XCOM+Mechwarrior*Space Hulk/Company of Heroes=?

[tgb]

Templar Battleforce

Not the prettiest turn-based tactical combat you'll ever see but Templar Battleforce pushes it's influences so far to the front it's almost a wonder the developer hasn't been called out, let alone sued. In order:

1) Turn-based, squad based combat with persistent squaddies that level up to new abilities and talents - check
2) Extensive tech tree that unlocks new equipment, weapons, armor, and units - check
3) Missions consisting of moving along claustrophobic derelict spacecraft while fighting off hordes of aliens - check
4) Armor made of mech-suits that heat up with every action and can injure the wearer if overheating - check
5) "Supply stations" that have to be captured and held in order to increase supply points for regenerating units and giving you more to control - check

So far I've only played the first couple of tutorial missions. It's pretty deep with lots of stats and equipment to keep track of, where units have action points and movement points, and armor upgrades independently of whoever is wearing it. It's too soon to tell if it has legs. I'm still in a point in the campaign that's on rails, so I have no idea if it will open up, and there doesn't appear to be any skirmish or random maps.

Still, it's only $9 which makes it easy to check out if you're into this kind of thing.

[GreenGoo]

While I understand that other games have those attributes, I fail to find fault in those attributes existing in newer games.

It could be their implementation is exactly or nearly so of other games, but the point form list only served to get me very, very interested in the game, not offended that other games I enjoyed sported some of the same.

More coherently, the summary was intriguing and in no way felt like unfair or unreasonable usage.

I'll check it out tonight.

[NickAragua]

Animations look a little "Super Nintendo" (and I'm not talking about Chrono Trigger), but it looks like it hits all the right spots otherwise. I'll add it to my list.

[tgb]

My comment about a lawsuit was sarcastic, and certainly a lot of games borrow from others, but rarely does a game borrows so many elements from so many different sources.

[GreenGoo]

My comment about a lawsuit was sarcastic, and certainly a lot of games borrow from others, but rarely does a game borrows so many elements from so many different sources.

Perhaps, but the flip side of that is how many times have you played a game that reinvented the wheel for no good reason, only to realize that their newly invented wheel isn't nearly as good as the last decade's evolution of the wheel?

I've lost count of how many times I've said to myself "this mechanic exists in multiple generations of games. It has as well known look and feel and the UI behaves like this normally. Why on earth did they change it?" Instead of changing it iteratively in an attempt to build on and make it better than previous versions, they give a new coder free rein, and makes something that would have been acceptable a decade ago, but now just feels awkward and unpolished.

In any case, it can be a fine line between making the same game again and again, and making something that is fresh and new while still being appealing.

[GreenGoo]

I watched a video and I'm not sure what to make of it.

[Blackhawk]

I'm still trying to parse the thread title. Is it 20?

[Archinerd]

I'm still trying to parse the thread title. Is it 20?

14

[Blackhawk]

I'm still trying to parse the thread title. Is it 20?

14

Really? I used LEMBAS.

Elf math is hard.

[Archinerd]

That's your mistake, you should be using GOOMBA.

So, is this game any good or is it just a knock-off of everything else?

[tgb]

That's your mistake, you should be using GOOMBA.

So, is this game any good or is it just a knock-off of everything else?

I really haven't had time to put into it the last couple of days. It's tough. My party got wiped in the 3rd tutorial mission. I have to go out of town for work tomorrow and won't be back until Monday, but I'm going to try to put some time in before I leave.

[tgb]

OK. I went back to the mission I blew the first time and this time I'm a lot more cautious - perhaps too cautious. I'm coming up against a time limit and there's no way I'm going to finish on time. I don't know if that mean total failure or just loss of a bonus.

Anyway, I'm liking the game quite a bit. If the bullet points in my first post make your winkle twinkle, it's definitely worth the $10. The weakest element is the graphics - the game looks like Gauntlet.

But real men don't care about graphics anyway, right?




RIGHT?????

[El Guapo]

I'm still trying to parse the thread title. Is it 20?

14

Really? I used LEMBAS.

Elf math is hard.

It's Common Core.

[Dave Allen]

They've continued to polish the crap out of this since release.
Anybody played recently?
Worth $6.99 on Steam this week?

[NickAragua]

Reviews are overwhelmingly positive so I'm pretty tempted. Maybe I'll skip my burrito this week and get this instead.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, this slipped off my radar and I didn't realize it was part oft he sales this week. Definitely looks interesting, but the overwhelmingly positive reviews (and low system specs) make it sound like a really good idea.

[GreenGoo]

I got this during the Xmas sale on a trade, and I've only played the first mission (or maybe 2?). It seems decent, but definitely had a warhammer 40k vibe in less of a good way and more of a rip off way. Which doesn't bug me too much, but it's hard to not notice.

My limited experience makes me think it's a decent turn based tactical game, more old school than anything.