Once you read the manual you will be able to take advantage of 2 crucial things: multi-target homing missiles; and identifying primary objective targets. Without the latter you will get NOWHERE in the game.
Pros:
Fans will appreciate the art work that can be unlocked in the gameincluding Ralph Mc Quarrie paintings.
You get to check-off one of your childhood todosie fly a Viper. You get to fly from within the cockpit of the viper as well as cylon marauder. If you press and hold the Y button while in this view, your viewpoint turns slightly as if you are turning your headso you can see to the left and right of your cockit.
Cutscenes are pretty cool but unfornately are very grainy.
Game is more enjoyable when you have read the manual and are better able to control the Viper's systems.
Your weapons automatically aim at a target to a limited degreethis gives it the same feel as in the original series. I think more space-sims should do this.
Sound effects of laser cannons and turbo are from the original series.
Game soundtrack is an updated version of the score from the original series.
Cons:
The game is hard and there are no cheats. You have to do things pretty quickly or you will miss your opportunity.
Expect to have to sit thru the first mission at least twice to get through it. First time to get used to the controls. Second time to fully grok the controls from what you've read in the manual. And maybe one more time to really win the mission.
Game sequences between saves are long so if you die you have to start all over.
Cutscenes are grainy.
This game is not worth paying full price, but now that it has hit the bargain bins, I think it is well worth it. Come on, you get to finally check off that "fly a viper" item in your geek-childhood-todo-list. You know the one I'm talking about, the one right below: "Fly down the trench and destroy the Death Star"
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I will start with the simple truth: Battlestar Galactica is an extremely difficult game. If one has the patience, it is also a rewarding game that's a lot of fun to play.The lack of a tutorial makes reading the instruction manual absolutely necessary. Since there are no "free flight" levels, one simply has to learn on the fly. As a bit of advice, read the manual's "targeting" section multiple times. Once you've got this down, the game becomes infinitely easier. In this game, missiles are your best ally.
As pointed out by other reviewers, the lack of save points between mission sections is frustrating, and as the game progresses it may even seem that the game has a personal vendetta against the player, ever requesting further "impossible" tasks, all within the same mission. As a final complaint, certain target objectives are VERY hard to locate, and in true "Death Star" style, are the ONLY vulnerable point on the target.
However, the graphics, cut-scenes, music (especially the music), voice acting, flight control, and vast array of available craft (each with unique traits) are all superb! Real-time missile configuration along with a "fire and forget" locking system alleviate some of the previously mentioned stress. There is a wide variety of mission types (pilot, gunner, bomber) and listening to Adama evolve from eager rookie to vengeful and grizzly veteran is an enjoyable parallel to the player's own gaming experience.
I recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a challenging flight sim, but only if one has an abundance of patience.
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As a longtime fan of the Battlestar Galactica TV series, it pains me to write this review. But here it is.Great looking game, lots of attention to detail, but PLEASE believe the other reviews. This game is IMPOSSIBLY difficult and there are almost NO save points between missions. I say this as as a veteran gamer -there is no excuse for having to play a mission for 45 minutes only to die at the end and have to start over from scratch.
After a dozen attempts at a certain level sequence, even the most hardcore gamer will want to kill himself. AVOID this game unless you literally have NO job, NO life, NO time for anything other than ENDLESSSSSS repeats of missions over and over.
With so many top-notch games like Halo and Splinter Cell and Max Payne available, there is NO EXCUSE for this piece of refuse. The tiniest amount of product testing would have prevented ALL these problems. This game was RUSHED to release; OR, the game designers are INCOMPETENT. Take your pick.
In addition, the designers (look them up online), don't reply to emails if you are asking for tips or help. Buy this game only if you are seeking a surefire direct route to migraine headaches.
Again: AVOID THIS GAME AT ALL COSTS!!!
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I was intrigued by the degree of the reviews of this game and being a Galactica fan myself when it first aired, curiosity got the best of me. I give it a big thumbs up.It is true, the skies are literally crawling with Cylons, your fellow pilots are begging for help, your wingmen need managing, your missile system needs tailoring for the current task, all while being shot at and tracked by enemy missiles with the goal of the mission just a hair's breath away from being a missed opportunity. To top that, you have only one chance at it without having to start the level over. So, it is not for the faint of heart and not the kind of game that would cater to a broader audience. My only experience prior to a similar game where you fly missions to earn metals is the Star Wars Rogue Squadron series and I usually find a way to win by taking unfair advantage of the A.I. Not so easily done in BSG. There are some rare opportunities that make themselves evident, but getting out alive and advancing in the game really rests on how you use the Viper to your advantage. It takes plenty of practice and timing to master evasive maneuvers found in the flight manual, but will make a big difference in not getting hit. Your ship also sports a way to recharge weapons and repair damage and finding time to take advantage of this is also crucial.
As you progress and unlock new material, you will find the game to be a little multimedia center for things Galactica. You can run ingame movies, play DVD ads of the old and new series, see voiceover outtakes with Dirk Benedict, look at Ralph McQuarrie concept paintings, and view ingame models of the ships that you can rotate and examine. The graphics and sound (with an exception to a few voiceovers) truly runs parallel with the series, both old and new. I do agree with other reviews that this game could use a tutorial or training mission. Winning missions is based on how well you survive and with that in mind, it wouldn't hurt to get a hands-on test of the various ships before being thrown literally into a maelstrom without some notion on how to use that ship's abilities. My only other beef would be with replay. It's a short fifteen missions with very distinct goals. It would be great to have a few more missions thrown in or an open ended endurance level where you do nothing, but practice buzzing around the Galactica or baseship and shoot down Cylons until you are picked off. That alone keeps the game from being perfect. However, despite that detail, it's worth it if you like heavy doses of action and nerve wracking sudden death, do or die gameplay.
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Visually beautiful, awesome physics (about halfway between real world and the TV series, usually in your favor), perfect soundtrack and voice acting. Story and technology is a seamless blend of old and new series ideas, and the viper is the most fun-to-fly vehicle in any game I've played.It's worth persisting. Learn to use the 'smart' missiles; eventually you'll be turboing toward the next target long before they hit, confident that they'll find their mark.
The lack of a save option is absolutely insane, especially when you're in one of those @#$% "protect rather suicidal AI teammate" modes, but it's the only thing wrong with the game, hence the 3 ovarall and 5 for fun.
