Developer: Codo Technologies
Genre: Tactical Simulation
Platform: PC
Publisher: Codo Technologies
Release Date: 2/5/2002
What is Laser Squad Nemesis?
Laser Squad Nemesis is a squad based tactical simulation from the makers of X-COM. The game is played by email in turns, where each turn is 10 seconds. Players take their turns simultaneously, so you do not just plan your orders, but try to anticipate what your opponent is going to do during the same 10 seconds. There is currently no single player campaign, but one is planned for release in 2004.
What does this game do well?
Laser Squad’s beauty lies in its simplicity. The game is measured in “force points” where each point corresponds to a unit. Expensive units cost up to four force points where little units cost one. Each player chooses from one of four races and deploys on one of the dozens of maps in the game. Each turn you submit simple orders for your units, such as moving, shooting, reloading and healing. Your opponent does the same thing, and when the turns are submitted to the server, both player’s turns are processed simultaneously and players are informed that a new turn is available. You win the game by having the most points at the end of the game, either by killing all of your opponent’s units or more force points worth of units than you lost.
The orders may be simple, but they create a robust system that allows a lot of strategy from a few basic rules. Laser Squad is a true test of skill, as there is no unit intelligence, and they will only do what you tell them. Also, you have to predict what your opponent is going to do at the same time that you plan your own move, since turns are processed simultaneously. These factors make for extremely interesting games, where clever planning is rewarded with victory, and bad orders result in death.
Laser Squad is playable in short bursts, and turns can be downloaded by email, or accessed from a webpage. Since all games are multiplayer games, you can decide how much you want to play by sending out challenges to other Laser Squad players. If you only have a few minutes every day, then you can cut back to a few games at a time, but if you have a lot of time on your hands you can have 30 or more games going simultaneously.
Laser Squad has one of the best player communities of any game that I have ever played. Due to the nature of the game, most of the players are over the age of 20, therefore discussions between players are relatively mature and you can be assured of a friendly and supportive environment. If you have played Blizzard games like Diablo or Warcraft, you may find this to be a refreshing change of pace from the prejudice and profanity that emanates from the mouths of teenagers.
What new and innovative ideas are implemented in this game?
One of the best features of Laser Squad is called ‘test orders’. When you plot your turn, at any time you can press ‘test orders’ and the game will move your units as if it was an actual turn. Your opponent’s units will not move, but it is still a very useful tool for determining whether your units will bump into each other and whether grenades will hit their mark or not. This is a huge upgrade from previous tactical simulations, where you just have to move your men and hope for the best.
What could this game have done better?
One area that Laser Squad falls short is in game types. Currently there are two game types, wipeout and HQ. Wipeout games do not end unless time runs out or one player is completely eliminated, and HQ games end when a single player loses all of his headquarters. However, there are no other objective based games, such as king of the hill, or capture the flag, etc. I feel like the game could greatly benefit from more game types, but it does not seem likely in the near future.
The only other thing players might have a problem with is that Laser Squad is still a work in progress. Although the game is not in a beta state, patches still come out on a regular basis and fundamental changes are still being made to the game. While some embrace the fact that the game is constantly being refined and perfected, others are reluctant to spend money on a game that is not “finished”.
Should I buy this game?
Laser Squad works on a subscription system where you pay in monthly or yearly installments. It is roughly $7/month, or $40/year to play, which is a reasonable price for such a game. Personally, I have been waiting for a game like this to come out for almost 10 years, and now that it’s here I am overjoyed. If you are looking for a game where mental strategy is paramount, this is it without a doubt. It’s not chess, but it’s the next best thing.
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