- Platform: IBM PC Compatible
- Release Date: 1998
- Genre: Strategy
- Style: 3D Real-Time Strategy
- Similar Games: Age of Empires (IBM PC Compatible), UFO (Commodore 64/128), X-COM: UFO Defense (IBM PC Compatible), Close Combat (IBM PC Compatible), UFO! (Odyssey 2)
Game Description
Liberation Day is a strategy/combat game in which the player has to free a whole planet after it has been invaded by aliens. The player has at his disposal various types of mechanised forces and takes part in battles to free five continents.The continents are divided into smaller regions and each successful battle earns valuable industrial credits with which to build defenses back on Earth. The strategy aspect of the game comes from the use of earned credits to deploy better troops in the next battle and to fortify Earth against the invaders before they reach the planet from the off-world colony.
~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
Roots & Influences
Strategy games usually develop towards bigger and more important scenarios, like building a larger town, a more successful theme park, or even a better defended planet. This game combines adventure with strategy.~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
Review: Overall
Liberation Day is a strategy combat game in which the player takes on the computer's forces in a format that should be familiar to anyone who has played other top-down, turn-based strategy games such as the classic X-COM: UFO Defense from Microprose. The view of the action is from overhead, armies are controlled with a 'point-and-click' interface, and the aim of the game is to repel "aliens who have invaded the off-world colony." Been here before?Unfortunately, directing your forces isn't as easy as it should be. You have to take turns in playing against the computer opponent. This breaks up the momentum of the gameplay, as does trying to master the unwieldy interface.
There are five continents to be rescued, each broken up into several provinces which are the settings the tactical missions. The overall strategic challenge comes in anticipating the mission's set objective and the number of turns needed to complete it. After an initial deployment phase, the missions just consist of the usual alternating movement turns between you and the aliens.
You have various units with differing armor and weaponry and you can call in different troops, air attack planes, and other units on each turn. Successfully completing a mission gives you industrial credits, which you can use to create buildings and defenses for your Earth HQ. Your forces can be upgraded by capturing a Tech Lab during a mission and exceptional types of troops, such as Special Ops, can be deployed from time to time.
That's is about all there is to it, though. Liberation Day tries to be like other games, such as X-COM: UFO Defense, but it fails. Not only does it brazenly lift the title and introductory spiel from the film Independence Day, but the game also disappoints in its use of poorly drawn units, jumpy animation, and audio effects that often sound like heavy breathing into a microphone. The action is mechanical and without subtlety and for the most part, this title is unacceptable to a gamer in 1998, the year of its release.
~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
For strategy enthusiasts only~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
Review: Graphics
Slow and poorly animated~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
Review: Sound
Monotone sounds and voices~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
Review: Replay Value
Been there, liberated that...next!~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
Review: Documentation
Manual comprehensive~ Nick Smith, All Game Guide
