First impression: oh fun, another game that doesn't play nicely with my GeForce4. :/ I have to run the game in a window OR in a resolution larger than my desktop, or part of it is off the screen..which isn't feasable because it makes everything smaller. Too small.
Looks a lot prettier than SAIS, and more importantly the ships in combat aren't semi-transparent any more (that drove me nuts in SAIS..). I still can't see any way to zoom combat in/out besides automaticlly, and the controls are quite different.
The zooming in/out of the main map is interesting, but it'll get old reaal quickly.
Otherwise the main map interface is better..you can actually switch between windows now, I don't think that worked in the SAIS demo. (it does open up an interesting exploit involving activating the Klakkar beacon, selling it, then buying 1-credit items to trade to the Klakkar..)
The hyperdrive "Takes nearly two months to recharge" but you can still use it to pop instantly back if you have to retreat..
Same with the Helmsman
There seems to be a few more possible options at each star, which is good..more variety that way.
My best score so far is 13,000..care of finding the Hyperdrive early. I also found a cloaking device early on, letting me take out loads of enemy ships without much return fire..finding the Particle Vortex Cannon just turned it even more one sided.
(four ta-ru ships killed without them firing a shot..)
Impressions of the demo..
Linear Mode
