BigDaddyGoose
04-14-2012, 10:56 AM
I was DESPERATE for a sci-fi tactical strategy game. I should have read closer before I bought... I HATE moba type games. They are always unbalanced in favor of the player who knows EVERYTHING about the game.
I gave this a chance. (I figured I spent $10 on it so I should at least try.) Here's my impression... good and bad:
The first attempts to get into the game was a huge headache. Waiting for the slow loading registration page, waiting for an email that never came, and CD keys (despite the superior Steam platform) are still awkward and troublesome. Once I finally got in, I was asked to start the tutorial which I gladly did. Being that I have a life, I was forced to quit the game and attend to family matters. When I returned, there was no option to resume the tutorial AND the tutorial tab on the menu was a mislabeled link to game instructions (not the same thing).
I pressed on due to the impressive graphics and cool array of ships and abilities. I finally found the correct tutorial as a game mode when you launch an online battle??? Oh well. At least I found it.
The tutorial ONLY covered the game board and basics of combat. I still had NO idea about upgrades, repair, skill swapping, crew, rewards or equipment. I asked people in game and most of them were clueless also.
Still, it looked fun so I headed into battle. First I did a practice 2v2. We both were still learning so we were excited when we won... only to learn that practice sessions reward NOTHING. Not even your FIRST practice? Seems harsh... but ok.
Then I went into a real battle 4v4. We were obviously outmatched because the opponents would gank us repeatedly as if they were all in the same living room working together. We were so overwhelmed, it got to 10-15 and NONE of us felt like it was worth fighting back. My three teammates just sat there and let them take the base... while I desperately tried to capture SOMETHING. We lost. But what's discouraging is that we didn't fell the match was fair. We felt we lost because of something we felt they had they we didn't. Granted, this was an illusion, but I digress.
So I tried again and popped into another 4v4 battle. This time I prepared. I carefully chose my ship, skill sets, and mapped out in my head a few strategies for capturing and holding points.
THIS TIME the game thew me a curve by not clearly explaining upgrades. When I clicked 'upgrades' I was presented with the faction skill upgrades. Since I am familiar with LOL, I assumed it was similar. I DID NOT see the two other tabs for hull and weapons. The entire match I spent upgrading my faction skills and they were still the slightest effective. In my massive behemoth of a ship, I would get incinerated by only a few blasts from enemy ships.
No matter how I stratagized, timed my attacks, carefully selected my skill usage and took advantage of terrain, I STILL GOT BLASTED AWAY WITH A FEW SHOTS EACH TIME.
Finally, I quit battle and returned to the hangar to change my tactics. I saw I received an equipment in my inventory; a damage enhancer. Cool! I can use that on my Destroyer and try to play stealthy assassin. But wait... NO! The inventory is LOCKED to the ship that received it??? So I get a super cool gizmo that would work GREAT on another ship, but I'm forced to only use it on my low-attack value ship???
So after NO clear instructions, NO good tutorials after the basic, NO help from other players and NO advantages awarded by the game, it is clear to me that Stellar Impact is not ready for market and only a selected hard core MOBA Hammer Legion Members would enjoy the game. However, the graphics are excellent, the customization is fun, the ships are impressive and the game CAN be fun in rare cases.
Hope this helps. Maybe next time I see a game on sale, I'll stop and research it first before I waste my time.
I gave this a chance. (I figured I spent $10 on it so I should at least try.) Here's my impression... good and bad:
The first attempts to get into the game was a huge headache. Waiting for the slow loading registration page, waiting for an email that never came, and CD keys (despite the superior Steam platform) are still awkward and troublesome. Once I finally got in, I was asked to start the tutorial which I gladly did. Being that I have a life, I was forced to quit the game and attend to family matters. When I returned, there was no option to resume the tutorial AND the tutorial tab on the menu was a mislabeled link to game instructions (not the same thing).
I pressed on due to the impressive graphics and cool array of ships and abilities. I finally found the correct tutorial as a game mode when you launch an online battle??? Oh well. At least I found it.
The tutorial ONLY covered the game board and basics of combat. I still had NO idea about upgrades, repair, skill swapping, crew, rewards or equipment. I asked people in game and most of them were clueless also.
Still, it looked fun so I headed into battle. First I did a practice 2v2. We both were still learning so we were excited when we won... only to learn that practice sessions reward NOTHING. Not even your FIRST practice? Seems harsh... but ok.
Then I went into a real battle 4v4. We were obviously outmatched because the opponents would gank us repeatedly as if they were all in the same living room working together. We were so overwhelmed, it got to 10-15 and NONE of us felt like it was worth fighting back. My three teammates just sat there and let them take the base... while I desperately tried to capture SOMETHING. We lost. But what's discouraging is that we didn't fell the match was fair. We felt we lost because of something we felt they had they we didn't. Granted, this was an illusion, but I digress.
So I tried again and popped into another 4v4 battle. This time I prepared. I carefully chose my ship, skill sets, and mapped out in my head a few strategies for capturing and holding points.
THIS TIME the game thew me a curve by not clearly explaining upgrades. When I clicked 'upgrades' I was presented with the faction skill upgrades. Since I am familiar with LOL, I assumed it was similar. I DID NOT see the two other tabs for hull and weapons. The entire match I spent upgrading my faction skills and they were still the slightest effective. In my massive behemoth of a ship, I would get incinerated by only a few blasts from enemy ships.
No matter how I stratagized, timed my attacks, carefully selected my skill usage and took advantage of terrain, I STILL GOT BLASTED AWAY WITH A FEW SHOTS EACH TIME.
Finally, I quit battle and returned to the hangar to change my tactics. I saw I received an equipment in my inventory; a damage enhancer. Cool! I can use that on my Destroyer and try to play stealthy assassin. But wait... NO! The inventory is LOCKED to the ship that received it??? So I get a super cool gizmo that would work GREAT on another ship, but I'm forced to only use it on my low-attack value ship???
So after NO clear instructions, NO good tutorials after the basic, NO help from other players and NO advantages awarded by the game, it is clear to me that Stellar Impact is not ready for market and only a selected hard core MOBA Hammer Legion Members would enjoy the game. However, the graphics are excellent, the customization is fun, the ships are impressive and the game CAN be fun in rare cases.
Hope this helps. Maybe next time I see a game on sale, I'll stop and research it first before I waste my time.