by Ryan - April 28, 2004

In 1993, Microprose released a classic turn-based strategy game by the name of �X-Com: UFO Defense,� in which you defended a recently invaded Earth from the Aliens. Almost 11 years later we have a game that can almost be called a sequel to such a classic. This game is called UFO: Aftermath and is brought to us by Altar Interactive and Cenega. However, how does this game compare to the original and what is new? Also if you are unfamiliar with the original game, what would you get from playing this game?

Strategize and Vaporize

UFO: Aftermath has many gameplay similarities with X-Com: UFO Defense, but also some differences. First off is the learning curve, which in my opinion is quite a bit if you have as little patience as I do. It will take you about two hours just to get the hang of the game before you can start. Although a tutorial mode is included, it is recommended that you jump right into a game and get a feel for it. If you�ve ever played a strategy game then you shouldn�t have too hard of a time getting a feel for most of it. You start the game looking at a 3D map of the world. As you advance through the game you capture bases in various areas of the world from which you can set them to build, research or just be military points for your helicopter to land at. To capture these bases you must first capture them by sending a squad of men to them on the world map. The combat in Aftermath is slightly different from X-Com in that the combat is in real time instead of being turn based, but you are able to stop the time whenever you want to plan out your next move. Also, unlike X-Com, you don�t have a money system set in place. Instead of losing the game by being in debt, you lose by having your territories conquered by the aliens. Although the gameplay is similar between the two games, X-Com is much more hands on than Aftermath.

Eye Candy or Eye Sore

The graphics in Aftermath are appealing. The terrain in Aftermath is highly detailed. Everything from the ruined buildings to the landed alien spaceships has high amounts of detail. The developers clearly spent their time making the models for the various locales that you will encounter throughout the world. For example, if you land in the northern parts of Canada then you will be in an icy wonderland or if you land in Arizona or somewhere else desert-like then you will fight on desert terrain. Aftermath also allows you to tilt, rotate and pan the camera in whatever direction of your choosing. However, you aren�t able to zoom in on the action. The detail to the buildings and the attention to the terrain in the part of the world you are in definitely adds to the overall experience in Aftermath.

Eerie Sounds of the Unknown

The sounds in Aftermath have both their high points and their low points. The music in Aftermath definitely adds to the whole mystery of what is around that corner or what is going to happen next. At times, you might even find yourself being slightly scared. The music reminds me of the music in the Mel Gibson movie �Signs.� The weapon sounds are not too bad either. They fire with a satisfying machine gun sound or the traditional laser sounds to let you know exactly what it is you�re firing. Aftermath still lacks sounds for some of the things I feel are most important. For example, there is no sound for your men when they die! Despite these downfalls this game did a pretty good job of setting the eerie mood I was expecting from such a game.

Fun...Or Not?

Aftermath has its graphical ups and downs much like its fun factor. When you start playing, you will find yourself wasting lots of your free time on this game. However, as the game begins to go on things don�t change very much. Toward the end you�re still conquering bases and making weapons and items. The combat also stays the same, but only has a few new monsters thrown into the mix every few battles. Don�t let this discourage you, however, if you�re a die hard fan of X-Com: UFO Defense. This game just seems to drag on after you�ve conquered your first continent and you may find yourself rushing through the combat just so you can conquer a new area. This is definitely not a game you can play straight through, but if you are willing to drop the game and come back to it later you may find more value in it.

Keepin� It Old Skool Ya�ll

My favorite part about Aftermath is how close in comparison it is to X-Com: UFO Defense. Developing a game based on a classic�s platform can sometimes mean great success in the game market since you already have a developed fan base for that style of gameplay. To this day, there are still gamers with web sites that are dedicated solely to X-Com: UFO Defense. Cenega did a very good job of keeping many of the aspects that made X-Com such a fun game and I applaud them for that.

Take Me to�the End of the Article

Aftermath has many things that could provide you with hours of fun. It has appealing graphics that will drag you even deeper into its eerie world. The music and sounds compliment UFO: Aftermath just as well. Fans of X-Com: UFO Defense who may not be able to play it because their systems are too new or because they don�t have the right OS will want to run to the store and grab a copy of this game. For those of you unfamiliar with X-Com, you too will want to grab a copy of this and see what made X-Com one of the best games of all time.