Eterium – Reviewed
By Marcus Estrada
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[dropcap]I[/dropcap]’m not normally the kind of guy who cares about sci-fi storylines. For whatever reason, my interests always trended toward the technology of today with no consideration for Star Trek, Star Wars, or Battlestar Galactica. Yet, Wing Commander entered my life as a far future flight sim and blew me away. Eterium has managed to cause the same reaction in me again thanks to its roots in classic space combat games.
Eterium beings when you join up with the Earth Alliance carrier Canopus as their latest pilot. The Canopus is already bustling with skilled pilots who have been doing their best to defend against an alien race. These aliens, known as the Revi, are unrelenting beasts. No matter what your mission is they’re always poised to get in the way. Space is definitely a dangerous place and becomes the graveyard of many pilots.
Missions come in a variety of flavors but usually end up as engaging dogfights. The first battles might be a little tough as you get used to the ship’s control, but soon enough piloting becomes second nature. After a while, I was no longer wasting copious amounts of bullets and acting like a sitting duck. Of course, as you improve Eterium’s missions also become more challenging. When once there were only a couple Revi ships there will suddenly be larger waves. Stages become quite tense at points but that’s what makes the experience so fantastic.
Taking command of the various in-game crafts works best with a flight stick, but gamers with a 360 controller or mouse will find it works just as well. No matter the control scheme, once you get into Eterium it is hard to put down. There are just so many epic moments that occur time and time again. An example from my playthrough was when my bullets were slowing as an enemy charged at me head on. I stayed the course with my enemy and managed to shoot them down as they were inches from my own craft, sailing through the exploded mess. It was exhilarating and just one of many such moments during my playthrough.
What I had loved so much about old Wing Commander games was the vastness of space, determination of enemies, and becoming a skilled space pilot. All of this is true of Eterium as well. Beyond the impressive flight controls and battles there is even a story to keep players engaged. Before embarking on missions you can talk to your pilot partners in the lounge. Such simple touches like these make the game feel more alive and interesting.
It is obvious that developer Rogue Earth has a love for classic space flight sims; Eterium oozes with aspects similar to them but still provides a modern experience. Anyone who had a love for classic titles like X-Wing and Wing Commander definitely needs to pick Eterium up, but they’re not the only ones. Players who want a game to get their blood pumping should also consider a purchase. You’ll only need to jump into the cockpit once to see how awesome Eterium is.
[divider][facebook][tweet][Google][pinterest][follow id=”Cliqist” size=”large” count=”true” ] [author image=”http://cliqist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/marcus.jpg” ] Marcus is a fellow with a love for video games, horror, and Japanese food. When he’s not writing about games for a multitude of sites, he’s usually still playing one. One day when he became fed up with the way sites would ignore niche titles he decided to start his own site by the name of Pixel Pacas. Writing about video games is something he hopes to continue doing for many years to come. Some of Marcus’s favorite games include Silent Hill 2, Killer7, and The Sims. [/author]
