gsb posts

Gratuitous Space Battles is still receiving support from its developer. When we initially reviewed the game, we also covered an expansion released shortly afterward titled The Tribe. It focused on a group of environmentalist aliens, in the same way that each of the other factions focused on a different trope or joining element. The newly released expansion pack The Order adds yet another group of aliens to the fray, but like The Tribe, it also throws in a few things besides just some fancy new ships graphics.

There's a saying that is best used in a situation like this. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Gratuitous Space Battles might, in fact, be mistaken for a high-definition imitation of the classic freeware game Battleships Forever, which we have featured on Freeware Friday before. Gratuitous Space Battles sets itself apart from its look-alike in many ways, despite this easy comparison. Some players, most notably those entrenched in the norms of regular strategy gameplay, may find its own particular deviations on strategy incomprehensible or difficult beyond the first few encounters, which is entirely to be expected. However, as a whole, Gratuitous Space Battles moves the genre forward in general, and provides a good point for casual players to experience strategy firsthand.