Product Reviews

Huge space battles are among the most appealing aspects of science fiction. Sword of the Stars aims to bring these to life and gives you control of your own interstellar race as you vie for domination on a universal scale.

There are four races from which to choose, from the distinctly average Humans to the aggressive but technologically lacking Tarka. While there are a few set scenarios to play, you have complete control in the custom games. These let you set the number of opponents and planets and even the length of the game. It's flexible, and means you should never

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have to play the same game twice.

Part of the game is to develop new weapons and technology through the research pane. The technology you can develop is randomised each time you play, so you'll never be able to develop the same products twice. It also means that if you're playing against opponents of the same race, they won't be able to develop the same technology as you.

It's a complex game to learn, and is not helped by the basic tutorial, which consists of a few screens of text. You're better off playing a few of the starter scenarios and learning that way. The strategy parts of the game - researching, building ships and moving your fleet - are turn-based and easy to pick up. Combat, however, is real-time. By default, combat is limited to 250 seconds, which sounds like a lot but actually passes quickly, often with no satisfactory conclusion. Bumping the time limit up helps a lot. Combat is still tricky to learn, though, and the tactical display can be confusing and difficult to use.

Sword of the Stars isn't quite perfect, but it's a sprawling, complex and enjoyable space simulation that you can come back to time and time again.