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RainOfTerror
11-26-2006, 02:08 PM
UFO: Afterlight is a mixture of squad based tactical action and global strategy with the gamer controlling the actions of elite ground troops, and the running and construction of an intricate network of interlinking bases while collecting resources. WorthPlaying (http://www.worthplaying.com) recently had a chance to check out a preview build, here is a snap :

A significant element of the strategy in this game is the balance between technological progress and individual improvement. You see, you can send your scientists to the University for skill upgrades like Civil Engineering or Surveying, but the entire time they're going through their coursework, they're unable to assist in the lab, thereby decreasing the speed at which you research new technologies. This effect holds true for everyone in the game; soldiers taking firearm training aren't available for missions, technicians out in the field setting up fuel and metal mines can't help build new structures or assist in production. Manpower is your greatest commodity, and you simply never have enough.Check the full UFO: Afterlight preview (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=38872) over at WorthPlaying
Stupid Fat Hobbit
11-26-2006, 02:58 PM
Argh, that page has the most obnoxious ad ever.

Anyway, this looks very similar to the original X-Com, which can really only be a good thing.
Disgustipated
11-26-2006, 03:04 PM
Yay! A modern X-Com is what the PC market needs. Make this be good, please.
camberiu
11-26-2006, 03:40 PM
Both previous games from this company "UFO: Aftermath and UFO: Aftershock" were incredibly BAD. I hold no hopes for the 3rd installment. These guys are not the old Microprose and I very much doubt they can replicate the magic of the original X-COM.
Shifteh
11-26-2006, 03:54 PM
Argh, that page has the most obnoxious ad ever.
I actually copy-pasted the text so I didn't have to listen to that fucking sound over and over.

The game looks interesting, but I wasn't able to view much of the pictures, due to the aforementioned ad.
camberiu
11-26-2006, 05:21 PM
The ad is is CLEAR violation of the IAB (Internet Advertising Board) standards, which state that all sound playback on banner ads MUST be user initiated. Must be some ghetto agency that came up with that ad, which will only generate ill will towards the product.
DerwanS
11-26-2006, 05:38 PM
I just right-clicked on the banner, and unchecked Play. So when the sound effect ended, it didn't start looping again. :)

I played the first game in this series in the hopes of a new XCOM, and it was pretty horrible. So I gave up on it, and never even tried the second game. Though after reading the preview there, I might just take a look at this when it comes out. I'll wait for reviews first though, so I'm not burned again.
Montgomery_Python
11-26-2006, 05:40 PM
Argh, that page has the most obnoxious ad ever.

Anyway, this looks very similar to the original X-Com, which can really only be a good thing.

That page has ads?

Not that I could see...
Stupid Fat Hobbit
11-26-2006, 06:01 PM
That page has ads?

Not that I could see...

Well, yes, now I have my adblock settings adjusted, but those first ten seconds were pretty damn annoying.
Savok
11-26-2006, 06:41 PM
Couldn't hear a thing (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/722/)
Wolvie
11-26-2006, 07:08 PM
A game in the same spirit as X-com? Sign me up!
Zombosis
11-26-2006, 07:17 PM
I've heard that the first 2 Altar versions (Aftermath and Aftershock) weren't very good, but seeing as how even Microprose couldn't manage to do X-com correctly again after UFO Defense, I never bothered playing either of them and thus have no basis of comparison. I tried very much to play through this preview as a stand-alone experience, unfettered by franchise bias (beyond comparisons to the original).

I do hope that I get to do the review of this as well, because I'd like to see if the few things that bothered me about this preview build get fixed by the time it goes gold.
Farrok
11-26-2006, 07:45 PM
The preview makes this sound pretty neat, but I did not particularly like the other two.

Bleh, it's too bad the art in X-Com was prettier than this in 1994.
flinxz
11-26-2006, 08:18 PM
Anyone ever play this game (http://rebelstar.namco.com/screens.php) on the GBA? This is the newest thing done by the person who did X-Com UFO Defense

I think it came out in 2005, I have never found it in stores though.
MacD
11-26-2006, 10:16 PM
Can't agree with you on that, Farrok: I'm quite digging the look of this game, actually...it does seem to fit the original stylings.
Same goes for the gameplay, which sounds like it could be quite deep, if it doesn't spill over into 'annoying'. I just hope the dev's have used the old engine and squashed all the bugs, or made a new bug free one this time 'round, otherwise it will be quite hard to enjoy the game.
J Arcane
11-26-2006, 10:29 PM
Anyone ever play this game (http://rebelstar.namco.com/screens.php) on the GBA? This is the newest thing done by the person who did X-Com UFO Defense

I think it came out in 2005, I have never found it in stores though.
It's freakin' awesome. Strips out all the stupid micromanagement with the bases, and focuses on the fun part: Well done tactical TBS combat.

Only caveat: It's really fucking hard. Really, really hard.
Derella
11-27-2006, 04:30 AM
I love the art direction for this game! While nothing special from a technical standpoint, it still looks great. It kinda reminds me of Evil Genius.
51|RandoM
11-27-2006, 04:54 AM
Both previous games from this company "UFO: Aftermath and UFO: Aftershock" were incredibly BAD. I hold no hopes for the 3rd installment. These guys are not the old Microprose and I very much doubt they can replicate the magic of the original X-COM.

Once they were patched up they weren't that bad at all, in fact I spent a great deal of time playing them.

They did replicate the magic of x-com for me, albeit of smaller magnitude and duration.
51|RandoM
11-27-2006, 04:56 AM
It's freakin' awesome. Strips out all the stupid micromanagement with the bases, and focuses on the fun part: Well done tactical TBS combat.

Only caveat: It's really fucking hard. Really, really hard.

Thank god I'm not the only who thinks it gets insanely hard. Way too many enemies in a rush, way too many of them with explosive weapons, way too many of them never miss.

I eventually hit a map in rebelstar where I just said "fuck it" and moved on. Good to hear it may not just me getting old and slow.