Human Extinction Simulator

[tgb]

This is the most frustrating, maddening, addictive game I've played in a long time.

5 campaigns of roughly 6 battles each, what it is essentially is a series of chess problems with spaceships in place of bishops and pawns.  Each turn based battle starts with a pre-determined fleet the player controls and one for the AI. You then have x turns to accomplish the mission - destroy y number of ships, get a transport to safety, etc.  There are insta-lose conditons, if a particular ship is destroyed, for instance, and medals for achieving secondary goals..

Most ships can move twice and fire once, but can't fire if moving twice in a row.  Ships are kitted out with different weaponry, all with their own firing arcs, effects, etc.  Gameplay involves getting your ships into a good firing position while staying out of the firing arc of the AI ships.

I just wish there was a strategic layer to the game.  A good 4X with this combat system could be really something special.

[Jarhead0331]

I would have bought this, but the lack of a skirmish mode or quick battle creator and the puzzle like nature of the included scenarios turned me off.

[tgb]

I would have bought this, but the lack of a skirmish mode or quick battle creator and the puzzle like nature of the included scenarios turned me off.

There is a skirmish mode of sorts - something called "arena" that allows you to purchase ships.  I haven't really looked at it yet.  And the missions are not so much puzzles as they are challenges.  There doesn't seem to be only one way to beat them.  The only "puzzle" aspect is figuring out how the different weapon systems work together.

One nice thing is there is no RNG or luck involved.  Every move you know exactly what your ship can hit and how much damage it can do.