Review Space Rangers 2 mixed bag from Out of Eight

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Space Rangers 2: Dominators

<a href="http://jaguarusf.blogspot.com/">Out of Eight</a> has a <a href="http://jaguarusf.blogspot.com/2006/05/space-rangers-2-rise-of-dominators.html">review</a> of <a href="http://www.spacerangers2.com">Space Rangers 2</a>. The game scores a respectable <b>6/8</b>, with high marks going for the amount of stuff you can do but low marks going towards lack of missions, trade heavy beginnings, and so on. Here's the conclusion:
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<blockquote>I can see how Space Rangers 2 could potentially be a very enjoyable game, but there are just too many minor issues that make the game more frustrating than it should be. Space Rangers 2 certainly has many different modes of play that keeps the game fresh: planetary battles, trading, missions, ship upgrades, and the like. Space Rangers 2 takes several different ideas and gameplay mechanics and molds them into an interesting and fluid package. The problem is that each of the areas has one or two things that annoy the heck out of you: the poor AI in planetary battles, the complex ship upgrade system, and the inappropriately difficult missions. Unfortunately, you seem to remember the bad experiences in the game due to the minor issues rather than the entertaining aspects of the title. Space Rangers 2 should be a fun game to play, but the lasting impression is a great concept that falls short on complete execution.</blockquote>
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I could have done without the planetary battles in favor of a <i>more</i> complex and logical ship upgrade system. I still say this game should have focused on the space trader aspect and ditched the minigame stuff including how black holes are handled, the planetary missions, and so forth.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</A>

 

[Balor]

Well, that's "Jack of all trades, master of none" for you.
However, usually such mixes end up enedible. In some cases, it end up as an absolute hit (SC2).
SR2 may not be as good as SC2, but sertainly very good game... too bad online ratings were cut out from it. It was very fun doing a rerun to max out points, or earn a specific reward and then brag about it .

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Well, you can still make a good game that offers a hell of a lot for the players. The RTS part had to have taken a long time to make when they could have implimented something like Hardwar or X:BtF's concept of property ownership and business running instead. That would have made the game a hell of a lot better. The black hole minigame as well should have been cut in favor of something like a job board for missions rather than landing on a planet and hoping they have something along the lines of what you're looking to do. The fact that an entire planet may or may not have a mission for you, and if it does, only one mission, is pretty weak.

The good part of the game is the AI that hops around doing stuff while you're doing stuff. That's probably the only thing I can point to in SR2 that's actually done well.

 

[Balor]

That's probably the only thing I can point to in SR2 that's actually done well.

Well, that's something Bethesda claimed to have but never delivered, so you'd better say it's good .
I don't recall any game that have such a system yet... except Oblivion, and we know it sucked there.

 

[bryce777]

I just don't see what your big complaint with the trade is. It is more complex (in a good way) than any game I have played, by far. The planets have real economies, and government type and race all factor into the supply and demand levels, and what items are considered contraband. Being captured affect the economy, and so does being isolated from the rest of the systems. Comparing that to any other game, it comes out ahead.

As for the ship upgrades, I think you are oversimplifying that as well as the trade. I can't imagine it getting more complex in a way that was actually good. You have more upgrade options that actually matter than in any game I can think of, by far.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I just don't see what your big complaint with the trade is. It is more complex (in a good way) than any game I have played, by far. The planets have real economies, and government type and race all factor into the supply and demand levels, and what items are considered contraband. Being captured affect the economy, and so does being isolated from the rest of the systems. Comparing that to any other game, it comes out ahead.

Hardwar pwnz it. Like I said, when one ship can come in with one purchase or sale and totally change the entire economic levels of a planet, you've fucked up your design. It's hard to claim "real economies" when planets have stocks of goods smaller than most ships can haul.

I can't imagine it getting more complex in a way that was actually good. You have more upgrade options that actually matter than in any game I can think of, by far.

Umm.. Reply again after you've played EVN. SR2 only has scanners, weapons, engines, hulls, grippers, and shields for sale. EVN had most of that in addition to engine modification(Port and Polish), fighters and fighter bays, outfits that modify hull space and cargo space, marines for boarding, hull armor, etc.

While SR2 has some of that as specials that you can get from missions and from black holes, EVN has all that and more available at given shops around the game. There's just way more ways to outfit ships in EVN and way more ship types.

 

[Micmu]

Anyone got this quest?

 

[bryce777]

I haven't played evn, but actually the trading makes perfect sense. The items being traded (except or and food) are items that are very scarce int he first place. A ton of drugs is a LOT of drugs. 100-300 tons is an unimaginable amount. Especially in what is usually a black market. Same with weapons.

You also have an issue where there are barely more trading ships than planets. A store generally stocks what it knows it can move and takes orders well in advance, so scarcity of an item when it reaches a good price is perfectly normal. For minerals and food, they should not have their prices affected by trade though, because the amounts are so small compared to the economy, but they could still run out just because none are on hand.

 

[headache]

I'm quite into this game (played all weekend), and I thought I'd reply to a few of these criticisms.

Umm.. Reply again after you've played EVN. SR2 only has scanners, weapons, engines, hulls, grippers, and shields for sale.

One more slot: repair droids.

EVN had most of that in addition to engine modification(Port and Polish), fighters and fighter bays, outfits that modify hull space and cargo space, marines for boarding, hull armor, etc.

Micromodules and artifacts are quite varied, modifying engines, hulls, and everything else. Plus there are upgrades at science bases, and stimulators for your combat (& other) skills. No fighters or marines, that's true, but at the scale of the game fighters don't seem like a great loss. You have missles. You can hire other rangers too.

I tried the EVN demo a few years ago and the hurdle I had trouble with was the keyboard-based real-time combat (unless I'm remebering wrong). I will probably give it another try at some point after SR2. I'm bad at anything resembling twitch-gaming, for example personally I appreciate the "poor AI" in the RTS battles, it gives me a chance.

Of course you can decline the RTS parts (you don't even have to install them). Some text offering one asked if you were too cool to do these missions... I thought of Saint Proverbius.

 

[bryce777]

EVN requires quicktime, so unless it is the most awesome thing ever I will pass on it.

Ha, that's funny about the last comment. My only complaint about them is there are 1-2 that are extremely tough and the rest are much easier.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

A ton of drugs is a LOT of drugs. 100-300 tons is an unimaginable amount.

Almost as unimaginable as a 60 ton radar.

EVN requires quicktime, so unless it is the most awesome thing ever I will pass on it.

I think the only thing that uses quicktime is the really silly racing thing which is just something you gamble on at one planet.