Universal Combat

As long as I am reviewing games, I also downloaded the 5-level demo for "Universal Combat", which sounds intriguing in concept- according to its publisher, "Universal Combat is a game of incomprehensible scale that allows gamers to choose any aspect of combat they wish."

Well, if the game meant to simulate those goats that pass out when you scare them, it did a great job.

Other than that, I don't think I noticed much simulation.

But seriously. I see potential for the concept, but I barely see the concept represented in this game demo- and the demo is supposed to sell me on the real game.

I tried two of the levels, one in a ship, and one on foot on a planet. The game reminded me a lot of the fan missions made for the original Thief. Poorly planned and laid out, hard to figure out, and ugly as sin. Add to that essentially incomprehensible menus, no keymapping screen in the control options, and no way to escape out to those menus once playing... all these make for an early beta, not a release, and certainly nothing anyone should have to pay for.

Which, I suppose, is why the entire single-player game was released for free recently. I guess that's an upside.