Andromeda Ascending

No doubt players of Andromeda Awakening would know the bar was set very high. Andromeda Dreaming was by a different author and was short, but managed to capture the spirit of mixed wonder and helplessness as to why everything was coming apart. This is another derivative work by another author, but whereas Dreaming plays like Photopia, Ascending plays like Chicks Dig Jerks. The dialog, once again, is multiple-choice, and the story seems to be composed of two halves which are a bit sloppily joined together. The main character, who turns out to be a well-respected gang leader, also fits the CDJ mold.

As with the other derivative titles, there are multiple outcomes, which adds a little to the replay value. The game is mostly puzzle-less, save for one long maze which you may or may not have to navigate through, depending on the path you chose. The addition of this maze takes a lot away from the storyline and was entirely unnecessary. The story itself is a bit of a disappointment too. I was hoping since playing Awakening that I would have a chance to visit the old mechanostations and see what life was like there while they were still inhabited, but I had expected something different altogether. Instead, I had hoped to witness either the beginning or the end of civilization up there.

As with Tree And Star, play this game if you just can't get enough of the Andromeda saga. Just don't expect it to live up to the others.