OFFWORLD TRADING COMPANY STRATEGY GAMES SERIES
It pains me that I’ve referred back to my experience with the Civilization series multiple times, but each time I find a frustration with Offworld I can’t help but remember how it’s already been done elsewhere and better. When you first begin the game, you are required to win a single Skirmish game before starting the campaign. Unfortunately, Offworld makes it clear very early on that this is a game about going to war with the others on the planet. The Black Market offers a range of services that revolve around ruining other people’s lives, so get used to it. Mutinies are more directly effective, making the employees present at any one building go AWOL and potentially even begin sending the resources they’re creating to you instead. So once you’re financially secure, it’s time to take down everyone else.ĮMPs are a good bet – use the large area-of-effect it has to shut down multiple buildings, potentially getting your opponents into hot water without their necessary resources.
OFFWORLD TRADING COMPANY STRATEGY GAMES UPGRADE
You have no surplus of unnecessary materials, you are in profit, you are creating high-value resources and you are able to upgrade your home base. Essentially, you should be running the best business. Offworld isn’t a world-building strategy game like Civilization, Offworld is an RTS where you outplay other players – AI or CPU – by using underhanded tactics. The early minutes of the game are immediately rewarding – and then the neighbors get involved.Īs I’ve mentioned, you’re not alone on this new planet, and that’s going to be the source of some frustration. Building up your base and creating buildings to craft and source more resources is a straightforward exercise. The ability to change the market trends and capitalize on shortages of particular resources to make money is genius, and few other games give you this hands-on control. I’ve already mentioned the resource system, and I have to say I adore it. Offworld very clearly takes heavy inspiration from games like Civilization, and the attempt of turning that style of game into a space-based RTS where you overwhelm enemies with your wits is indeed a clever one – shame it’s not one I can particularly enjoy. Long, drawn-out battles in Civilization V are a treat to me, a vast game of chess played over a huge game board lasting for hours at a time. This is where Offworld Trading Company breaks down for me. Using these, you can disable large sections of a neighbor’s base, driving up prices of resources they cannot attain by themselves, and, as you might’ve guessed by now, go to war. Also, they don’t sell anything interesting like drugs or guns, instead they seem to specialize in pseudo-militaristic espionage, with tools such as EMPs and “Mutinies” available to purchase. The Black Market in space is a bit weird – for one, every time you buy something you need to wait just under a minute to be able to work with them again. This simple back-and-forth allows you to make to make cunning and malicious plans, with help from The Black Market. Similarly, buying large amounts of any resource drives the price up. Bad news for your neighbors if it’s their main money maker. For example, decide to sell large amounts of your Silicon and the price for it will be driven down. Unlike many other strategy games of its kind, Offworld gives the player more direct control over resources, which can also affect your neighbors in a number of interesting ways. Offworld Trading Company is all about running a business whilst in the depths of space. Gathering food and water is going to be a concern, creating materials so you can build upon and expand your home base is also going to be a concern and – oh yeah – everyone else who lands on the planet is going to be a monumental pain in the rear end. Landing on an alien planet is going to be difficult for absolutely anyone – save for perhaps the Mars Rover. Offworld Trading Company April 28th, 2016