Could use improvement – Sentinel 4: Dark Star Review

For this review I am trying to remain largely impartial but with a background from Sentinel 3: Homeworld. This game is fun. I'm not sure how it stacks up as much vs Homeworld as the better game though. Turret mechanics: I really like the buying improvements from credits earned by killing enemies in game. I also like the 2x2 and 3x3. But some turrets, I'm not sure if the DPS is worth using a fully upgraded colossus, or two upgraded beam turrets; the colossus seems under-powered when put that way. On that note, some kind of DPS (damage [dealt] per square) would be nice so we can better evaluate it; the colossus charges fire... is the damage on the label when fully charged? How long is the sustained fire at maximum damage, or is the whole sequence generate that damage cap? In homeworld, the better turret(s) and placements are obvious. I think it should be similar in this installment--at least I should be able to tell if placing a 3x3 is better than two 2x2's, and if the colossus is actually better vs the bosses. I dislike the shield/booster turrets also, for their one flaw: they can't shield themselves. They have one purpose, but can't provide thier own shield? Really? Working around using two right next to each other, but still rather annoying (and makes placing other, weaker turrets way more expensive/impractical). Also, Anti-air. Quite overpowered. Whereas I can place a lot of those turrets (each with a very large range and moderate to high damage, and slows the enemy), the equivalent ground-unit (bombs) are worthless in the higher levels. Even with the cluster, their damage is a pittance, and they do not provide the useful side-effect of slowing to offset that. Finally, the slow tower... I don't know if it's an improvement to freeze enemies like now, but I almost definitely prefer the extra slow ofr extra long "tri-boom" from S3:H. Possibly for the next installment/update, add a tree-system to buying upgrades for the "Final Evo", or give a choice. and a small cost to change to the other selection. Then you get some strategy as well. Orbital Weapons: Not happy. At all. The selection is very limited (where you have at least 1-4 other options so you have to decide what to put in which slot for everything else). Also, my orbital laser has been contaminated by the alien crystals and is now the power scrubber, great for polishing off small units, but only tickles the bosses. I can see removing the instant kill, now that there is 1.5 orbital laser charges on the sentinel and since you've updated and streamlined the power unit generation (I like those changes, good idea and job). but to have the laser (when placed over the boss for the whole duration) not even take off a quarter health? The orbital laser should do something like 25% remaining health damage per second, with a minimum damage of X (so it still instant kills little guys and can actually kill bosses at the end) and possibly last even a bit longer, but at around wave 100, it's little more than useless. As for the turret booster, I tried it around the same level (something I also did at pre-laser needing levels in S3:H), and... there was no difference. Bosses still shrugged off the damage just like before. Is it broken? Or just not a strong enough boost to matter? The other weapons? I loved the rockets/targeted repair beam. They helped a lot in early campaign. The ion bomb is also a wonderful tool there. I haven't used the slow much, but since you increased the duration while maintaining the small power draw, it's alright in my book. It's just a shame the 'endgame-worthy' powers got neutered. Map design: Quite ingenious, but overall, very frustrating. Yes, you limited areas that are 2x2 and 3x3 compatible, and for a decent reason. But by doing so, you also limited or removed completely the ability to form blocks (which was their main function) around the shield/booster turrets (because we need that real-estate for beam/artillery units, which actually do damage). There are a lot of places in maps where the 1x* sections stretch on and on, and with only highly under-powered units fitting in a 1x1 square, needing 2 shield units per 2 turrets, and only getting 2 "powered" turrets out of that? It's a bit beyond annoying. Add to it the fact that if you place turrets there stand-alone style (like you did in S3:H when booster blocs cut down on DPS), you just wasted your time and money within 2-3 waves, when either a boss or wave of 'damaging' units pass by. Star fragments: I love this idea. I can do campaign (last level, on psycho, multiple times) and get a xp boost for my commander. I can buy 150% power on my turrets and 200% health for my buildings for a mission. And you can reliably get fragments while playing in-game (or buy them if you desire). What I dislike, though, is having endless scores be based off of how much money you want to spend. The command center blows up? Buy a new one for 20 fragments and continue. I've not tried blowing it up again, but having that and allowing you to buy more fragments while still in the mission? It's disappointing. There should at least be 'strong-man' endless, where you can't use fragment dmg/health boosts (credit/xp is fine), and no buy-backs. Overall... just because this game is still reasonably fun (not counting endless), I give it 3/5 stars because of the aforementioned issues. S3:H is still better in my books, but at least this version has an idea to keep me wanting to play after I maxed campaign and commander, though I still think you should be able to use credits to buy expendable energy units for the sentinel that last for the next mission, etc. There is no permanent expendable option for credits earned, just a large amount that can be soaked up in turrets. Update: Just got a "turret limit reached"... Um... What? Can't even fill in all the spots with towers anymore?
Review by Gamma Lead on Sentinel 4: Dark Star.