Strategy Gamer Corner!

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:26 pm

Welcome to Strategy Gamer Corner, where we check out the latest (or in this case, what came out five months ago) in strategy gaming!

Today we'll be taking a look at a game -- or rather, a free demo of a game -- to which my only response is: "Why the hell did this game take so frigging long to come out?!"

I think, after spending over 20 minutes on the free demo, I can state without hyperbole that this game is the greatest game ever made in the last 10,000 years! I mean, I guess it's on equal footing with Chess, but has MUCH better graphics!

The game in question is: Massive Assault, and everyone should go run out and buy ten copies of it!

I shall now describe it for you using bold typeface to highlight the keynotes!

It is a turn-based strategy game which looks and sounds like a real-time strategy, but still plays like a hex-based wargame at its core! It is most reminiscent in gameplay, I think, to the old classic The Perfect General, except now that I think about it, that's not really the game I'm thinking of. What in the hell was the name of that game, anyway? It definitely had general in the title of the game. Oh right, PANZER GENERAL, that's the one! Yeah, it reminds me a lot of that game, except it's much better, because first of all, the graphics are AWESOME d00d and it sounds cool and most importantly of all, it is a SCIENCE FICTION THEMED GAME!!! Good Christ, I was wondering how many decades would have to go by before someone actually did a good-looking, turn-based sci-fi game!

There are also other facets to the game play, including a Risk- or Empire-esque thing where neutral countries can join the fight for one side or the other, and each country provides more money every turn to build more troops and stuff. I haven't totally figures this out yet, because it's just the demo, and I haven't delved that far into it.

The only negatives I've found thusfar are that the chick doing the voice acting misprounces words and pronounces other ones in an annoying fashion, and the interface is a little confusing, although I haven't read the documentation, because there isn't any in the demo. Oh, also the background story is pretty goddamn ridiculous, but who cares.

One last warning for wargame enthusiasts: The game does not appear to implement any of the following standard wargame elements, although this might be just because, again, I'm just working with the demo here:

1. There is no randomization of attack/defense. If a unit is rated for two hit points of damage, that's exactly how much he'll do. In this way, it becomes more like a chess game in close quarters.

2. Doesn't appear to be anything like fog-of-war, and you can see all the units all the time. Even in the 22nd century, I'd imagine they'd have figured out a way to be a little stealthy.

Well, there you have it! I am definitely going to be purchasing the full version soon, at which point I will most likely play it once, and then never load it up again!

Thanks for joining us at Strategy Gamer Corner!!!

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 3:58 pm

Massive Assault: PURCHASED!!! Should arrive within a week! In the meantime, I'm playing the demo a lot. It's hard. It's way too hard. I suck at the game.

I've also fallen a bit out of love with it, just because it's SO simplified, for a wargame, but it sure is addictive, great-looking, and fun.

Lex · Post by **Lex** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 5:36 am

PLEASE, Mr. Pinback, can we play Laser Squad Nemesis? OTHER PEOPLE on this BBS will not.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 7:39 am

LSN is tiresome for me. SCAN. SCAN. FIRE. WALK THREE FEET. SCAN. EMAIL.

YAWN.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:00 pm

Kick ASS! My full version of Massive Assault showed up today. Tell me that THIS ain't the coolest game ever! It's so much fun, I actually PLAYED it! It's so much fun, I started it up once just to check which VERSION I had, to find out whether I needed to PATCH it, and then BAM! It's like, an hour and a half later!

BEST GAME EVER!

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 10:59 pm

Ha haaaa! Pinback's MECHS of ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION and EXPLOSIONS and STUFF stand on the PRECIPICE OF ULTIMATE VICTORY!!!

Can you feel it? CAN YOU FEEL THE POWER?!?!?

Worm · Post by **Worm** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 3:40 pm

I'm having a ball with the demo and probably am going to pick up the full version.

Cons
- Worst voice actor ever
- Computer is much better than I am right now
Pros
- One of the best turn based games I've played in awhile
- Fun
- Big robots
- Worst voice actor ever ( You've got a frame of reference now )
- I also really like the way you can disclose hidden bases and what not, can make you really sneaky.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 3:46 pm

Worm wrote:I'm having a ball with the demo and probably am going to pick up the full version.

You hear that, people? Pinback- AND Worm-approved!!!

- Worst voice actor ever

Oh, not even close. A very bad voice actor, to be sure, but she doesn't talk much, and you can turn her off, and when she says "uh uhhh", I pitch a big ol' tent!

- Computer is much better than I am right now

Massive Assault may go down in history as the first strategy game to ever have a patch released to dumb down the AI. True story. Of course, since in close battles, the game resembles chess, or other similar board games, the computer excels at these tactics. You basically have to beat the computer with strategy, because you'll never beat him with tactics.

Let's all JOIN THE MASSIVE ASSAULT BANDWAGON!!

bruce · Post by **bruce** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 4:44 pm

pinback wrote: Massive Assault may go down in history as the first strategy game to ever have a patch released to dumb down the AI.

Er, I thought <i>Galactic Civilizations</i> already did that?

Maybe not at the top level though.

Bruce