Outpost 2

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: 1997
• Genre: Strategy
• Style: 3D Real-Time Strategy
• Similar Games: SimCity 2000 [DOS] (IBM PC Compatible), SimCity 3000 (IBM PC Compatible), Outpost (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

Earth is a dead world. The survivalists of the human race drifted for nearly a century, suspended in cryogenic sleep. Finally, as resources dwindled and no habitable planet was located, the computers revived a select few to make decisions on the possibilities of colonization of less than Earth-perfect worlds. Faced with life-or-death choices, the crew decided on a stark, hostile and forbidding world they dubbed as New Terra.

The colony, known originally as Outpost, was home to a couple of hundred colonists, all that remained of Earth's great civilizations. Eventually, belying the harsh conditions, the outpost became know as Eden. Matters grew worse as the humans split into two factions -- a group that wanted to conquer New Terra and its environment via the expedient of terraforming and a second splinter group, Plymouth, interested only in adapting to the environment and conditions, leaving the planet intact.

Reconciliation between the groups, although tried on several occasions, failed. The satellite link between the two colonies was irrevocably extinguished. The Eden colonists went ahead with plans for terraforming while those at Plymouth prepared to defend their rights on New Terra. Neither group was prepared for the astonishing and cataclysmic geological upheaval about to tear their world apart.

Outpost 2: Divided Destiny is a real-time strategy, resource management game with 24 unique missions, each requiring specific strategies and tactics. You command either of the two factions with gameplay differing dependent upon which you choose. Combat is real-time, environmental conditions and dangers change based on the planet's change from day to night and survival is contingent upon how well you manage resources, construct useful buildings, conduct research, prepare defenses or create attack forces, and handle morale.

More than 140 vehicles and buildings, 60,000 frames of animation and a wide array of natural disasters such as volcanoes, meteor showers, and more await you in this survivalist adventure. Multiplayer action for up to six players is supported via LAN or Internet and two through modem or serial connections. Scenario types of multiplayer action include Last One Standing (king of the hill), Midas (fixed amount of time), Resource Race (predetermined amount of common and rare metals as a target), Space Race (first to construct a spaceship), and Land Rush (random deployment of bases with the last two surviving colonies finishing the game in Last One Standing mode).

Outpost 2 offers two main types of games: campaign and colony. The campaign game is a series of pre-designed missions that highlight all the disasters and problems inherent in running a colony and defending its style of existence. The colony game is a freestyle type of game in which you build a colony with no preset conditions and without the threat of the Blight found in the mission scenarios. Three levels of difficulty are available in either method along with the choice of playing either side.

A series of six tutorials is provided in the manual, covering more than 35 pages, although the majority of the manual is devoted to unit reference material. Experience the challenge of building a civilization literally from the ground up in Outpost 2: Divided Destiny.

Roots & Influences

Outpost 2: Divided Destiny is the sequel to the original Outpost, a game that was plagued by an early release with unfinished aspects.

Review: Overall

It seems as if this ill-fated (perhaps star-crossed?) title from Sierra is going to remain the bane of the company's reputation. After the disastrous release of the terribly incomplete original title, a redone version 1.5 (available on both CD-ROM and 3.5" formats) was released that fixed most of the significant problems that caused the general pasting that Sierra took as a result of the initial title. Perhaps with the release of Outpost 2: Divided Destiny, hindsight being what it is, they should have left well enough alone.

Outpost 2: Divided Destiny isn't a bad game but it's not a great game either, which basically defeats the purpose of a sequel. A second title should learn from the mistakes of the first, incorporate all the best qualities inherent in the original and forge new and enhanced qualities to make the sequel better. Unfortunately, boosted by a flinching reaction to the beating they took on Outpost, the designers approached the sequel methodically, making sure every "T" was crossed and "I" dotted.

The result is what one might expect from such an approach -- a nearly flawless, yet very methodical and very dull effort. It seems as if somewhere along the line, the game lost its soul and became nothing more than a pretty shell filled with fancy graphics, a limited plot (same as the original game) and monotonous gameplay.

Unlike movies, where sequels often fall short of expectations, computer strategy games are supposed to improve the product, add new features, expand game worlds, enhance equipment and increase excitement. Sadly, that's not the case with Outpost 2: Divided Destiny. File this one in the bin labeled "Sequels that Never Should Have Been Made."

You'll find lots of nice aspects about the game once you delve into its inner workings. Fantastic graphics, good sound, terrific easy to use interface, beefed up manual with lots of information -- what you won't find is a compelling reason to invest gobs of time in order to see what lies at the end of this struggle for survival on an alien planet.

What's wrong with Outpost 2? A few obvious complaints come to mind including, but not limited to, a puffed up lexicon (pompous may be more descriptive), not much connection between combat and colony management modes (usually all or nothing in combat -- maybe that's the way it would be in space) and invisible colonists. Stagnant puzzles (timed no less), unnecessary real-time aspects and questionable social decisions (e.g., no healthcare concerns until health is researched -- with that logic, all the great research foundations on Earth could save billions of dollars by just shutting down), add to the dearth of exciting gameplay.

The main problem with Outpost 2: Divided Destiny is the limited game world. There's no need to get worked up about what's around the next corner or the challenge of a tactical battle plan since there is very little suspense in either case. Running a colony on this alien world is tedious, boring and repetitious and really not worth the aggravation. Steer your spaceship elsewhere.

Review: Enjoyment

Outpost 2 is definitely a case where the sum of its parts is actually less enthralling than the parts themselves. The game is smooth, looks and sounds great, has lots of equipment and a huge technology tree (probably the best feature of the game) but is, nonetheless, not very much fun to play. A classic case of you can't judge a book by its cover -- in this case, a game by its looks. It's more like taking a test than playing a game.

Review: Graphics

Beautifully rendered graphics, clear cut-scenes (what few there are) and fine detail.

Review: Sound

Who says there's no sound in space! Nice music, good sound effects.

Review: Replay Value

Some scenarios can only be completed one way and most puzzles solved by only one means. Replay becomes tedious. Overall game has enough latitude to allow for different approaches and emphasis on research but ultimately it plays out the same.

Review: Documentation

Fairly comprehensive, especially when you find the explanations of the various technologies hidden in a text file on your harddrive during installation. No signposts in the manual to guide you there or hints that it exists.

Production Credits

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