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> Results: Weird Worlds: Return To Infinite Space
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There just isn't always enough time in the day to get in a good game of space piracy.
In comes Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space published by Shrapnel Games. You take on the role of captain of a science, pirate, or trading vessel and set about exploring the galaxy for fun and profit. Designed as a game played over a lunch break, ten, twenty, or thirty years elapse before you are required to return to your home planet and receive a score. A ten year game with little or no combat can be played in about 5 minutes. Truth in advertising! Once you choose a profession, you are placed in a randomly generated galaxy full of unexplored planets. As you venture out and explore, new planets provide you with opportunities for trade, combat, or simple discovery. Discoveries provide the most point bonuses to science vessels, but also provide everyone with new cargo for bartering. As there is no galaxy-wide monetary system, all transactions are done through simple barter. Trade in your old engines, along with some additional "discovered" parts, and you can be the proud owner of a very souped-up vessel. This is important, as nearly all your time is lost in traveling, and good engines ensure your ability to explore as much of the galaxy as possible. If combat is your goal, be sure to heavily fortify your ship (or ships, if you've found a friend) before combat, as most combat encounters run on the difficult side. Once time is nearly up, hurry back to your home planet for your final scoreﾗlate arrivals are penalized. A high score list is records your exploits for future reference and bragging rights. Just don't blame the game if you waste your lunch break because you ended up playing repeatedly!  
With the exception of a rather difficult battle simulator, the game is easy to play. Once the basic controls are explained, kids as young as ten should have no problem flitting around the galaxy, masters of their own ship. Even the battle screen is fairly easy to manage, though the battles themselves can be rather difficult (but even this has an option to make them as easier or harder.)
The game teaches planning since specific areas of the galaxy are contaminated with nebula, which greatly decrease the speed of your ship. Fly through too many areas of nebula, and you only have time to explore a small portion of the galaxy before you head back home. Careful planning helps a player visit the maximum number of stars before time runs out. Planning and careful decisions are also important when bartering with the various alien races. Most of the equipment has a constant value throughout the galaxy, but there are always those aliens who just love to trade and will trade one for one items of unequal value. Despite the lack of an ESRB rating (due, in part to the small size of the publisher), do not be hesitant about purchasing this game. The ship battles are quite abstract, and there is very little to find offensive. For its intended purpose, a quick game on a coffee or lunch break, this is a perfect little gameﾗeasy to jump into, play, and quit. Older gamers may find a lack of depth and wish for a little bit more. Sure enough, the basic traveling and trading concept eventually wears a little thin. However, due to its streamlined nature, this is an excellent "baby's first starship captain simulator", just change the options to make the game as friendly as possible. Weird Worlds: Return To Infinite Space is only available direct from publisher Shrapnel Games at the following address: http://www.shrapnelgames.com/digital_eel/weird_worlds/1.htm. This review edited by Dave Long Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us Browse Amazon.com's selection of "weird worlds" themed games Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Weird Worlds: Return To Infinite Space |
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