So, while the game’s rough edges may be off putting, you should still check out Salvation Prophecy if you are looking for a change of pace, or if you are starving for a space combat game, of which there have been very few lately.
Be prepared to grind for several hours before the game's rhythm picks up and its diversity compels you towards the exciting closing battles that reveal Salvation Prophecy's best attributes.
Salvation Prophecy is the epitome of 'gem in the rough'. I had my eye on it for some time, and was very glad I ended up grabbing it. The game progresses you all the way from a basic army grunt up to a high ranking military leader. Along the way you will participate in increasingly challenging ground combat missions and space combat missions. You will gain rank, spend skill points, buy new equipment upgrade your ship, etc all the while progressing through the thoughtfully written story arc which melds well with the gameplay and ends in a farily dramatic fashion.
The combat is fun, the game is challenging and there's even some 4x elements as you get further into the game. The fact that the game was created by 1 guy is absolutely incredible. The only reason I give it a 9 instead of a full 10 is that I'd like to see a bit more content in the game. More weapons, more ships, etc. But that's a fairly small beef. I'd also like to point out that it took me 12ish hours to complete the campaign, and not ONCE did I come across a crash/bug/glitch of any kind. The game is rock solid.
All in all, Salvation Prophecy is a full package ground combat, space combat, RPG elements, 4x elements, and an epic story joining it all together. This is what indie gaming is all about. If you're a fan of the space genre at all, you will want to check this one out.
If you love a good space romp and shooty shooty lasers you owe it yourself to try this one.
First off It's best not to play the first half hour or so and judge the game right away. Yes, it's an indie game (made by pretty much one man, no less) and the graphics and animations won't impress anyone in 2013, but they are more than satisfactory and should not detract from the experience. Actually I'd say the dev did a very good job with the artwork and resources he had.
This is more arcade than sim. When you're in ground combat, the fighting is relatively simple and more about how you approach the battle and manage your stims (health packs/power ups essentially) as well as focussing your fire with your teammates (instead of going Rambo on your own, good luck with that) rather than being some futuristic simulator.
Same for space fighter battle, your ship controls are tight and direct rather than some floaty monstrosity. I think it's a whole lot more fun the way it is though and makes battle very satisfying and intense.
Yes, there is both ground combat and space fighter combat. As well as this, the game has an RPG-lite element to it with leveling up and skill allocation.
There is a storyline too... but it's presented in a more dynamic and organic way than most. This is not an RPG with tonnes of dialog or cutscenes. But there is a storyline and things just... happen, as you go along in the game, progressing your character and upgrading your kit. It's difficult to explain, but to me, it's pretty ingenious.
I couldn't really talk about the storyline without any spoilers, but it's certainly worth checking out and as I said, it feels natural in the way that it progresses, rather than scripted.
To my original point about not judging the game too early things start out fairly slowly and seem quite easy. But trust me, keep playing and progressing and battles, whether ground or in space, just get more and more intense, plus more tech is unveiled as throughout the game adding more dangers and strategies to your battles (i.e battleships protecting space stations in space, or buildings that can shoot lasers and defend themselves on ground or flying troops etc).
The game is described as a "space military epic" and that's pretty much what you get, because it does get epic. But you know what else? Get to the highest rank in game and you can control your own faction, GIVING orders rather than taking them. Suddenly the game takes on an RTS element, with troop, buildings and resource management and the like.
You just about get 3 games in one and for a price that is less $20, I'd suggest is easily worth it. Highly recommend.
Action, RPG and strategy in small doses, technically in the 2000s, Salvation Prophecy is a bit like the skeleton of a real AAA game. Firedance Games approaches, with its own financial and human resources, everything that makes a good game, and we can't help but imagine how much it would be sexy with a lot more meat on the bones.
Salvation Prophecy is a good example of how the whole can be greater than its parts. Or something like that. This is an Indy Game made by a person who wanted to create a space game that explored galactic conflict in a way AAA titles wont. The vastly different types of gameplay mean that none are as detailed as a game would be that concentrates on that one aspect. But every part of the game is enjoyable and together make for a fun package. So while the third person shooter part has been done way better in third person shooters, I will still run to the dropship to support the rest of the Salvation troops in the planetary invasion of a Drone colony. And I will join the rest of the Salvation fleet to defend our space station from the Wyr.
Once the game progresses and more abilities are unlocked, and keeping in mind that the four different factions do have significantly different play-styles, even parts that looked simple at first can reveal hidden depths. Having to navigate hyperjumps and wormholes adds to that unexpected depth.
Yes the graphics are dated. Then again, we don't play indy games for the graphics but for the innovation.
So while this game isn't for everyone, those who want this game may just realize it is exactly the game they want ;)
I will have to play it at least twice to experience both endings. Or four times to experience all factions...
Salvation Prophecy combines simple gameplay elements (space fights, third person shooter, strategy, rpg) into an ambitious, wide-ranging space epic that is more than the sum of its parts. Players that favor gameplay over graphics will be pleased with this indie title.
Well I'm a couple of hours in. I did a bit of the Wyr and I did a bit of the telepathic mutant warrior women turian things. I haven't gotten to any resource management or leadership with either, which is where everyone says the game opens up and gets good.
My opinion so far: Did you really do this solo? If so, I'm impressed! The graphics are a little dated, but not so bad it's distracting. The ground combat is ok, there are several things I would tweak. Better cover, squad controls (like "Go here" or "Defend this"), get rid of bad guys spawning because I killed a building and replace it with defenders jumping out of windows or turrets mounted on the buildings or something, make some troops focus on ranged attacks and have others focus on running at the enemy lines and stabbing(this will make it feel a little less zerg-y). But all in all, it's ok. The reviews all say it gets better as you go as well.
For the space combat, I love the wormholes and warp tunnels. That's really cool. But the dogfighting is not nearly as much fun as I was expecting. Maybe slow the speed of all the ships by half or something. It's hard when you get about 2 seconds on target before they zoom off-screen. I would also really like to see where you can allocate energy. Put energy to guns and they can shoot more before running out of juice, but your engines are slower and shields don't regen. Which brings me to my next point. SHIELDS SHOULD REGEN. Sorry to yell like that. Starship shields should regen. That's just the way it is. And I think an energy allocation would be nice too. Max shield regen but move like a turtle and can't hold down the fire button. Balance it all out for balanced combat. This allows even the same ships to act like much more, making it feel like there are many more ship choices without having to add extra ship models.
All in all: Lots of promise. Lots of tweaking that could be done. A game that eventually could be a major time sink if a few things are fleshed out. Definitely worth $10. On sale for $15, buy it if you like the genre. At $20 I would find it hard to recommend but could justify it.
But most importantly: Support the game because you are supporting independent games development of passion projects. Not the massive industry of hollywood rip-offs and quarterly profit reports.
This game seems very mediocre. After trying all 3 factions to start and running through the first "take planet" mission, the game seems really shallow. Sure, it tries to be FPS/ Space piloting and RPG, but all of these are spread so thin that I started looking for something else to play within a couple hours
This game should be in the 5$ price range. The loading screen looks like a high school kid's attempt at a Photoshop image, with its only redeeming factor being the decent intro art. Animations and graphics are what I expect from early 2000 games, the story line is vague and confusing, and game play feels repetitive and tedious.
What really bothers me though is how they manage to make a space combat game so dark, depressing, and for lack of a better word, lame. How hard is it to make a cool looking spaceship? And why does every space station, planet and every corner of space have to look dark and dismal?