Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows

Wish i could give this a thumbs up, but looking past the superficial issues there is a problem at the core of the game which prevents it from getting a recommendation here [h1]Rating[/h1] Tactic fans looking for a fix: 75% everyone else: 50% [h1]Content[/h1] + at the time of writing this im about 34h in and there is still a couple story missions left (+3x side missions if you want to do those) - the missions have become an absolute drag, 7 of my ships vs 30+ enemy ships has become the standard, its not actually difficult (see AI) just takes forever for the AI to move and for you to clean up that many ships - story is 100% linear so far with mostly battles and once in a while a multiple choice random event where you have to guess the right answer - all missions feel the same + plenty of ships / research / items / crew - more than half the stuff is useless and a good portion of the rest you will not experience because researching upgrades for more than 3-4 ships is not feasible due to limited data (research resource), item research is especially bad since you first have to research it and then still pay for buying items [h1]Polish[/h1] + game is stable (hasnt crashed at all for me) and i havnt encountered any game breaking bugs ([strike]there seemes to be atleast one with a certain upgrade, which is being addressed[/strike] (fixed)) - vital information missing from the UI * what abilities do ships have before you buy them * which ship classes some of the hero ships actually belong to * how does initiative work (i have ships with 65 that are sometimes at the top of the queue and next turn at the bottom) * it says on the mission screen "Optional deployments normally recharge after every successful story mission", except when they dont and a recruitment side mission pops up and you are out of deployments [strike]- minor issues with some side missions, where you cant complete those, just reload and pick a different one[/strike] (fixed) [strike]- in alot of missions (especially towards the end) story dialog is not playing at all, with a linear story this is a major oversight during testing[/strike] (fixed) [h1]AI / Difficulty[/h1] (based on middle difficulty and im not going to start over again just too much drag): - basically non existent * AI will shot at different ships randomly instead of focus fire * AI will shot at ships behind cover instead of popping in and out of cover * AI carriers will run away from fighters placed next to them, in general moving next to AI ships will make those move away and then shot you with cover blocking them * AI will shot at ships with abysmal rates of actually hitting those (i had ships being shot at 15 times per round and get hit once) and will not use missiles / AoE attacks unless it can hit multiple ships - dodge > everything else (my smugglers with 64/44 tank far better than my flagship with 114/146), which means less firepower on your side (more drag) but if they cant kill you at all you win by default [h1]Communication[/h1] + active in the forums and working on fixes As a fan of tactical games i can look past some of the minor issues and i dont regret buying the game. However at the core the game is defined by boring and brainless cookie cutter missions that is best dealt with in small increments of playing it.

Had fun for the first 10-15 hours, but it gets very boring, very fast. I had all the ships unlocked and all the tech for the ships I used by about halfway through the game so there wasn't much feeling of advancement and the ships from later in the game so completely outclass the earlier ones that it there's not much tactical choice in what ships you deploy on a given mission. Battles later in the game frequently have 40+ enemies, which is fine because the AI is pretty dumb. But each AI moves takes the same time as a player move, even when the enemy is off-screen. In the later battles, I spent about 25% of the time playing, 75% of the time watching the question-marks on the right slowly tick by while the enemy maneuvered somewhere in the fog of war. The initiative system bothers me almost as much as the waiting. Initiative appears to 'wrap' - meaning that in quite a few cases an individual enemy would get two turns before one of the player's ships gets one. For instance, the initiative would be: player -> enemy -> new round -> enemy -> player. I might engage a group knowing I'll take a few hits but thinking I would win since I got the drop on the enemy only to find the initiative system basically made it as if they has ambushed me. The story is reasonably interesting and the early-game combat is fun, but it quickly becomes tedious. The best upgrades are obvious and the same for almost all ships and the tech upgrades allow you to get them all, so there's no meaningful choice. By the end of the game, I brought nothing but three carriers into battle because the other ships are so terrible I spent most of my time trying to keep them from dying. The enemies get continually better while you have the same ships for more than half the game, only getting small numbers increases from leveling up. No new gear or abilities. Overall, I can't recommend it. It was too tedious, lacks a feeling of advancement, and I got into the habit of watching TV while waiting for the enemy ships to move.

[quote][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/6142328/][b]Like this Review? Follow The Cpt Froggy Club Curator Page for plenty more![/b][/url][/quote] Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I always enjoy those beautiful, clear night skies full of shiny stars — a spectacle that we humans have cherished for thousands of years. Despite this, I am always wondering when we humans will be travelling throughout space from one planet to another. What would it be like? Who will be in charge? Will we encounter Aliens or be robbed by space pirates during our travels? If, like myself, you are asking yourself the same questions, don’t look further. All will be revealed in Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows! Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows turn-based strategy / RPG game, developed and published by Fair Weather Studios, where you take control of a fleet of pirates within the space universe of Ancient Frontier. If, like me, you haven’t played the original Ancient Frontier, I strongly recommend watching the extremely well put-together tutorial before playing the game. It will only take you around ten minutes from start to finish. When you’re ready to start your first game, you’ll be prompted to choose which level of difficulty you’ll like to play. In the beginner level, the resources and battles will be easier, whereas if you decide to play either on the veteran or epic difficulties, the resources will be hard to find, and the damage will be permanent. There are two main areas in this game: the battles and the management screen. In the management area, you’ll be able to see your fleet of vessels. You can also buy new ships and items, and hire new crew members from the market tab. You can also undertake research, and see your next three quests and missions. Regarding missions, there are three types available to you. You can choose to jump onto your next story mission or opt for a bounty or simulation missions. If you complete a Simulation Mission, you’ll receive experience points which will be distributed equally towards the vessels that participate in that specific mission. Be rewarded with extra resources if you complete a Bounty Mission. What I really like in this game is that you can choose which mission you want to play. If you're going to amalgamate resources, keep playing bounty missions and when you are ready, jump back into the story mission. There are three main resources, Hydrium (which is the currency in this game), Proto energy (which you need in order to deploy vessels into each mission), and Data (to research new technologies). If you have enough Proto energy, you’ll be able to deploy your entire fleet into each mission (story, bounty or simulation) if you wish to do so. If you don’t have enough Proto Energy, make sure to select the most suitable vessels for that mission. To do that, just left click on each spaceship to see all their statistics and abilities. The battle phase varies in size depending on the mission. So far, the biggest layout that I have encountered is 32 X 32 hexagon tiles map. Your fleet will start on the south side of the map. On the top right corner of your screen, you’ll be able to see your objectives, and which turn you are in. The left corner of your screen will display the vessel abilities as well as the movement and action points. The action points are represented by red orbs, and movement by blue orbs. Every time you activate an ability, it will cost you a minimum of one action point. As you progress through the game, you’ll buy new items for your ships and hopefully get new abilities to use in combat. The other things you’ll see on the map are scattered resources. To collect them, you must move one of your spaceships onto that specific tile to pick it up. As soon as you complete your main objectives, you’ll win the mission and receive the rewards promised to you. You might encounter an event after finishing one of your missions, where you’ll be given up to three actions to choose from. Just be wise and you’ll be alright! I enjoy the story and the cutscenes when you manage to destroy a main ship (boss) and the graphics are really great and polished. The soundtrack is pretty good too, and the interface is easy to use. Personally, I am going to check out their first game, Ancient Frontier! Positives: ~~~~~~~~ + Great graphics + Plenty of spaceships + Three different types of missions + Threes different level of difficulties + Fun, addictive and challenging Negatives: ~~~~~~~~ - No achievements or trading cards Take command of a band of space pirates across the universe of Ancient Frontier. A great turn-based strategy/RPG game set in space! 7/10 Key provided by developer/publisher for review purposes. Any opinions expressed are entirely my own! [quote][url=https://www.zeepond.com/reviews][b]READ EPIC REVIEWS FROM “THE CPT FROGGY” AND MATES, UP NOW ON ZEEPOND, THE HOME OF THE ALMIGHTY FROG![/b][/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZchpsMdA2hDYJKZgOPdo_w?view_as=subscriber][b]SUBSCRIBE TO THE CPT FROGGY YOUTUBE CHANNEL[/b][/url][/quote]

Having played the original Ancient Frontier, I really welcomed the new addition of Steel Shadows. Everything in the game is improved over the original and it is clear that the developers listened to the players and thrown in some of their own ideas for good measure. New and good things: + new faction and ships, which previously were unavailable; + new feel (pirates); + new side mission types; + new graphic assets; + new story with a mix of characters old and new (nice for the veterans of the original, but the newcomers won't feel lost) + great development system for your units, there are four ways in which you can improve your units (leveling, equipment, officers and research) and each has different pros and cons; If you like turn-based tactical games with some RPG, it's definitely worth buying, especially at the asking price. Also the bundle is a good way to get the original game. There is decent plot and a sense of progression as you unlock more and more powerful units. Missions are tactical enough, there is a little randomness, just enough to make it a little unpredictable but not enough to be frustrating. Finally, the developers really listen to the player community and release patches to address bugs and issues pointed by players. Worth your time and money.

This is a fantastic little gem of a game. Very moody and thematically perfect for the tone it tries to set. Its a turn based strategy game very similar in gameplay mechanics to games like X com, Fire Emblem, and other turn based fare, only instead of commanding characters, you command ships, ranging from quick but deadly little fighters, to huge battle cruiser/carriers that come with disposable "body guard ship" as well as a few other surprises that were quite pleasing. Its truly an addicting title, with great music, recently added passable voice acting (some of its really good, such as the pirate queen and her entourage, including one guy who does a minor role as a pirate who sounds like a pro, to others which sound a bit plain and uh....not-so- pro. Its a mixed bag, but thats ok because it really helps with the immersion anyways). The game also has that "dirty space" atmosphere that reminds me of Alien, or the Millenium Falcon (the old movies, not those Ryan Johnson atrocities) and thats a plus. Space settings are always better when they arent shiny and pretty. Grungy space? Hell ya! The story is surprisingly well written as well, and you find yourself wondering what will come next as the plot intensifies through the game. the main character is kind of an over-the-hill Burt Reynolds, and could do with a bit more passion in his VA, but he grows on you after a while. His second in command is better voiced, and sometimes steals the show. His religious devotion to a machine God can be kind of funny at times. Unfortunately, the game isnt flawless. For example, the crew seems like a great concept, and its nice they are there, but they are little more then "buff items" to ships, with no dialogue or personality at all. Even the captains who join you come into the story with an interesting intro exchange, and then you dont hear anything from them in the story again. I would have liked more rpg style immersion between these characters, and especially between the captain and his growing crew. They give you interesting characters you want to know more about, and ...Well, you dont learn anything about most of them, and thats a real shame...And this could easily have been handled just by maybe giving them a voice in the pre-battle discussions from time to time and giving them each a quest, perhaps for a unique ship upgrade or something.... Leveling them is pretty much simplified to ; they go up, stat goes up....No customization or skill selecting is something I found I sorely missed. Personally, I think if the crew were tweaked, and at least the captains had more dialogue to flesh them out, this could have been an epic and grand affair beyond anything thats been done. Its a good game, and definately worth the money they ask, but it could have been incredible and a grand epic with just a bit more writing, and character development both with personality and level-up wise. Still, even with its flaws its still a pretty fun game, and one I recommend to any fan of the genre.

[quote][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]Follow our curator page: [b]IndieGems[/b] if you like and want to see more reviews like this one.[/url][/quote] [i]Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows[/i] is a turn-based tactical strategy game by Fair Weather Studios that sets in the same world as the previous game [i]Ancient Frontier.[/i] Only now you play as the pirates and the outlaws instead of the "good guys" in the first game. [h1]Story[/h1] It's really not all that interesting, in my opinion. Even though it comes in as an oppositional role from the first game, you do not need to play the first game to jump right into this one. There will be places where you have to pay some attention, in order to choose among a few options in order to proceed. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] The most interesting aspect of the game is its hex-based battle system that is all turn-based. The game puts you right into the action after a non-interactive tutorial that does explain how the game works. There are different kinds of ships and the terrain/space is not all visible to start. You will be able to take cover like in [i]XCOM[/i] but this is not always safe to do, because in space, there are potentially dangerous objects, such as asteroids. There may also be enemies hidden in the hexes as well. Of the different types of ships, some will be able to attack multiple times, and others may be able to move more than one time. The hex-grid system and the diversity of the ships lets you swarm enemy vessels in a more strategic manner as well. Before you attack you can see how much damage that attack will do and how success chances. Each ship has shield and HP, and when both reach zero, it will be destroyed. Most ships have the ability to restore shields. The game gives you the ability to choose which missions to do in each chapter. Of course you need to do the story mission, but being able to choose the others also give you some replayability. Most missions have a main objective and also optional objectives. Success will reward you differently based on the mission. Some will give you experience, while others will give you valuable resources: Hydrium (build ships, market purchases), Photo energy (deploy ships), or Data (research new technologies). If your ship is destroyed in-battle, it will not gain experience from the mission. But you can use it again in the next mission. It's game over if all of your ships are destroyed. There are 3 difficulty settings, and you can also choose manual or automatic save. The tutorial is pretty much the same as in the original [i]Ancient Frontier[/i] game, so if you played that and are moving to this game, it's okay to just head straight in. Overall the game is fairly easy to learn. [h1]Controls[/h1] The game can be fully played with a mouse. [h1]Graphics[/h1] I think it looks pretty good. The setting is in space, so there's a lot of black space and dull areas. But there is a good amount of details in the environment design and the ships that you can zoom in to see. [h1]Music & Sounds[/h1] There's not much special or worth mentioning in this department. [h1]Pricing[/h1] €12.49/$14.99 is a fair price in my opinion. The game will offer you enough content for the price. It's not a game to really play for longer sittings in my opinion. Instead, it's more for shorter and more casual settings of a few missions each day. [h1]Areas For Improvement[/h1] 1. Loading times are too long when you start the game. 2. Interactive tutorial would be preferable to a passive one. [h1]Video Showing Some Gameplay[/h1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grCnK0JEgv0 [h1]Verdict[/h1] I really like the battle system that's present in both of the [i]Ancient Frontier[/i] games. Also the option to choose different missions is really nice. The story is really lackluster in general and I could never really get into it. It's not for many hours in one sitting, but for shorter sessions that are more casually paced. It's fair in price, given that the developers are charging less than the first game because they did not need to create a whole new game world and design all of the assets. Overall I have enjoyed this title. I would give it 7/10.

TLDR: Much like its predecessor, Steel Shadows provides a competent and satisfying gaming experience if you’re a fan of tactical turn-based space combat. Changes are not revolutionary, but sufficient to keep the gamer engaged. My review of the original is [url=https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198018847741/recommended/521790/ ] here [/url]. To recap, these are the main features that carry through to Steel Shadows: + New space vessels with new weapons and capabilities to choose from + Lots of abilities, equipment upgrades and crew are available for vessels + Additional campaigns allow for several more hours of gameplay + Turn-based tactical combat is decent, making use of cover, environment and LOS + Persistent XP allows vessels to level up and carry over to the next mission + Combat missions and simulator missions allow you to gain valuable resources & XP - Voice acting is still bad, but there doesn’t seem to be as many annoying voices this time - RPG elements could have been better. Only the main characters have “personalities.” - After a point, it can get grindy -- you need to level your ships through combat, otherwise the missions may be too difficult (there are 3 difficulty settings like in the original) If you’re looking for more of the same as in Ancient Frontier, you’ve come to the right place. Many of the pros and cons listed in my review of the original title still hold true. There have not been many changes other than new NPCs, campaigns and space vessels. In that sense, Steel Shadows feels more like an expansion pack than a sequel. With that in mind, I would wait for a sale before buying it. And yes, the voice acting is still bad (luckily there’s a skip dialogue option). 5.0/10.0

This game is a fantastic blend of RPG and Ship to Ship tactical turn based combat . A excellent but simple system of moving actions and ship related (Combat, Shields,etc..) give it a depth of strategy you would not expect. The choices in the Action Economy style Combat matter greatly, and can quickly determine if you live or die.The RPG is well done, though the story itself is pretty cheesey sometimes, character development is well thought out . This is what Indie teams were meant to be, unique ideas that they are passionate about , and well made too! We need more of this in todays digital gaming ! BRAVO !!!

Stay away from this game. It's a mess of uncomprehensible design choices making it an excercise in frustration. It starts out not too bad with a set of scenarios climaxing in a boss fight against a carrier that are well done and reasonable, but then come to Vor, aliens whose ships are nearly impossible to hit, have outrageous amounts of hit points when you do hit, and will out number you at least 2 to 1. Which wouldn't be so bad if they weren't such bullet sponages requiring multiple ships to gang up one one just to take it out. Then if all that wasn't bad enough, there are weird "terrain effects" on the map that cover the hexes under them so that you have to constantly turn and manuever the camera so you can attempt to see under them and figure out where your ships are in relation to the alien ships. Absolutely ridiculous. The set-up of the rest of the game is done well with the fleet maintenance screen, research and market screens and such well handled and relatively intuitive to use. It's a shame that the battles, which are the heart of the game are so poorly balanced. Also many of your fleet choices, such as fighters, are pretty much useless to take as they are too fragile and any resources you invest in them end up wasted as they get mobbed by the enemy and lost. The save system is also poorly executed, first when starting the game you must choose "Ironman mode" if you want Autosaves, where it most games "Ironman" means limited saves and losses are permenent. Then a few times I tried to restore a previous save to compensate for the harshness of the battles and ended up losing quest progress, and other progress I had made with my fleet even though I was saving consistently in addition to the auto-saves. So as much as I wanted to like this game, the bottom line is that I can not recommend this game. It shows a lot of potential and has many good qualities but the difficulty escalation curve is way too steep and you quickly find yourself in a death spiral of diminishing resources to the point you run into a brick wall and end up in a "no-win" situation. So unless getting kicked in the nads is your idea of a good time, don't spend your hard earned money on this one.

Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows builds off of its predecessor as another entertaining strategy space game. As before the series draw is the myriad options for building up the perfect flight roster in order to tackle the next challenge. Strategy mainly comes from deciding on which ships to purchase and enhance, but improvements always come with a cost. Just upgrading everything can often lead to only being able to bring one or two ships into a critical mission, so choices must be made wisely and planning for future missions should always be taken into account as resources for deploying ships can run out. The game has a nice polished feel to it with smooth animations, a rotatable playing map, options for varying difficulties, and an enjoyable rock soundtrack. There is also an option to play with a save game mode or an "every mistake counts" mode depending on how hardcore you want the game to get. All in all this is a nice little space strategy diversion that can really draw you in and keep you playing for hours at a time.