[h1]The Premise[/h1]
[h3]This review contains no spoilers.[/h3]
[b]Rome 2077 Space Wars[/b] (RSW) is a top-down shooter set in the far future, when humanity has already expanded throughout the galaxy. Players impersonate a military spaceship pilot, fighting for an unspecified faction against the Alliance forces, which have recently conquered a strategically vital planet. For this reason, war erupts soon after between these two factions, and even other ones later on.
[h1]Quick Sum-Up[/h1]
[table]
[tr]
[th]🟩 [b]The Pros[/b][/th]
[th]🟥 [b]The Cons[/b][/th]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]
1. Simple but effective gameplay flow.
2. Good overall variety in all fields.
3. Interesting progression.
[/td]
[td]
1. Mobile porting related issues.
2. Significant overall balance problems.
3. Poor English translation.
[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
[table]
[tr]
[th]🟨 [b]Bugs & Other Issues[/b][/th]
[th]🔧 [b]PC Specs[/b][/th]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]
- No graphical options at all.
- No volume sliders, only ON/OFF.
- Very poor mouse cursor visibility in battle.
[/td]
[td]
- Ryzen 3900X
- RTX 2080Ti
- 32GB RAM
- NvME SSD
- 1440p Display
[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2413344612
[h1]In-Depth Analysis[/h1]
[h3]Pros[/h3]
[b]1.[/b]
The gameplay of RSW is rather arcade and simplistic, without much depth in its combat, space maneuvering or other mechanics - however it does play out well most of the time. Most missions consist into defeating hordes of enemies, either alone or with allies, so most of the time players will be shooting at something be them ships, stations or debris. The level of action is high and there are not many quiet moments, so for those seeking a no-fuss shooter experience, this game hits the mark.
[b]2.[/b]
From the unlockable ships and weapons roster, to enemy types and mission objectives, this title manages to deliver enough variety to keep interest high until the end. The possibility to customize ships with interchangeable weapons, evolving skill trees and enemies that feel diverse from one another (unique attack patterns, weapons and tactics for most) contribute to give out better variety as well.
[b]3.[/b]
After each mission, it is possible to improve skills, buy new weapons or ships to be better prepared for the next assignment. Credit gain is completely based on destroyed enemies, so if players let allies do most of the work, they will gain much less credits than being in the frontline themselves, which is actually a very good system. Skills evolve in duration and sometimes effect as a whole, while larger ships can be equipped with more and diverse weapons: it feels definitely satisfying to progress and unlock new equipment each time.
[h3]Cons[/h3]
[b]1.[/b]
This game is a mobile porting, and not a very good one at that. For instance, the UI for abilities still requires to use the mouse to "tap" on the skill icon, rather than assigning them to keyboard inputs (such as 1 2 3 4) - this is very annoying during a battle. Lack of credits to buy a weapon or ship will display a micro-transaction panel, where RSW tells players to spend real money for more in-game cash... except it does nothing, as it's a broken feature disabled in the PC version. The lack of visual, audio and quality options is also a consequence of being a porting.
[b]2.[/b]
Weapon and skill balance need serious overhauls, especially later on. Stacking certain fast-firing weapons in multiple emplacements will transform even a mediocre ship into a DPS-machine, capable of melting down enemies like butter. Allied ships summoned with "reinforcement" ability never disappear, so one can theoretically stack an infinite number of them and assemble a giant swarm of death. Shield skill that gives invincibility for 5 to 25 seconds (depending on level) is really too powerful with unlimited uses. Late game enemies are not good enough compared to the player's power level.
[b]3.[/b]
English translation of mission directives, menus and narration in general is mediocre at best and terrible at worst. Sometimes it does at least make sense, while others it doesn't. Granted, story is not at all this game's main point or strong suit, but at least a passable level of English should by all means be expected.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2412791107
[h1]Gameplay Breakdown[/h1]
[b]Exploration[/b]
Is actually very limited. Despite being in open space, there is no point in exploring any part of mission levels, that isn't directed towards the main objective. The camera will zoom out while moving, and get closer while being stationary (which is actually a hindrance, especially if one plans to make long-range sniping). There is no Map, but a series of colored arrows show the direction of objectives, important allies or incoming enemies.
[b]Combat[/b]
Plays out in a simple top-down shooter fashion, without much depth to it. Ammo is unlimited and there are no cooldowns for normal guns, while skills need some time to recharge but otherwise have no other costs. Enemies all have their own roaster of weapons and ships depending on the faction at hand, and most also have unique behaviors which I was surprised to see in a budget indie like this. Killing an enemy always drops currency, some Health and space debris that can obstruct gunfire and movement, however they disappear quite soon in most cases. Some Boss tier enemies prove much tougher than standard ships, and will definitely take and hand out a beating.
[b]Ship Management[/b]
Is performed in-between missions, using a research menu to acquire or upgrade skills such as improved summoned allied ships, speed boost, seeker missiles or repair-over-time. Each skill has various branches that may change or improve its functioning, but cost more each time. Ships and weapons can be configured in the Garage before a mission, and there is a good number of them. Unfortunately, acquiring the best weapons and ships before the end of the game is unlikely, and won't even be needed, as it will require some more grinding in Endless mode or repeating missions.
[b]Objectives[/b]
Are displayed at all times during missions, and can vary between defense, escort, demolition or simply holding out for a set time against all enemies. An indicator on the top-left shows mission progress, as a battery-shaped gauge fills to indicate the mission state, 4/4 slots filled mean the mission is nearly over.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2413344718
[h1]The Judgment: Decent[/h1]
[url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1989090445]Complete Ratings List here[/url]
[i]It took me a little under 3 hours to complete the game, finishing all 14 missions and giving a good shot to the Endless mode as well. Those who want to unlock all ships and weapons could squeeze a couple more hours out of it, but there is no real point in doing so. For the price of 8,19€ and only decent content quality, I recommend waiting for at least 25-30% sale before buying.[/i]
