sci-fi

UFO aftermath was ok, it is just like a X-COM game just a few differences since the makers of X-COM didn't let them do some things.

Graphics- The graphics where pretty ok, the animations are good and each gun looks different when they use it in the field. The units though are pretty basic and the terrain is somewhat good. The earth is also very detailed, the earth looks so real, every aspect is there, the cracks in the earth in the ocean are also noticable! They over did themselfs on the earth but thats a good thing for us :)

Gameplay- The game is pretty fun when you play it, it's pretty easy at first but as soon as you get deep in the game it starts getting really hard and you choose from easy medium or hard. Some things could of been better like the world around them, In X-COM Apocolypse the walls and other obsticles fell like they would in real life, you shoot the bottom, it breaks off, and the whole top just falls down. The weapons also dont blow up, when you shoot a rocket at someone, wouldn't their weapon explode or break? they dont in this game. Most things you cant get rid of too, like walls of buildings, street lights, and more, you should just be able to go straight through the level with the help of like 35 grenades. The missions are good and fun though.

Sound- The sounds are ok and the music is good. The way the soldiers talk can sometimes get annoying lol and the aliens and mutants make no sounds at all.

overall- the game is good, it coulda been better in a few more months of development but it is still fun to play, it brings back the memories of X-COM and how fun it was, i give this game 4 stars out of 5.

UFO: Aftermath is quite the addictive game if you prefer real-time tactical strategy games. It's story is similar to the original X-Com game with playstyles imported from the third of the X-Com series. Aftermath blends crisp graphics with some truly challenging missions.

Gameplay:
As I said, this game plays exactly like X-Com: Apocalypse. You have up to seven soldiers per mission and you can have each specialize in a certain mode of attack (handguns, rifles, launchers, throwing, psi, or marksmanship). In the missions you have certain objectives from rescuing downed pilots, performing reconnaissance, capturing UFOs, to invading enemy bases. Outside of the missions, it's your job to expand your territory on earth with the acquisition of bases. Now unlike X-Com, the worldview is much more simplified. Rather than building bases piece by piece, your bases come pre-built and you can change them whenever you see fit with only 24 hours of downtime. Your basic base options are military, scientific and engineering - with one other kind opening up as you progress in the game. Though diehard X-Com fans won't like the macroness of this approach it does allow for much more bases than they might be accustomed too.
The research and manufacture trees are one of my favourite aspects to this game. Not only is there a huge selection of earth technologies to begin with, but you will be finding new old-tech toys to the end. In terms of new alien technology, you have your standard laser and plasma technologies that you would come to expect, but rather than just researching the alien techs, you now have the ability to synthesize alien - human weapon hybrids that add a little flare to the game.
The story is on par with what you would expect. Both endings are quite lacking, but one of them is being expounded upon with Cenega's planned release of UFO: Aftershock in Q3 '05.

Graphics:
Very crisp - and the specialized locales are a nice touch. The outdoor levels seems a bit too small, but they way the transgenants tend to swarm you, you hardly have to move in the later levels so I might just not have had the chance to sight see. My only problem came with the alien architecture. It's just plain hard to figure out where you can and can't go within the ufos. However, that's more of a design issue than a graphical one. The creatures are kind of bland, but odds are you won't be zoomed in as you need to keep an eye on other approaches. Yet, all in all, the graphics are very clean and no needless eyecandy that would make the game inaccessible to less fortunate gamers.

Sound:
Make sure you patch the game up to 1.3 as soon as you get it or else you won't be able to hear the aliens. Now, they aren't anything special, but it's nice to judge how one battle is going if you have to have your attention elsewhere. The sound in the worldmap is nice, but again nothing special elsewhere. Individual unit sounds get quite annoying after a while, but if you make sure all your units have seperate portraits, it can help you to see how other parties might be doing.

Overall:
I had this for a while before I sat down and really played it. But once I cracked down, I was drawn in. If you are a super fan of the first 2 X-Coms, this might not be quite your cup of tea because making it real-time changes the romance. However, if you liked X-Com 3, then this is exactly what you've been waiting for. It's a great game that follows in the tradition of X-com and adds to it in its own way. And for $20 how could you not buy it?

I was very excited at the prospect of playing a game similar to the original X-COM games. The X-COM series has forever been my favorite strategy game. So, when I heard about this game, I had to order, even though I saw many negative reviews on it.

I must tell you, that I have had this game for over a week and I still have yet to play it. I installed it straight out of the box and it instantly crashed. I was prepared for this, as I had already read the reviews. I then downloaded all the patches, bringing my game version up to 1.3. Guess what? It still crashes and my computer greatly exceeds all the recommended system specifications.

A LITTLE RANTING: I have never played a game by Cenega before and I probably will think twice before buying another. This game certainly doesn't speak well for them. If I went to a car dealership and bought a NEW car, I would expect the engine to be in it and be able to drive the car off the lot. Cenega should ensure its games are complete and playable before they release them to the market! Even if it means pushing the release date back.

BOTTOM LINE: I can't recommend this game, I haven't even played it! You buy a game for enjoyment and trying to fuss with multiple patches and still not have the game work is NOT enjoyment.