Joystiq hands-on: Battlestar Galactica

by Ross Miller { Jul 16th 2007 at 4:56PM }

Don't expect deep gameplay with this title based on the popular science fiction series. Battlestar Galactica, for Xbox Live Arcade and PC, is 3D space shooter played on a 2D plane. The controls are quick to grasp -- turning, shooting, activating shields and locking on for missiles -- although we had a bit of trouble initially with chasing enemies.

We only had a chance to try out a couple of levels. There are four ships to choose from each side, humans and Cylons, each with various offensive, defensive and speed ratings. Death triggers a respawn, and the only penalty is lost time (beating levels is generally dependent upon time).

There are 10 single-player missions based on battles from the show. Multiplayer has its own set of ten maps and two gameplay types: deathmatch and domination, where you capture turrets that destroy the opponent's base ship.

According to producer Connie Brammeier, the game is intended for mass appeal. We get the feeling that hardcore Battlestar Galactica fans are going to be disappointed by the lack of depth in the title. The game is expected out in the third quarter of this year.

Gallery: Battlestar Galactica (XBLA, PC)

Tags: battlestargalactica, bsg, e3, e307, handson, impressions, xbla, xboxlive, xboxlivearcade

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Shagittarius @ Jul 16th 2007 4:59PM

Lame property + Tie In = Lame game.

dropkickjohny @ Jul 16th 2007 5:01PM

Lame Comment + Lame Poster = ???

Eric @ Jul 16th 2007 5:11PM

Wow, that was an anemic preview.

Shagittarius @ Jul 16th 2007 5:15PM

Speaking of Lame Properties, Tie ins, Posters, comments and anemia, whatever happened to the Firefly MMORPG?

Jake @ Jul 16th 2007 5:28PM

If this is a discount or downloadable title, then perhaps some fun gameplay might make it good. But since the licensed IP seems to have no impact on the game, really, escept for some lame similarities, this game is likely a cheap cash-in.

Feep @ Jul 16th 2007 5:58PM

If you want serious BG action, check out the demo for Beyond the Red Line (http://www.game-warden.com/bsg/), a fan project with enormous potential. Based off the ridiculously complex space sim Freespace 2, the project has excellent production values and a very, very dedicated team...I was very impressed. I can't wait for the full version. = D

Dud @ Jul 16th 2007 5:33PM

This looks like the awful Wing Commander XBLA game, but with Battlestar Galactica ships instead. What is up with this 2D shooter gameplay? I mean, Subspace came out like a decade ago and offered upwards of 500 people blasting each other in 2D with six ships to choose from initially. Does this game allow over 500 people to duke it out on huge custom maps 10 years later?

It's not like I'm asking for a pie in the sky game or anything. This is old technology, why haven't we progressed this to thousands of simultaneous players in a shoot em up. Subspace was when people had 28k modems!

Eric @ Jul 16th 2007 5:36PM

Not only does this game fail, a group of fans have been working on a kick ass Battlestar game named Beyond the Red Line. It uses the shareware Freespace 2 engine and the multiplayer enabled demo they released a while back is not just wonderful, it puts all of these so called "efforts" by developers like these to utter shame.

http://www.game-warden.com/bsg/

Mr Khan @ Jul 16th 2007 5:50PM

"Fact: Bears beat Beets. Beets beat Battlestar Galactica."

had to be the funniest single sketch on that show ever

WedgeTalon @ Jul 16th 2007 8:08PM

Wow, this has to potential to be one of the worst space sims in years! I mean really, a grand total of EIGHT ships and a pathetic TEN levels? PLUS only 2D action? How long have they spent developing this game? Two weeks?

ackmondual @ Jul 16th 2007 9:57PM

I don't know.... space sims to to be with the likes of Tie Fighter, Wing Commander, etc..... games where u manage throttle, defensive systems, weapons, and realistic-y physics. Despite what They call it, this game strikes me more of an action/space sim... more heavily emphasis on the former.

FSK405K @ Jul 16th 2007 9:10PM

Battlestar = best show & worst game.

Cash @ Jul 16th 2007 9:26PM

"Shields?"

Did the game designers even *watch* the show, or did they just take the same generic code that Wing Commander Arena is based on, and replace the TCN and Kilrathi ships with Colonial and Cylon ships? I might download the demo and give it a shot, but it's a safe bet I won't be in a hurry to shell out 800 points for the full game.

ackmondual @ Jul 16th 2007 10:04PM

say what you want about this. My guess is ppl r likely to get it just b/c it's BSG. If this game is cheap (

Leshrac @ Jul 17th 2007 3:54AM

It's really sad that the best show on TV gets a crappy videogame treatment. On the other hand, this is what always happens. I just don't like seeing BSG's good name sullied by a crappy effort.

-Jeff
http://alinktothefuture.com

JonFitt @ Jul 17th 2007 5:57AM

That's the dumbest decision I've heard in a long while:
"the game is intended for mass appeal"
Yeah, right. So your genius plan is to make a game of the latest nerd cult show and make it a broad appeal dumbed down shooter. Because fans of cult shows *hate* detail and complexity, oh don't forget continuity, they hate that too.

I'm lost for words. Someone needs to take that management team out behind the woodshed.

Just to reiterate what has been said before: Check out the amazing Beyond the Red Line and imagine what this could be like with official backing and funding, and enjoy it before they get slapped with a C&D.