Falling Skies: The Game is a turn-based tactical game in which players control fire teams of human soldiers from 2d Massachusetts as they work their way through a campaign and attempt to piece together a powerful weapon to combat aliens who have invaded Earth. Called the Espheni, these invaders boast advanced weaponry, robot-like biped weapon platforms, mind-controlled humans and spider-like skitters with which to fight.
During combat, each soldier is allowed to take two actions: move and shoot, move twice, or shoot twice. A blue outline highlights how far he can move at one time. Staying within this outline allows him to fire his weapon as his second action, while moving beyond it prevents him from doing so.
Soldiers often are killed; however, if players can keep them alive, they will be able to choose from a variety of skills to bestow upon them. These include “cover,” which allows a soldier to fire at nearby enemies, and “point man,” which enables him to fire after spending two actions sprinting. Additionally, at the camp store players can find or purchase a wide variety of weapons, including rocket launchers and even alien weaponry.
On the down side, the game has some quirky camera angles, cumbersome animations and weak alien artificial intelligence. It also does not include a multiplayer component – although that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Too many games today seem to require an Internet connection, or else the developers fall over themselves polishing the multiplayer mode at the expense of the campaigns. The problem here, however, is that the campaign missions can be a bit repetitive.
Overall, Falling Skies: The Game is worth a play through for anyone who enjoys turn-based tactical games, and it is a great fit for those who are into the long-standing Falling Skies universe.
Mark H. Walker is a retired U.S. Navy commander and the author of over 40 books, including three novels. Read his insights into gaming, writing and living at overdaedge.blog spot.com or markhwalker.com.
Originally published in the May 2015 issue of Armchair General.
