In an age saturated with RPGs, MMORPGs and FPSs there was a dire need for a quality space simulator to fill the gap and provide the hardcore fans of this genre with much needed thrills. 3000AD's Galactic Command: Echo Squad SE does just that, trying to revive what is considered by many people as a dying breed and to keep the dream alive for those dedicated fans that grew up loving and playing space combat games.

For 3000 AD releasing this title is by no means a venture in an uncharted territory as their previous titles captured the attention of the media for quite a while, for various reasons. The Battlecruiser series was highly controversial but made a strong point in the genre industry, despite giving an entire different notion to the term "complexity", with the hardcore fans standing beside it through the rough spots.

This latest addition is meant to be everything the "Battlecruiser" game was expected and much more, without having the intricate and hard to pick up gameplay. It is supposed to use the advanced technologies around which complex games were wrapped, and develop a space combat game accessible for the crowds. While the key elements that made popular the previous installment are introduced, Galactic Command: Echo Squad SE has a friendlier look and a complete manual to aid the uninitiated gamer.

Getting on the right foot is paramount and I couldn't be happier to acknowledge that the developers found it meaningful to include a narrative version of the tutorial. To say that reading the manual is an important step before entering the Galcom universe would be an understatement, but for those gamers lazy enough to skip it this will most likely be a valuable asset. Voice acting very good and I am positive you'll find this smooth talking "Mother" the sexiest computer out there, and a very pleasant company to prevent you from becoming claustrophobic in the smart looking cockpit.

You are the wing commander of a five fighter squad, an elite force pilot assigned to the Terran Military fleet named Galactic Command to enforce the interests of humanity in the galaxy. The fleet is composed of larger and more powerful ships such as GCV-Merlin, GCV Stalingrad, GCV-Boston and last but definitely not the least the almighty Excalibur. This super carrier is the flag ship and will serve as your primary platform for repairs, refueling and rearming.

The game features a single campaign scenario episode and sixteen missions, with objectives to be fulfilled both in space and on planets, and by completing these scenarios you will gradually be promoted and attain a higher rank. Sometimes you may be awarded experience points and medals for performing certain objectives and missions which will boost your chances of moving further in your career. On the other hand, failing to complete your mission will bring penalties, and you can even be dismissed from service which will, of course cause the end of your career.

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Your teammates will assist you and they might even perform the task assigned to you, which will help you complete the specific mission but won't grant you any experience points and on the long run this will also cause an early retirement. Working in a team means you can communicate via two sub-systems, receiving messages about your next assignment and clear orders about how to complete you mission. As you increase in rank, you will gain the ability to command other fighters, but this is only possible if they don't outrank you, in that case your orders will be simply ignored.

In order to get to the juicy part and enjoy the space combat at its best, one must first pick up the basic commands to navigate the craft and get used to the numerous buttons that are all over the cockpit. The progress made since the "Battlecruiser" period is of course huge, but the average gamer who is not familiar with this genre will most likely clap his hands clearly unimpressed by the bright colors and the flashing buttons. Nonetheless this is your ultimate tool to solve the numerous problems that will occur as you progress with the mission as well as mastering basic navigation and I strongly recommend the careful reading of the exhaustive game manual.

The first real test is to get full control over the ship and make coordinated and coherent maneuvers, which is in fact much more difficult than it appears. If you are accustomed with this genre you'll find it to be a walk in a park but if this is your first encounter, then even the basic navigation commands which can be found in the NID (navigation information display) might represent a challenge. Of course there is the ever useful auto pilot who will bring you safe and fast to your destination but as soon as hostiles intervene with your assignment manual control is a must.

Galactic Command: Echo Squad SE is after all a space combat game so it's no wonder that the actual clash with enemy squadrons is the best part, and it is guaranteed to test your skills to the limit. A true leader will always be able to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency so a proper usage of the radar will allow you to see the enemy formation before it is within striking distance. Spotting the hostiles sooner will increase your chances but the way you manage to outmaneuver the enemy and unleash the deadly weapons mounted on your ship would eventually make the difference between victory and failure.

The arsenal is made up by a pair of guns and a complement of ten missiles which can inflict heavy damage on the unsuspecting enemy, but while the ammunition is unlimited for the guns, with just a brief period for recharging, the deadly missiles should be used wisely. Firing them at capital ships is the right choice, while the laser gun is the appropriate weapon in dealing with other fighters, who might jam or evade the highly priced missiles. Aiming properly is not the only concern here, distance is a determinant factor as your weapons gradually lose accuracy when the target gets farther and the damage also decreases at long distances.

We must remember that this is an episodic game that will include Episode 1 "Rise Of The Insurgents", Episode 2 "The Excalibur Gambit", Episode 3 "Lost Echo" and Episode 4 "The War Within" so only time will tell how this ambitious project will eventually wind up. So far it is only fair to say that the beginning is promising and while the hardcore fans will be ecstatic, it has the potential to win some new members who were not yet allowed in the "inner circle" of this genre.

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Conclusion:

Galactic Command: Echo Squad SE was stripped down by most of the complexity that made the previous titles somehow elitist, in order to make it more accessible to the general public. While this has been achieved and this latest addition still has enough depth to make it worthwhile it is still pretty much a niche game dedicated to the genre fans that were neglected by mainstream publishers.

 
Gameplay: 72

This is intended to be a space combat game and while it brilliantly succeeds in keeping alive the spirit of the old days, there is still very little it can do to get one step ahead of the game. The improvements are obvious but except for the savvy consumers and fans it still isn't catchy enough to lure the crowds and dramatically increase its popularity.

Graphics: 71

Sure enough the cockpit looks much better than in the previous release but for the uninitiated gamers it appears outdated and somewhat weird, a first impression which will most likely remain unchanged. The environment is pretty good looking with dynamic time and weather effects like constellations in the night sky or snow storms and the autopilot is a blessing if you want to take a couple of minutes off and admire the scenery but the actual combat doesn't have the edge in terms of visual effects.

Sounds: 78

The voice acting is arguably the best asset of this game if we speak about audio details, and the narrated tutorial is nothing short of appealing, as well as the inboard computer who is guaranteed to create a classy atmosphere in the cockpit. There have been made significant improvements in the way the weapons and missiles sound, but be aware that playing gunfire sounds for all hostile crafts in the immediate vicinity during large space battles could severely impact performance. Overall, the music is dynamic and fits in nicely, making those long voyages through space much more pleasant.

Multiplayer: 75

There are various types of multiplayer modes which are determined by the script that is running on the server and the default multiplayer scenario supports both co-op and deathmatch modes. A broadband is of course required but playing online with friends is indeed rewarding as it brings the game as close as it gets to its ultimate purpose: a dynamic space combat game to recapture the feel that mate this genre popular some time ago.

Hardware: 71

Improving the quality of terrain lighting, water rendering and reflection, weather effects and volumetric clouds rendering severely impacts performance.