February 7th, 2007 at 9:08 am
(Starship Kingdom, demo, runtime, strategy)
Review written by Maenny @ Runtime Entertainment
The independent turnbased strategy title Starship Kingdom tells the story about a universe at the edge of chaos. Two royal houses decide to fight for the hegemony. As a side effect, they will destroy a whole lot of independent and peaceful smaller houses, which have no intention whatsoever to expand. So far this game reflects reality…
You play one of the royal houses, of course (what an interesting game it would be if you played one of the smaller, peaceful houses!). Each turn consists of 4 phases: Deployment (new ships can be added to a fleet of one of your planets), Attack (what would that be?), Fortify (shift one planet’s ships to it’s neighbour) and Upgrades, where you either can upgrade a planet or the production itself.
You fight for dominance and the more planets you own, the more credits you will have and the more ships will be ready for battle at the begin of each turn. There’s one thing to be mentioned: The planet are connected by lines, which indicate that you can travel from one to another planet in one turn. Planets not connected can’t be invaded directly. That’s an important fact to know for your strategical consideration. Planets which are only connected to your other planets you own don’t need no big fleet, you can fly the ships to the front. But consider this: Once your front is being defeated all planets behind with only one ship are an easy prey.
The graphics of Starship Kingdom are nicely designed. The starmap is 2D and is like a strategical commandfield, which fits excellently the atmosphere of the title. The battles are animated in a traditional way - they are being automated, you can’t take influence once the battle has begun. The battles are in 3D and with nice fire and smoke effects. At any time you can skip the animation and directly see the result of the battle.
Starship Kingdom is a solid programmed turnbased title with a normal strategical depth. It will be excellent a game for people who like statistics and board-like strategical titles visualized on the computer. Nevertheless learning the game claims some time and patience, there’s no tutorial game but a text file which can be accessed any time during the match, which will explain the phases and the gameplay.
The good news is that you can play this game in singleplayer, hotseat or online. And you have an editor for the creation of custom starmaps. This guarantees a lot of content and hereby could interest you for a longer period. I think a turnbased game could do with an Email-Mode, giving you the possibility to play a game over several days while not being online the whole time.
Altogether Starship Kingdom is a good game for strategics who like board-like games with a challenging turn based battlesystem, mostly visualized by numbers and icons. If you prefer classical Age of Empires-ressembling games this won’t be the right title. But if you are a Risk-fan this could be a nice futuristic alternative. There’s a demo on their site to download for free.
System Requirements: Windows 98/Me/XP/Vista, DirectX 8.0 or better, 1 GHZ Intel or AMD Processor, and 3D graphics card capable of displaying at least 1024×768.
Name: Starship Kindom
Developer: ApeZone
Size: ~11MB
Licence: Demo
Price fullversion: 19.95$/16.95EUR
Comments
January 15th, 2007 at 9:08 am
(runtime)
Hi Folks,
This time Runtime posts in own matter: Runtime’s in-house developed game Hacker’s Digest has not yet been mentioned here. Here’s a brief description:
A reflexive style arcade game in which you are part of a hacker educational environment. To hack an enemy system, you have to guide a small ball into the enemy
computer by changing the direction of the panel reflecting the ball. Hacker’s Digest was completed back in 2002. It is a reflexive-style arcade game with some unique features. The game consists of 60 different puzzles in 6 different difficulties.
Have fun,
Maenny from Runtime Entertainment
Comments
January 9th, 2007 at 9:18 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
Warzone is a now free 3dimensional RTS game in a dark and gloomy postapokalyptic setting. It’s superiour gameplay is the reason for a fanatic community who further enhances the game by re-working the code and creating new content for the game. It is fully playable in multiplayer and in singleplayer.
The gameplay is well done and as a mediocre strategy-game player you will find yourself at home with the commands. An interesting feature is the possibilitiy to actually “design” your units - that is, in your researchlab you can research different parts of vehicles, which afterwards can be combined to a unit, be it a tank-like vehicle or a repair-robot. Every design you have already created can be updated with later researched technology.
Warzone 2100 was the first RTS-game in 3D being released under the GPL-License. Published in 1999, it now has a strong community who improve the code, add features and design mods for the game. I like the feeling of the game and although the resolution is at maximum in 640×480, the dark postapokalyptic atmosphere is nicely established.
A big plus indeed is the active community which doesn’t stop to work on the game. So there is reason to hope that the visuals and the gameplay will further be enhanced and new mods will keep the game alive.
Take care which version you download, because there are quite a number of different releases being destributed.
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: Warzone 2100
Category: Real Time Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 21 MB
2 Comments
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:18 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
Cry Havoc is a nearly flawless adaptation of a well known board-game which doesn’t pay tribute to the computer concerning it’s atmospherics. If you are interested in strategy board games you definitely should try this one. The graphics taken from the original game are beautiful and so is the enchanting music. Features the possibility of loading additional maps and has an editor for custom scenarios.
Cry Havoc: Test of Faith is turn-based. Two players at maximum play against each other in turns, which consists of 4 phases each: Offensive fire, where long range weapons are being shot, the moving phase, where you move your units, close combat, where, well… close combat is being executed and finally the Defensive Fire, where you mark some fields with your long range units. When, during the moving phase of the opponent, an enemy unit steps on this field, it will be shot by your warrior - you will have to guess, where the enemy might walk.
You can play the game on one computer, or via internet or LAN on two different computers, or you play against the computer - the game has an integrated AI.
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: Cry Havoc: Test of Faith
Developer: Battlephase
Category: Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 5MB
4 Comments
November 18th, 2006 at 9:08 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
8 Kingdoms is a turn-based-strategy title. It comes in full 3D and is hex-based. You can play against the computer or against other human players. There are several buildings with different abilities and the possiblity to train several different units, be it for short range or long range combat. In addition to that you can conquer villages, which will provide more gold at the beginning of every turn.
The game is well programmed and the different kinds of terrain have consequences concerning the movement or the possibility to build. 8 Kingdoms comes with a professionally designed set of maps for multiplayer and singleplayer.
The music is great - middleage/skandinavian-like folk songs which greatly enhance the atmosphere of the title. Every unit will give feedback in spoken word when selected.
8 Kingdoms is a highly professional game title which will satisfy even the advanced turn based strategy gamer. The 3D environment is perfectly designed. Just download it, turn off your cellphone and hide in your room for a few days.
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: 8 Kingdoms
Developer: Marta Vomlelova
Category: Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 20MB
Comments
November 7th, 2006 at 10:08 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
The world of Netstorm is original, its gameplay fast paced and intense and the graphics and animations are excellent. I will play this title for a long time because its strategical depth is huge, despite of being an action game.
The gameplay really is special and interesting. In general you have the same elements as usual, small moving fighting-units, peasants, buildings with upgrades, defensive and offensive structures. And yet… everything feels and behaves differently. The whole world consists of flying island, for a start. For your peasants being able to collect their energy at the magical fountains, you have to build “bridges” to the resource island. To attack an enemy island, you again first have to build bridges. Combat is NOT, like in other RTS a big battlefield with hundreds of units you first trained, but it is a strategical placement of turrets, towers and other stationary weaponry. These offensive buildings you again only can place and the end of a bridge. You win by sacrificing the enemy priest on your altar.
In the “history of Netstorm” it says: “NetStorm: Islands of War was a true underdog of a game. Despite not having any publicity, NetStorm has been strongly supported by its players and fans throughout the years.” And so shall it be for a long time, because it would be a great loss, if this treasure of a game would sink into the abyss of oblivion…
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: Netstorm
Developer: Titanic Entertainment
Category: Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 20MB
3 Comments
October 30th, 2006 at 10:18 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
Six students have realized a quite ingenious RTS game. While the gameplay does not differ from “genre-brothers”, the gfx are very special - and very beautiful. Dark Oberon is a rough diamond among the freeware strategy-games, which could with some additional effort become a true gem in its genre…
The gameplay is pretty much like you know it from other RTS-games: Build, collect, build, train, collect, fight, fight, fight! You normally start with a small homebase or even without that, only with some peasants. The resources that are being collected during the game are wood and gold, food is being automatically added when you construct a farm. The homebase can be upgraded to bigger and stronger buildings, as can the tower and the workshop. Your only units are: peasants, knights, catapults and zeppelins.
They modeled everything what you can see in the game out of plasticine, took a picture of the item and integrated it as sprite in the game. The resulting look is awesome. There even are animations to be seen, the soldier walking cycle for example.
Also perfect is the music, which is dreamy and adds a warm and fairy-like atmosphere to the game. It perfectly stays in the background, and it really is not getting on anyones nerves, even after playing the game for a longer time.
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: Dark Oberon
Developer: Marian Cerny and Peter Knut
Category: Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 30MB
Comments
October 25th, 2006 at 8:18 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
This great 3D RTS game is one of the kings in the freeware community. Glest could easily overrun the popularity of one or another commercial game, having a superb design and astonishing possibilities concerning modding. Play it, and you know what I am speaking of.
At the moment, there are two “races”, both humans, but one time based on magic, the other time based on technology. The tech-trees differ, of course, and there are different units in each of the clans. While on the one hand you have sorceresses and wizards being able to summon powerful creatures like dragons, on the other hand the humans defend themselves with “robotics”, a kind of mech-like, human-steered war-robot (three double words!). By building the library/blacksmith you can either build new units or upgrade existing ones to more powerful warriors or wizards.
Resources are being gained as usual: Peasants don’t hesitate to follow your command when you are in need for wood, stone or gold. Energy resources are gained by contructing a kind of manafountain for the magic people and a farm for the technology people.
Glest is an ambitious project. From their homepage: “Glest is a project for making a free 3d real-time customizable strategy game.” That means, the units can be changed, that is you can easily replace the models and script (with XML) new behaviours for them. Like that you can create a 3D RTS game with your own models and your own artwork. No surprise, the community is growing fast.
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: Glest
Developer: Glest Team
Category: Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 50MB
1 Comment
October 16th, 2006 at 8:08 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
Gate 88 is an excellent mixture between RTS, Asteroids and a horizontal/vertical shooter. Sounds crazy? Well it is: Gate 88 combines traditional gameplay-elements and creates something new and unique out of it. Hard to learn, but really worth the time. Better begin with the tutorial, before you plunge into an exciting deathmatch multiplayer game.
Gate 88 is not easy to learn, but very rewarding, once you get the hang of it. As soon as you destroyed your first enemy base notice the big smile of satisfaction on your face. The apparent complexity may be intimidating at the beginning. This may be one of the main reasons why Gate 88 until now did not get the attention it deserves.
And it deserves all your attention because it really is a clean programmed game with ingenious gameplay, a property which is hardly found even amongst commercial releases. If you like to experience something new concerning the game play, you definitely should try this asteroids/ strategical/ action-title.
The graphics are marvelous simple, but fit excellent in the game and really add to the unique atmosphere you will experience. Like the soundtrack does, which really is good, you should grab the copy with music.
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: Gate 88
Developer: Queasygames
Category: Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 12MB
Comments
October 9th, 2006 at 8:08 am
(runtime)
Reviewed by Maenny (www.runtime-hq.com)
Battle for Wesnoth is a very good programmed turn-based strategy-game and it could be commercial. Thank God it isn’t. So you will be able to enjoy countless adventures, battles, sieges, or getaways. It doesn’t matter if you like multiplayer games or if you prefer single player games: Battle for Wesnoth satisfies every kind of strategy-player. Having homogenously designed graphics and a nice soundtrack, you wont be able to resist the charm of this title…
With about 200 different units, 16 Races and 6 different factions the diversity of Battle of Wesnoth is huge and should serve everyones needs. The maps also are designed beautifully - terrain affects the moving range and battleskills of a unit. You will find items improving your properties. Battle is being evaluated automatically.
Battle of Wesnoth has no sprite-animations, the figures can face in different directions, though. Generally the gfx remind me of boardgames, which I like and which fits the game nicely.
The real challenge lies in the tactical depth of Battle of Wesnoth, which not only consists of killing an enemy unit (well, after all, you HAVE to eliminate all enemy units…), but also to have villages in your command, with the money of which you can buy new units. An important fact is also that you can heal your units in a village being in your possession, and as your units gain experience and improve hereby their skills, it is advisable not to loose your warriors in combat.
Battle of Wesnoth surely is one of the biggest freeware titles out there. If you like turn-based strategy or even RTS-games, you won’t forget the day you first heard of Battle for Wesnoth. Because you really are sucked into this rich medieval-fantasy world and will take some time to exit it again…
Read the entire review at www.runtime-hq.com
Name: Battle of Wesnoth
Developer: David White
Category: Strategy
Type: Freeware
Size: 40MB
8 Comments
The independent turnbased strategy title Starship Kingdom tells the story about a universe at the edge of chaos. Two royal houses decide to fight for the hegemony. As a side effect, they will destroy a whole lot of independent and peaceful smaller houses, which have no intention whatsoever to expand. So far this game reflects reality…
The graphics of Starship Kingdom are nicely designed. The starmap is 2D and is like a strategical commandfield, which fits excellently the atmosphere of the title. The battles are animated in a traditional way - they are being automated, you can’t take influence once the battle has begun. The battles are in 3D and with nice fire and smoke effects. At any time you can skip the animation and directly see the result of the battle.
The good news is that you can play this game in singleplayer, hotseat or online. And you have an editor for the creation of custom starmaps. This guarantees a lot of content and hereby could interest you for a longer period. I think a turnbased game could do with an Email-Mode, giving you the possibility to play a game over several days while not being online the whole time.
