Battlestar Galactica Online is a video game based on the science fiction television series of the same name. This game follows the events of the most recent TV series previously seen on the Sy-Fy network and not the 1978 original. The game pits you in the middle of the war between the robotic “Cylons” and the human faction known as “Colonial. “.
Please note that this game takes a long time to load depending on the quality of your computer due to its elegant 3D graphics. If you have an older computer, be prepared to wait before you can play.
Before starting Battlestar Galactica Online, you can choose which faction you want to play as. It doesn’t really matter which side you choose, although there are some bonuses waiting for you if you choose to play as the Cylons. As in all video games, before any action is carried out, you are required to play the tutorial level. You have the option to skip the tutorial, but it is best to follow it as this is not the type of game that you can choose and play.
You get to control an attractive looking spaceship and fly through the void of space. The graphics are fully 3D rendered and accurately capture the look and atmosphere of the TV show perfectly. There is a tense and suspenseful score in the background and the game also has full audio. Hearing the intensity of laser blasts and missile launches around you can be a very successful experience. It reminded me of the time I saw a Star Wars movie at the theater for the first time; the sound is really that good.
While playing the game, you have the option of taking out your enemies with laser or missile bursts. Aiming in the game is easy as all you have to do is highlight the enemies using the mouse and shoot. Some targets can be difficult to hit, as they may be out of your reach. Don’t worry as you have the option of using the throttle to fly fast through space with ease. It may not be as fast as the hyperdrive on the Star Wars Millennium Falcon, but flying and shooting enemies in space can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, most game developers focus on real-world combat and no longer delve into science fiction.
It would have been a much easier experience to use if you could use the keyboards to navigate your ship around the battlefield. Sometimes clicking the mouse has its moments, as you may hit the wrong button a couple of times. I wanted to fire my lasers but several times I ended up dying because I pressed to see the map.
Not only that, but the game is pretty tough to say the least. Sometimes they put you in the middle of a firefight and there is no choice but to eliminate all the targets. This is easier said than done, as flying your spaceship while shooting is difficult to achieve using just the mouse. Like I said before, using keyboards or even a controller would have made for a more enjoyable experience.
As you progress through the game, you will have the option to upgrade your ship. This includes upgrading the ship’s thrusters so it can travel faster or improving its firepower. There’s not much in the way of customizing the ship’s appearance, although the ships already look stylish in my opinion anyway.
Fans of the TV show may be a bit disappointed that the show’s characters rarely appear in the game. All they do is show up on the game’s HUD and tell you what to do basically, though fans of the show will notice various references here and there from time to time.
Battlestar galactica Online is a browser-based title with very high production values. The game could have easily been a full-price PC game, but you can play it for free for now. Fans of the TV series will have a blast playing while sci-fi fans in general will love the aerial space warfare that this game offers. If the controls were easier to use, it would have been a much better game.