I am not a proponent of early access games by any means, and I have traditionally frowned upon companies that try to force pre-orders by offering pre-release content. There are a lot of reasons for this, such as the content not reflecting the ultimate product, or the ultimate product having little over the pre-release materiel. PC gamers have been forced to defend themselves from anti-consumer practices from companies like EA, Sega, and Ubisoft, who desperately seek pre-release sales as a way of incentivising, or simply impressing their investors. I've gone on record saying that I deeply disaprove of Sega, and Creative Assembly's decision to hold the Chaos Warriors content from Total War: Warhammer hostage behind a pre-order scheme, and I have also been disappointed by some other early access Warhammer titles, such as Eternal Crusade (disappointing, but improving).
So, it is with that full disclosure in mind that I want you to believe me when I say that Battlefleet Gothic Armada is perhaps one of the most satisfying, and enjoyable early access purchases I have ever made. For those that are totally unfamiliar with the game, it is a video game adaptation of the cult classic tabletop game from Games Workshop, Battlefleet Gothic. Armada recreates the tabletop game's look, and spirit perfectly in a real-time strategy structure, which keeps the game fast paced, and accessible for those not looking for a turn-based game.
I had limited expectations going in, but had been encouraged by videos from commentators, such as John Bain. Armada scratches a pretty specific itch for me as a gamer, as it offers 2d strategic space combat, with a focus on tactics and micromanagement. Part of the original board game's appeal was that it was framed as "tall ships in space", with the ships acting less like realistic space craft, and more akin to 18th century galleons. The ships are all high-tech, and you'll find yourself blasting down energy shields with plasma cannons, only to then launch boarders, as though you'd thrown grapnels, and swung across the gap between ships with a dagger in your teeth. The lore does a good job immersing the player, and explaining the odd fusion of sci-fi and bucaneering. The gameplay may seem odd to those used to space as a 3d plane. Homeworld this is not. Armada also gives you a massive amount of ship customization, as well as skills to use, in combination with ships arsenals. The maneovers, orders, skills, ship's abilities all contribute to ships having a great number of different options and play styles. This makes the combat somewhat more tactical, since you need to choose when to use your panoply of abilities at appropriate times.
What is currently playable in the pre-launch build is a set of tutorial missions, which introduce the coming campaign, and the solo/multiplayer skirmish options. I just spent the whole of my day today, and most of the night before hammering out as much of this game as I could play, and I'm still keen to play more tomorrow. The core gameplay (I mostly experienced it through the skirmish mode) is so damn solid that I would have happily paid for the current level of content as though it were a release product. Obviously, I'll be much happier when the final touches are made, and the campaign is fully playable, but for what amounts to an extended demo of the game, Armada's early access build is amazing.
This title has all the things I would generally avoid as a purchase. It is an early access game, which means you are basically paying the company to play test their game for them. It has a pre-order incentive (the Space Marines are offered free after launch to early adopters), which normally stinks of cut content, or as I like to call it, "hostage content". It is also a cash-in on an old and disused GW license, which has been a mixed bag to say the least, looking back at the last few years of GW video game adaptations. But I want you to do me a favour and forget all that shit. Battlefeet Gothic Armada lives up to its promises, and to be frank, it offers more unbridled joy in its pre-release build than most games offer in their final build. If you are into space combat, the 41st millennium, or just a good RTS, I would say you should buy the shit out of this game. It is currently 10% off its launch price, and the pre-order bonus didn't really bother me that much. I know it's space marines, but they aren't the real movers and shakers of BFG, like they are in regular 40k, so as a pre-order bonus, I don't feel jipped. Defend the Gothic Sector, or burn it to ashes. This one's a keeper.
No comments:
Post a Comment