Galactic Reign

Overview

Galactic Reign is a turn based multiplayer game for Windows 8 and Windows Phone, developed by Slant Six and published by Microsoft Studios. The goal of the game is to 'conquer the galaxy' as the intro scene explains. While a component of the game called 'Battle Academy' is played in singleplayer, the focus of the game lies on it's multiplayer component in which a single game can be played between two people. It features elaborate cloud-rendered battle sequences that are different depending on the ships, and number of ships, used.

Gameplay

Being a multiplayer focused turn based strategy game, a single typical game of Galactic Reign lasts between 15 and 25 turns and can be played and completed within an hour, or over the course of several days or even weeks depending on activity. You control up to four units at any given time. These units are displayed in the basic overview of the game. Any unit can be moved from one planet to another, if those planets are connected. There are several planets on the map, with up to three planets that earn you 'Victory Points' when you have a unit stationed there. Any planet, including those that earn you Victory Points, can be colonized. This means that you will pay a certain number of resources, the game's currency, and your unit will remain on that planet until the next turn. By the next turn, the planet will have been colonized and you receive resources from it every turn, which increases by every turn until it reaches it's maximum resource output. Colonizing planets that provide Victory Points will also enable you to receive Victory Points while not having a unit stationed there in addition to the standard resource income. The player who accumulates 25 Victory Points will win the game.

Resources can be used to purchase new ships for any of your units. There are a wide variety of units available. The purpose of the combat is to use ships that are well suited to take on the ships the other player is using. Certain ships are outstanding in combat against other types of ships and can easily defeat a force much larger and more costly. Besides different kinds of ships, every ship can be equipped with different types of weapons and shields. Some ships, mostly the larger ones, can hold multiple weapons and shields. Certain weapons are better at destroying a certain type of ship, but are ineffective at destroying another type of ship. Because of the variety in ships, weapons and shields, this mix and match system is where the strategy comes from. In order to be victorious, you often have to use ships that are effective at destroying your opponents ships, but also think ahead and anticipate your opponent to build ships to counter yours.

Whenever two opposing units move to the same planet, they will then automatically engage in combat. Using cloud-rendered battle sequences, you can view the results of the battle the next turn. Because this uses a lot of data, this feature can be turned off. This will eliminate the visual appeal of the game, but the game will still be playable and functional. Both players need to apply this in the options in order for it to take effect.

There are three unique species in the game, each of which has their very own set of ships, weapons and shields. Some weapons and shields may exist among species, but in general, each species plays distinctly different and requires a different strategy.

Species

Alkari Ascendancy

Quote: 'Ascendency through technology'.

Description: The Alkari typically use advanced technology to gain the edge in combat. Popular technology Alkari uses are the Cloaking Device, Defensive Warp, Dispersion Matrix and Singularity Warheads.

Sundog Battalion

Quote: 'Hit first. Hit hard. Never back down'.

Description: The Sundog use aggressive, resilient and fast ships to gain the edge in combat. Popular technology Sundog uses are the Afterburners, Armor Plating, Micro Missiles, Terra Mortar and Ramming Striker.

The Zorn

Quote: 'No force can withstand the machine mind'.

Description: The Zorn use an overwhelming force of machine produced drones and advanced AI to gain the edge in combat. Popular technology the Zorn uses are Factory ships, Aggressor/Hunter/Assault Drones, Ghost Signalers and Targeting Hacker.

Ships, Weapons and Shields

Ships are listed below. Numbers of weapons correlate to the following: damage-rate of fire-range. List is still incomplete.

Alkari Ships

Light Striker
Health 1 / Speed 30
Weapons: 1
Shields: None
Cost: 3

Evasive: 60%
Fast, light fighters. Their evasiveness causes many attacks aimed at them to miss.

Assault Striker
Health 3 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 1
Cost: 8

Evasive: 20%
Fragile striker with high-damage weapons. Deadly to larger ships at close range.

Gunship Destroyer
Health 40 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 1
Cost: 15

Small front-line gunship. Can be fitted with weapons to target a variety of ships, especially strikers.

Assault Destroyer
Health / Speed
Weapons: 1
Shields: 1
Cost:

Fragile destroyer with high-damage, short-range weapons. Deadly to battleships and dreadnaughts at close range.

Gunship Cruiser
Health 250 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 2
Cost: 50

Durable front-line gunship. Can be fitted with weapons to target a variety of ships, especially strikers.

Artillery Cruiser
Heatlh 190 / Speed 10
Weapons: 1
Shields: 2
Cost: 100

Artilery cruiser with high-damage long-range weapons. Powerful if protected from swarms of small ships.

Heavy Battleship
Health 2700 / Speed 10
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost: 300

Armor: 1
Armored battleship with powerful medium-range weapons.

Artillery Battleship
Health / Speed
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost:

Artillery battleship that deals high damage at long range.

Dreadnaught
Health / Speed
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost: 1000

Massive armored dreadnaught with devastating long-range weapons.

Sundog Ships

Light Striker
Health 1 / Speed 30
Weapons: 1
Shields: None
Cost: 3

Evasive: 30%
Small strike craft. Their evasiveness causes some attacks aimed at them to miss.

Ramming Striker
Health 2 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 1
Cost: 6

Evasive: 10%
Lightly armed, autopiloted assault striker that slams into destroyer class or larger hulls, dealing 70 damage.

Gunship Destroyer
Health 40 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 1
Cost: 20

Base Armor: 1
Front-line gunship. Can be fitted with weapons to target a variety of ships, especially strikers.

Assault Destoyer
Health 30 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 1
Cost: 15

Fragile destroyer with high-damage, short-range weapons. Deadly to larger ships at close range.

Brawler Cruiser
Health 270 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 2
Cost: 50

Base Armor: 1
Durable front-line gunship. Can be fitted with a variety of weapons.

Bombardment Cruiser
Health 200 / Speed 10
Weapons: 1
Shields: 2
Cost: 80

Artillery cruiser with long-range weapons. Can target a variety of classes of ships.

Brawler Battleship
Health / Speed
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost:

Armored juggernaut battleship, designed to fight at close range.

Bombardment Battleship
Health 1800 / Speed 10
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost: 400

Artillery battleship with very long range. Can target a variety of classes of ships.

Brawler Dreadnaught
Health / Speed
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost: 1000

Armored dreadnaught with brutal short range weapons.

Bombardment Dreadnaught
Health 6000 / Speed 10
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost: 1000

Bombardment dreadnaught with devastating long-range weapons.

Zorn Ships

Factory Destroyer
Health 20 / Speed 10
Weapons: 1 (+ drone)
Shields: 1
Cost: 15

Launches 2 drones at the start of combat. Most effective against strikers.

Predator Destroyer
Health 50 / Speed 20
Weapons: 1
Shields: 1
Cost: 15

Flexible short-range destroyer. Can be configured to be strong against strikers or against larger ships.

Factory Cruiser
Health 250 / Speed 10
Weapons: 1 (+drone)
Shields: 2
Cost: 80

Launches 10 drones at the start of combat. Can be equipped with a variety of weapons to support its drones.

Predator Cruiser
Health / Speed
Weapons: 1
Shields: 2
Cost:

Durable front-line fighter. Can be fitted with weapons to be effective against strikers, destroyers or cruisers.

Factory Battleship
Health 1800 / Speed 10
Weapons: 1 (+drone)
Shields: 3
Cost: 400

Launches up to 150 drones over the course of combat. Carries artillery to support its drones from long range.

Predator Battleship
Health / Speed
Weapons: 2
Shields: 3
Cost: 400

Heavy front-line battleship with powerful short- or medium-range weapons.

Factory Dreadnaught
Health: 6000 / Speed 10
Weapons: 1 (+drone)
Shields: 3
Cost: 1000

Launches up to 450 drones over the course of combat. Carries artillery to support its drones from long range.