"Imitacija is onjiskreniji oblik laskanja." - tako bar kaze poshuntingica slavnog Oscar Wilde-a.
So although there aren't many imitations of one of the most popular roguelite games called FTL:Faster than Light, this one is certainly one of the better ones in that genre.
Reclaim the Sea is FTL with a blindfold - a familiar formula, but in pirate garb.
For those who may not be familiar, FTL: Faster Than Light is a cult roguelite game from 2012 where you pilot a spaceship through procedurally generated sectors, balancing tactical combat, crew management and tough decision making.
U Reclaim the Sea instead of space - sail the oceans. Instead of the captain of the Federation - you are a pirate. Goal? He must sail all seven seas and finally deal with the English navy, the symbol of a rotten regime. Or something like that - because there really is no story as such. It doesn't hurt the game too much though; the underlying motivation is clear: sail, loot and survive.
You have a boat (and later more) at your disposal, each with its own specifics - advantages, disadvantages, space and equipment. Each ship has a crew and an arsenal of weapons. Weapons come in a variety of forms and functions, and choosing the right combinations will be key to success in battle. It's up to the player to choose the best tools, deploy them tactically, and embark on a quest for freedom – or doom.
Fight
Combat is the heart and soul of this game. Every decision we make directly affects the efficiency of our ship and the brave crew who unreservedly entrust us with the command. It's up to us to determine who controls which weapon, which parts of the enemy ship to target, and even how close we get to the enemy before opening fire.
Conflicts take place in real time, but there is no room for panic - we can pause the game at any moment and make thoughtful tactical decisions. It is this combination of tense battles and moments for reflection that gives the fight a special charm.
No, kaos nije rezerviran samo za vanjske prijetnje – tijekom bitki često izbijaju požari na našem brodu koje moramo hitno gasiti prije nego oštete ključne sustave ili onesposobe posadu. Crisis management becomes as important as accurate aiming.
Map navigation and resources
After svake borbe osvajate resurse koje koristite za nadogradnju broda, kupnju newh oružja or dogivnih improvements. No Reclaim the Sea ne svodi se samo na borbu – it will be potrebno i mindno navigiwari svijetom through mapu ispunjenu raznim "points of interest".
Some of these points lead to new conflicts, while others will surprise you with text events, the outcome of which - either reward or punishment - depends solely on your decisions. At the end of each map, you choose between three new areas, each with its own unique challenges. The more you play, the better you learn to recognize which sea hides danger and which is potential prey.
The map, while visually simple, introduces several mechanical limitations. Each point of interest is a certain number of units away, and in order to reach them, you need to have enough food - which here serves as a kind of fuel. So that you don't wander forever in the endless ocean, there is also threat level – a threat measure that increases with each visited point. When that level peaks, you run the risk of encountering Freedom Defender – a powerful interceptor that does not forgive mistakes.
Successfully going through all seven seas, outsmarting the threats and finally defeating the final boss is no easy task. It sounds simple on paper - but don't be fooled, because Reclaim the Sea he can be as merciless as the ocean itself.
Graphics
The pixel art style in Reclaim the Sea solidly conveys the pirate atmosphere and generally feels polished, with enough detail to draw you into the game world. However, at certain moments, the visual presentation is reminiscent of the golden age of flash games - which may be nostalgic for some, and somewhat outdated for others.
At times, one gets the impression that the screen is not used to the best advantage - a large amount of empty, blue space is left to the sea, while some elements of the user interface could be visually richer and functionally better integrated.
Sound
Nothing special, all the pirate sounds we've come to expect are there. The background music gets monotonous after a while.
Overall impression
Reclaim the Sea is a competent and fun FTL clone that can provide hours of quality roguelite action. However, it remains incomplete on several important fronts. The visual presentation of the menus, icons and user interface seems a bit "cheap" and unfinished, as if the game was released too soon. It's a pity, because precisely through these elements - which the player looks at most of the time - the pirate identity of the game could be further strengthened.
Content-wise, the game also shows limitations. Textual events are numerically modest and very quickly begin to repeat themselves, which diminishes the feeling of discovery and freshness. The weapon selection doesn't currently offer enough variety to allow for deeper tactical experimentation either – most games end up with a very similar approach to combat.
Despite these shortcomings, Reclaim the Sea has potential. With a more visually refined UI, an expanded arsenal and a larger number of events, the game could very well compete within the genre. For now, FTL remains the untouchable king of these types of games, but Reclaim the Sea is a very welcome and fresh pirate chapter for anyone looking for another round of tactical survival – this time on the high seas.
A copy of the game was provided by the development studio 1LastGame for review purposes and publisher of indienova
