The Fleet

The Fleet is probably somewhere between Interactive Fiction and a choicescript battle simulator, but not a game which fits either category completely.

Most decisions in the game are centered around battle decisions or management decisions in preparation for said battles. The story and plot is very barebones, most characters do not receive much development and there is little done in exploring the setting and the different races/factions you're allied with or fighting against.

There are a few interesting choices around dealing with rebellions, betrayal and politics, but these are a small minority. Most of your choices will be around combat strategies or combat resource allocation. As far as I can tell, the stat system appears fairly deep and the combat system gives you plenty of options. Still, I was (seemingly) able to beat these battle checks most of the time, so I'm not sure how the game's difficulty really works.

If you want a choicescript game which is heavy on battles and battle management, this is it. However, I do think it could have benefitted from more exploration of the setting and the different factions in the game.

This is a Choicescript game which feels like a streamlined, story-fied text version of some war game like Alpha Centauri or one of those boxed set tabletop games with hex maps (but only in spirit; it's shorter and more linear than those games).

You have stats like energy reserves, fighter pilot strength and fighter pilot numbers, etc. There is no romance at all, and all of your decisions are on how to manage your fleet, its strengths and its political positions.

I enjoy simulation games, but this one had a few flaws that prevented total enjoyment. I had trouble deciphering why some of my actions led to some of my skill changes. One complaint I've had with a few Choicescript games is that it can be difficult to tell when your stats are being tested vs when they are being changed.

Another issue is the lack of narrative surprises. For me at least, everything was telegraphed from very early on and never really changed. I read something about tips for writing heist movies and novels once that I think applies here. Paraphrased, it said, "Either the audience knows the plan ahead of time or the plan works perfectly, but never both at once." There just wasn't enough dramatic tension.

Fortunately, the strategic elements were engaging and well-thought out. Overall, worth playing if you know what kind of game you're getting into and enjoy that genre.

I received a review copy of this game.