Aftershock.... afterthoughts
Happily, the huge amount of control you have over your team goes some way in making up for the lack of tension in the game. It really does feel like a more complex chess game, which should be taken as a compliment, and the level of detail in what you can tell your troops to do and how that actually works in the game is superb. It looks as though Altar have thought of everything from how quickly a trooper can reload if he has the ammo on his belt or in his pack through to how quickly they recover from being stunned or knocked unconscious. There are modifiers for just about every aspect of a trooper’s performance, all of which have a direct effect on the likelihood of success, be it moving quietly, observing, aiming or some special ability action, all of which add up to a well rounded and involving experience, even if its at a somewhat sedate pace.
Click for larger image
Click for larger imageSo what does all this add up to? UFO: Aftershock can’t really be classed as turn based strategy as the action for both sides takes place in real-time, with the pauses coming when a new situation develops. Similarly, its not a real time strategy game because of those pauses. The downside of the SAS is that you lose all sense of urgency unless the game manages to draw you in, which it does to some small effect but not nearly enough. The upside is that control freaks with love the wealth of options for combat and though the base building and research stuff is there, it’s not nearly as tricky to get to grips with as it first appears and requires comparatively little attention. If you’re looking for some fast and frantic action then you’d best stick with Dawn Of War: Winter Assault but if you’re after something a bit more cerebral, then UFO: Aftershock is really the only choice, just don’t expect it to get your palms sweating.
Pros
Superb tutorial explains everything
Great graphics for a strategy game
Simultaneous Action System to let you issue orders at leisure
Masses of detail and option if you want them
Challenging AI keeps you on your toes
Cons
Simultaneous Action System takes all the urgency and pressure out of the game
Weak storyline not all that engrossing
Missions can get repetitive
Sounds less than inspiring
Like watching Crown Green Bowling… A total lack of urgency but fun nevertheless.
