Seldom do I browse through the Xbox Indie titles and download trials for games that we don’t already have review tokens for, because more often than not, there are more games than I have time to play. It’s an even rarer occurrence for me to play through a demo’s allotted time. Miasma was the exception to both of those rules, so when developer ESP Games offered a review code, I jumped at the opportunity.
Miasma is a turn-based strategy game; Hey wait, don’t click the back button on your browser just yet – this game is actually worth reading about! Like I was saying, a turn-based strategy game where players control three characters on screen in an attempt to destroy enemies and complete mission objectives. If you’ve ever played Final Fantasy Tactics – and we’ll forgive you if you haven’t since 1) The game is nearly 15 years old, 2) It is insanely difficult, and 3) It is extremely slow – then you know what to expect here. That’s not to knock the game by any means, but players must understand that turn-based strategy titles tend to move at a sloth’s pace. Each turn must be made with precision and executed with a well thought-out plan in mind. A character’s placement in reference to the enemy can also affect damage bonuses, such as flanking, or point blank shots. Get too close to an enemy though, and they will be alerted to the player’s presence, turn face-to-face, and remove the bonus for sneaking from behind.
Players begin with 8 action points and can use them to move a set number of tiles and perform actions during each turn. Upon finishing a turn, the enemies have the opportunity to counter, similar to a game of chess. Green squares allow for movement, but offer no protection, while blue squares are adjacent to crates, boxes, etc., and grant additional defensive bonus. Red squares are placed next to explosive barrels that create an area-effect damage when destroyed.
Between levels, players are greeted with dialogue, which does a surprisingly good job of fleshing out the story line. The story is quite deep, and it revolves around the player’s character recovering from amnesia due to a concussion. Gamers play as an operative in a resistance group called CiFT – Citizens of Free Thought – who are trying to dissolve Vilhelm Industries’ supreme worldwide power. Between missions, players are granted the opportunity to divide experience earned during the game to upgrade character stats in a very RPG-like manner as seen below. I found myself always thinking just one more mission, just to further character progression.
Graphically, the character models are among the best on the platform as well. I would go so far as to say it has a similar art style to that found on Dreamcast or Xbox launch titles. Upon close consideration of some of the other games on the marketplace, I’d say this rates among the best. Textures are crisp, and the animations are sharp from humans and mechs alike.
The soundtrack had me hooked from the moment the game started. In keeping with the dystopian future theme, the score is reminiscent of Blade Runner and Mass Effect 2 with a strong use of keyboards and synthesizers. I have yet to come across another Xbox Indie title with such a great, and fitting soundtrack. The sound effects on the other hand were not nearly as good. The sound of shots fired had no sense of weight or power and sounded like that of a BB gun. They were even more disappointing to hear considering the outstanding work performed with the score.
So who is this game for? Well if you are a fan of the turn-based strategy genre, I doubt you’ll find a better Xbox Indie title either now or in the near future. As long as you come in understanding that this particular genre moves at a slow pace, then you’ll have a wonderful experience. Miasma is a well polished, technically acute, and finely tuned product, albeit with a few minor flaws in the sound department. Despite its high price tag, Miasma comes off more as a finely-masked XBLA title and worth every penny. This is the first product from the studio that I’m aware of, and it I know it’s keeping me hungry for the next.
Visit the Xbox Live Marketplace to add a free demo of Miasma to your Xbox 360 download queue.
Miasma was provided for review by ESP Games. It is available for 400 MS points ($5).
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