Which brings to the next point. The player doesn’t actually do anything during the battle but watch. You can modify the speed that the battle progresses, watching it pass by slowly to grab every detail or at high speeds. However, no real commands can be issued during this time. The only choice is to sit and watch as your units battle it out with the foe. There is some giddy level of entertainment to this, but players with a Captain Kirk mindset may not find much long lasting entertainment value.

Still, as stated, the developer attempts to make the game very accessible. There are plenty of tutorial ships already built and A.I. priorities pre-set. When building a new ship the placement of equipment and weaponry doesn’t have an overall effect, unlike deeper simulations. Still, things such as cost, weight and performance are worth keeping in mind when going up against your opponents.

The multiplayer options are rather limited as well. Instead of being able to go head to head with other players you download their “challenges”. You can come up with a fleet of your own and upload it as a “challenge”, throwing in modifications such as no shields or half-shield power. This provides additional distraction, certainly, but it also limits the possibilities that multiplayer could have had. Instead of intimate matches with other players you are merely downloading more single player campaigns. Many of which will be too easy for truly advanced players and yet too difficult for casual strategists.

Still, the overall package is pretty decent. The game can perform well on a variety of platforms, though I personally have experienced some laggy taskbar issues when closing the game. No idea at the cause as it is not consistent with each playthrough, but overall my experience was pleasant on a shoddy gaming laptop. The only real problem is the roughly $20 price tag. If you really like being an armchair general, then this game is a steal. However, if you only like to do some dabbling, then it’s probably double the price point you’re really looking for.