre. Think of it as a Skull Girls or TFH’s for people who want to understand how the core parts of a 4x game operates. You use it before introducing the complicated stuff.
– Real player with 13.5 hrs in game
This is a good, fast paced, easy to learn game. If you like the 4x type of games but don’t have 10 hours to sit and play one this is a good alternative I managed to complete 6 games and the tutorial in about an hour. Initially games are limited to 20 turns and don’t take very long to play through which is something that I enjoyed about it. I unlocked the 25 turn game on my 5th game and played it on my 6th. I managed to so far unlock 3 other races, beside the starting race, and each of them play very differently. I can see this game has a lot of replayability as each time I started a new game it was vastly different having randomised planet layout and research trees. All in all I think this is a great game if you don’t have enough hours in the day for the more complex 4x games or if you just want to relax and not overthink things.
– Real player with 9.9 hrs in game
Revival: Recolonization
Set in a post-apoc version of Earth, Revival is a 4x strategy game where the world and its rules can change at key moments, creating a deep and highly replayable experience. Explore a transformed planet, negotiate or conquer new territories and bring the light of civilization to regressing human colonies in order to prepare mankind for war with a despotic entity.
Enjoy an unprecedented level of freedom
Say ‘yes’ to meaningful replayability. Say ‘no’ to predictable and boring late game!
Revival generates a vast possibility space for you to play around with. From sudden weather changes to zombie infestations and bans on certain weapon types – boy, you are in for a surprise.
Adapt to new conditions with the help of the nuanced edict system that allows you to terraform the planet and fine-tune the game rules on specific regions of the map. Protect your settlement from changes by building special shield constructs or by accepting the blessings of your tribe’s totem tree.
Progress through the ages
Survivors of the terrible catastrophe that almost destroyed mankind have unique traits and bonuses that affect your gameplay style. Pick the right tribe to take under your wing and help your followers evolve through four distinct epochs, all the way to futuristic settlements and breakthrough technology.
Engage in tactical combat
Command an army that is suited to your play style by gearing up troops with a variety of components, which can also be crafted. Adapt your tactics in intense turn-based battles by mixing and matching different parts, as well as smartly using destructible cover to defeat your enemies.
Explore Earth after a devastating cataclysm
Revival takes place on our own home planet whose landscape and climate have been dramatically transformed. Discover pre-cataclysm artifacts and anomalies with unexpected behaviors. Face off against wild beasts that have evolved to survive in these conditions, as well as fearsome mechanical automatons that roam the lands.
Sublunar
YOU WILL BE THE GUY , IN FUTURES , IN SPACE I MEAN SUBLUNAR. AWESOME.
– Real player with 11.4 hrs in game
The interface makes the text-based Sublunar more confusing than it needed to be, but once you know your way around it’s a pretty average ‘risk management’ game. In order to complete the level, you have to dominate the region with your faction by completing quests, and as you progress the game will introduce more randomized elements. The tutorial is not very helpful which is part of the problem, I would recommend highlighting the buttons for the player because they are hard to find on your own. Generally speaking, to play the game you have to go to any city, select a quest, and then you have to make sure that your crew meets the stat requirements, including potentially mandatory gear and weapons. Some of the missions have an element of “luck” because you can’t see the secondary phase, but you can eliminate it by asking people in towns for information, assuming the city is under your alignment. When you start a mission you will have a choice of a faction, it’s not purely cosmetic, it affects the frequency of certain events and items in the store.
– Real player with 4.7 hrs in game
UFO: Aftershock
This game… I love this game! The beginning is a bit tough, but the mid-game is really fun!
You start with 4 squad members with average skills. They miss a lot and need to be close to their target in order to hit most of the time. As you complete missions, your squad members gain experience which will gradually increase their performance. Experience is spent on stat points which increase an array of skills which will directly and quickly benefit each squad member. When enough stats are gained, classes become available. Most classes will net your squad member a few benefits, and can be trained up to lvl 3. Each squad member can have 3 classes maxed out at lvl 3.
– Real player with 128.7 hrs in game
This is, by no means, a bad entry in the UFO saga. but it’s one I cannot recommend.
It’s a pretty solid game, with plenty of emergent storylines that will make you love the game, like the old UFO games. The fact that’s in real time shouldn’t matter, because you can always pause the game to give your orders.
There’s also an implemented class system, to customize your squad, and, while the “base building” part is less than optimal, it’s still decent, even if it’s decentralized.
So, with that much praise, why not recommend it? Well, because it’s full of bugs. Game breaking bugs at that. And most of them won’t happen until you have invested 40+ hours in the game.
– Real player with 76.7 hrs in game