an you believe it? We're under attack again. Are we the only attractive planet in this galaxy or do we just have the wimpiest defenses? Whatever the reason, Earth suffers a nonstop stream of attacks in fiction, film and games. Latest in this stream of assaults is Altar Interactive's UFO: Aftermath.
Published by Cenega and distributed by Tri-Synergy, UFO: Aftermath claims to be the spiritual descendant of X-Com: UFO Defense. As in the Microprose hit from the early '90s, aliens have established a beachhead on Earth, and it is the gamer's job to evict them from the planet and end the alien menace.
The eviction occurs through a combination of global strategy and real-time, squad-based tactics. Players may capture/convert bases, research technology, intercept alien ships and send their soldiers on missions against the alien menace. Soldiers gain experience, level up and train in new skills, which enables them to handle slicker weaponry and battle tougher aliens. There is no multiplayer component.
New isn't necessarily better
Claims aside, UFO: Aftermath captures little of the magic inherent in X-Com. The latter was a tense, enthralling game that broke new ground wherever it trod. Aftermath is none of those things. No doubt Aftermath is a prettier game. It makes full use of the power of modern processors and evocatively paints desolate, windswept terrain, abandoned cities and well-animated troopers.
What Aftermath doesn't paint is an engrossing tactical (or strategical, for that matter) simulation of repulsing an alien invasion. The world has gone real-time since the debut of the turn-based UFO, and in an effort to keep pace with shelves crammed with real-time games such as Lord of the Rings and Starcraft, UFO: Aftermath has gone real-time too. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work. The tactical battles dissolve into frantic affairs where tactics matter little. Sure, gamers may pause the game to issue orders, but doing so offers little of the tactical flavor that oozed from the original title. Firefights almost always degenerate into lining up your soldiers so that each has a clear shot at the advancing aliens and letting the time roll. There's little of the challenge and electricity X-Com's turn-based fights generated. Bottom line: In a vain attempt to juice the game with an injection of real-time strategy, Altar Interactive drained its excitement.
Also drained is the strategic layer of gaming. Oh, there are alien ships to intercept, and technology to explore, but it all has a laissez-faire ambiance that lacks urgency, tension and excitement. Gone are the base-building days of the original UFO. In that era, the gamer chose what to build and where to build it. Furthermore, his or her decision directly impacted the base defense when the aliens came calling. Now, the best you can do is capture an enemy facility and adapt it to your needs.
Aftermath is a disappointing game. The visuals are good, and the premise great, but the execution of that premise will disappoint most fans of X-Com. The tactical battles require very little tactics, the strategic planning requires very little strategy, and the game delivers a bit too much tedium. Rapid real-time tactical fans may find some enjoyment. Everyone else, beware.
Altar Interactive made some seriously poor design decisions in this one. Real-time just doesn't fit the mold, and their attempt to apply it to the game ruined it.
— Mark
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