Ultimate Space Commando

[Jarhead0331]

http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-USC/ultimate-space-commando

Anybody want to give this one a shot?  X-Com light, perhaps?

Ultimate Space Commando (USC) is an old-school turn-based strategy game that focuses on actual field tactics as a small group of elite commandos become engaged in a deadly conflict with a yet unknown, but rather ravenous species of aliens. Make relevant strategic choices, develop tactics and equip your soldiers as you see fit, try to survive and give the aliens hell in the single-player Campaign. Build and customize 4-man squads to play various Single Missions, Scenarios and Defend the Base! actions alone or in a hot-seat or TCP/IP multiplayer session with up to four players, either man vs. aliens, man vs. man or even mixed, with various objectives, official scoring system, and much more. A full-fledged and truly Random Map Generator makes every mission you play unique and challenging.

USC is designed to be an easy to pick up, but hard to master, and in general, a very difficult game. There are a few lower difficulty levels for casual players and starters, but the real action begins on the higher ones! Completing the Campaign or any mission on a standard difficulty level requires sophisticated and well-adapted tactics, especially if you aim to be the best in the online competitions!

Key Features

    Fully randomized maps (even in the Campaign to some extent) in three different environments (base, mines, outdoors). Still, you can use seed numbers to share your experience with your friends or to replay the best actions!
    Fully destructible and manipulable combat environment with interactive, strategically important objects (such as safety doors or different types of crates).
    Customizable Single Missions, plus Scenarios and a base building-defending game mode, all available in single-player, hot-seat or TCP/IP multiplayer mode!
    Strong, story-driven Campaign mode with difficult choices and really tough battles.
    Plausible combat system with 4 major properties (Health, Morale, Armor, Action Points) and 9 attributes, and a detailed weapon system (impact force, armor penetration etc.)
    RPG-style unit management (skill points, specializations, inventory, statistics).
    Squads can be customized, saved and improved with every mission by finding crafting materials and blueprints.
    Five different aliens all with their special attributes, plus champion and alpha bosses with unique abilities!
    Zhe Wunderwurm! ;-)
    18 different weapons and various ammo types, each with preferrable combat attributes and also disadvantages, some with unique properties; its completely up to you how you build up your tactics!
    A lot of useful gadgets and equipment to support your squad with, including first-aid kits, stimulants, grenades, weapon mods, and even a placeable turret!
    And the model RD-1 Rubber Ducky, of course!
    Crafting system: materials can be salvaged from various map elements, and be used to make even more special items available via crafting only.
    Weapon prototypes: higher difficulty levels may surprise you with blueprints that can be used to craft special versions of your favorite weapons--at a price.
    A circuit-cracking logical mini-game embedded into the main action.

[Grim.Reaper]

The out of eight guy has a preview video on it here....

http://www.outofeight.info/2014/01/ultimate-space-commando-beta-gameplay.html

[tgb]

It's a beta from an unknown developer. I learned my lesson on these last year.  I'm also none-too-happy that unless you look carefully (it's hidden in the system requirements) there's nothing to indicate that this isn't a finished product.  I don't know if that's the fault of the developer of Gamersgate, but it gives me a bad feeling.

I'll wait and see where this goes.

[PanzersEast]

[spelk]

Theres a few lets play vids on this game from Das24680, he seems fairly impressed.

[spelk]

Thanks to DAS24680's videos, I've given this game a go now, and yesterday have managed to create my own squad. Its very detailed, in a Jagged Alliance kind of a way, right down to specific ammo for specific weapons - along with support kit like anti-radiation pills and speed/morale boosters. You also get to tweak the stats on your men, boosting their health, proficiency with a particular weapon type, and biochem/tech skills for healing/unlocking/hacking etc.

It plays like a very busy X-Com or Space Hulk. Tactically you don't get to move very far until you thin out the alien horde. Theres a lot going on, with Aliens kicking off acid attacks, breaking through walls, and generally swarming your men.

I played the game before watching the videos and I just struggled, but mainly because I went in with the default loadout, which is a pistol for every man. You really do need to spend all your money on kitting them out appropriately to be able to stand a chance in the single missions at least. Now I get it, I think this title is definitely worthy, and provides much more thrills and spills than the graphics-whored official Space Hulk game.

[Jarhead0331]

Now I get it, I think this title is definitely worthy, and provides much more thrills and spills than the graphics-whored official Space Hulk game.

Damn...I was hoping you wouldn't say that.

[Nefaro]

I definitely want this one, but I'll wait until they get the campaign in.

[tgb]

I definitely want this one, but I'll wait until they get the campaign in.

That's my feeling.  I have more than enough to play at the moment.

[PanzersEast]

This game is on the Indie Game Stand for pay what you want....

https://indiegamestand.com/deal/?source=indiegamestand


PE

[Tpek]

This game is on the Indie Game Stand for pay what you want....

https://indiegamestand.com/deal/?source=indiegamestand


PE

Nice find, thanks! :)

[steve58]

...also part of this $2 bundle...might be Desura only though.  You will get a Steam key if game gets Greenlit.

http://www.bundlebandits.com/?source=indiegamebundles

[Nefaro]

Ultimate Space Commando was recently released.


Anyone tried this release version and it's campaign system yet?

[-budd-]

Thanks for the reminder, haven't touched this in awhile. It was pretty limited last time i played. i'll take a look and see if there's more there, should be it's been a year since i last played. Couldn't remember where i purchased it, turns out it was indiestand, got my steam key without issue.

[Nefaro]

Thanks for the reminder, haven't touched this in awhile. It was pretty limited last time i played. i'll take a look and see if there's more there, should be it's been a year since i last played. Couldn't remember where i purchased it, turns out it was indiestand, got my steam key without issue.

The gameplay looked interesting enough, but I think it would all hinge on how interesting the ongoing campaign is (which they added since then).