Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command (PSP)
- Publisher:
- THQ
- Developer:
- THQ
- Release Date:
- 23.11.2007
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Reality Factor:
- Science Fiction
- Real Time:
- Turns
- Extra:
- Tactical
- Combat Status:
- Militaristic
- Age:
- Futuristic
- Type:
- Action
1 demo
We play Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command...
With the success of the Dawn of War series, the Warhammer 40,000 license is
hot property, so it's no surprise that we've now got a new Warhammer 40,000
game for the PSP. Trying to downsize the existing Warhammer strategy games
into a portable format isn't an option, so THQ has decided to team up with
RedLynx to produce a turn based strategy game - the result being Warhammer
40,000: Squad Command.
Strategy fans looking for some sort of deep tactical experience akin to
Dawn of War are going to be quite disappointed by Squad Command. Though
turn-based by nature, the level of planning and the tactics involved in
successfully playing Squad Command are quite pedestrian. This means that
the game is quite easy to learn, but at the same time given the scant
number of missions in the game means that the experience is quite short
lived.
Squad Command is very much ingrained in the lore of the Warhammer universe,
with many excellent visual designs for its characters. The game is a little
plain as far as in-game graphics go; they're not overly pretty, but they
get the job done. Still, there's the odd impressive moment, particularly
when a large explosion is triggered.
Squad Command's level of strategy may not be very demanding, but there are
some pretty solid game mechanics driving the experience. Controlling your
squad is fairly straight forward as the game uses an action point system
not unlike UFO Defense or Fallout. However, Squad Command takes it a bit
further by dropping the predetermined movement grid system of those games,
and adding more advanced elements such as fully destructible environments.
Players looking for a deep, thought provoking story are likely to be
disappointed by Squad Commanders no nonsense tale of war between the
Imperium and Chaos forces. Fortunately, there are a handful of particularly
cool pre-rendered cutscenes which are jam-packed full of explosive action.
The single player side of the game is made up of fifteen missions with very
straightforward objectives, usually consisting of clearing out a base or
killing all opposing soldiers on a map.
The objectives may not be especially imaginative, but Squad Command makes
up for it with some solid level design. Enemy troops have been placed in an
intelligent manner, and there's plenty of cover provided by buildings,
thick concrete walls, pipes and so on - and don't forget that it's all
fully destructible. This setup gives players a few options for how to storm
a base - do you go the long way and pick off the enemy troops and long
range, or do you get the demolition guys up front and plough your way
through the enemy's walls.
Enemy AI in Squad Command isn't particularly advanced - opponents generally
won't lead an attack on your soldiers out of the blue, rather having to be
provoked before launching into some sort of basic strategy. They're not
stupid, because they will capitalize on the mistakes you make, but don't
expect much in the way of surprises.
Of course, you can take on up to eight human opponents over ad-hoc or
infrastructure based multiplayer, provided one can find someone else with a
copy of the game. There are only nine maps to play, which is kind of anemic
compared to what most other turn-based strategy games offer. Nevertheless,
multiplayer matches are relatively exciting and free of lag.
There's one particular aspect of Squad Command that sours the whole
experience - the game's interface. The camera is an abomination; it's
completely rigid, the player's control is limited to only slightly panning
the viewpoint each way, and it's set too close to the action. It's
particularly annoying when trying to take enemies out at a distance, as one
cannot see everything that's in the path of the shot. An overhead map can
give you a good view of the battlefield, but isn't really ideal to use for
planning your moves.
As cool as the gridless action point system is, the developer manages to
sour it by making selection of your movement types overly clunky. It
doesn't really make much sense to have the camera control on the analogue
stick when it's the closest thing you've got to a mouse. Occasionally,
you'll make a mistake moving a character when you meant to shoot an enemy,
or vice versa, and it'll cost you dearly. Admittedly, players will get used
to the control after a number of missions, but it really seems like it's an
issue that could have been easily solved.
There's a simple yet competent strategy game within Warhammer 40,000: Squad
Command, but it's buried underneath a clunky interface, and there's not
nearly enough of it. There's a bit of untapped potential here, particularly
in the gridless movement system; perhaps if RedLynx had spend a little more
time on refining these aspects of the game, then they'd have a winner on
their hands.
Top Game Moment: Getting fed up with being stealth tactics, and blasting
your way through the enemy's defenses in a manner that's completely devoid
of subtlety.
hot property, so it's no surprise that we've now got a new Warhammer 40,000
game for the PSP. Trying to downsize the existing Warhammer strategy games
into a portable format isn't an option, so THQ has decided to team up with
RedLynx to produce a turn based strategy game - the result being Warhammer
40,000: Squad Command.
Strategy fans looking for some sort of deep tactical experience akin to
Dawn of War are going to be quite disappointed by Squad Command. Though
turn-based by nature, the level of planning and the tactics involved in
successfully playing Squad Command are quite pedestrian. This means that
the game is quite easy to learn, but at the same time given the scant
number of missions in the game means that the experience is quite short
lived.
 |
 |
|
| Never forget to check the valves on your gas pipes |
Leaving your soldiers too close together always ends in tears |
Squad Command is very much ingrained in the lore of the Warhammer universe,
with many excellent visual designs for its characters. The game is a little
plain as far as in-game graphics go; they're not overly pretty, but they
get the job done. Still, there's the odd impressive moment, particularly
when a large explosion is triggered.
Squad Command's level of strategy may not be very demanding, but there are
some pretty solid game mechanics driving the experience. Controlling your
squad is fairly straight forward as the game uses an action point system
not unlike UFO Defense or Fallout. However, Squad Command takes it a bit
further by dropping the predetermined movement grid system of those games,
and adding more advanced elements such as fully destructible environments.
Players looking for a deep, thought provoking story are likely to be
disappointed by Squad Commanders no nonsense tale of war between the
Imperium and Chaos forces. Fortunately, there are a handful of particularly
cool pre-rendered cutscenes which are jam-packed full of explosive action.
The single player side of the game is made up of fifteen missions with very
straightforward objectives, usually consisting of clearing out a base or
killing all opposing soldiers on a map.
 |
 |
|
| Line 'em up and press the trigger |
Roadkill! |
The objectives may not be especially imaginative, but Squad Command makes
up for it with some solid level design. Enemy troops have been placed in an
intelligent manner, and there's plenty of cover provided by buildings,
thick concrete walls, pipes and so on - and don't forget that it's all
fully destructible. This setup gives players a few options for how to storm
a base - do you go the long way and pick off the enemy troops and long
range, or do you get the demolition guys up front and plough your way
through the enemy's walls.
Enemy AI in Squad Command isn't particularly advanced - opponents generally
won't lead an attack on your soldiers out of the blue, rather having to be
provoked before launching into some sort of basic strategy. They're not
stupid, because they will capitalize on the mistakes you make, but don't
expect much in the way of surprises.
Of course, you can take on up to eight human opponents over ad-hoc or
infrastructure based multiplayer, provided one can find someone else with a
copy of the game. There are only nine maps to play, which is kind of anemic
compared to what most other turn-based strategy games offer. Nevertheless,
multiplayer matches are relatively exciting and free of lag.
There's one particular aspect of Squad Command that sours the whole
experience - the game's interface. The camera is an abomination; it's
completely rigid, the player's control is limited to only slightly panning
the viewpoint each way, and it's set too close to the action. It's
particularly annoying when trying to take enemies out at a distance, as one
cannot see everything that's in the path of the shot. An overhead map can
give you a good view of the battlefield, but isn't really ideal to use for
planning your moves.
 |
 |
|
| Sometimes the direct approach is the only way to go |
And sometimes you get shot to bits |
As cool as the gridless action point system is, the developer manages to
sour it by making selection of your movement types overly clunky. It
doesn't really make much sense to have the camera control on the analogue
stick when it's the closest thing you've got to a mouse. Occasionally,
you'll make a mistake moving a character when you meant to shoot an enemy,
or vice versa, and it'll cost you dearly. Admittedly, players will get used
to the control after a number of missions, but it really seems like it's an
issue that could have been easily solved.
There's a simple yet competent strategy game within Warhammer 40,000: Squad
Command, but it's buried underneath a clunky interface, and there's not
nearly enough of it. There's a bit of untapped potential here, particularly
in the gridless movement system; perhaps if RedLynx had spend a little more
time on refining these aspects of the game, then they'd have a winner on
their hands.
Top Game Moment: Getting fed up with being stealth tactics, and blasting
your way through the enemy's defenses in a manner that's completely devoid
of subtlety.
