UFO: Afterlight

About

"UFO: Afterlight" is a turn-based strategy game where players lead a human colony on Mars, building bases and managing resources while defending against alien attacks. The game features technology research, character development, and strategic combat against a variety of alien races. Players must balance colony needs with the need to prepare for an anticipated alien invasion.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 344 reviews

story22 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

Deep gameplay with a lot of strategic depth and character development.
Unique real-time tactical combat system that allows for pausing and planning.
Engaging story and the ability to terraform Mars adds a meaningful layer to the gameplay.

Technical issues on modern systems, including crashes and resolution problems.
Steep learning curve and frustrating micromanagement can detract from the experience.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as pathfinding and AI, are poorly executed, leading to frustrating moments.

story
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
75%
7%
The game's story is generally considered interesting but not exceptional, with players enjoying the quirky characters and the overarching narrative of colonizing Mars. However, many reviews note that the missions can become repetitive, especially in the late game, and the overall storyline lacks depth compared to other titles in the genre. While the tactical gameplay and resource management elements are engaging, the story may not be the primary draw for players, as it often feels secondary to the mission-based gameplay.
- “I had fun in the downtime, peeling back the evolving storyline, and going through the long and rewarding process of colonizing and terraforming Mars.”
- “That's a part of the over-arching story you'll be briefly introduced to as you march your little soldiers over the surface of Mars, cutting yourself out a new home after having been dispossessed of your old one.”
- “In addition to the research, production, and tactical battles of the X-COM series, it adds an interesting story along with the need to capture territories and gather resources.”
- “While the UFO series has weird storylines, Afterlight's is especially weak.”
- “The graphics are marginal, controls are cumbersome, and the story is weak.”
- “Do not pick it up with the intent to follow the story or finish.”
graphics
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
78%
5%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated but acceptable for its release period, with some users appreciating the unique art style despite its rough edges. While the visuals can be enjoyable and feature customization options, many players note issues with resolution settings and compatibility with modern graphics cards, which can hinder the experience. Overall, the graphics may not be a significant drawback for fans of the genre, but they do not meet the standards of contemporary titles.
- “Still one of the best UFO games with few shortcomings but great logic, visuals, and many options.”
- “The graphics are nice and enjoyable, with funny characters as well as a rather challenging combat/management system if you increase it so.”
- “A compelling concept, with an albeit slightly rough around the edges, but unique and distinctly old-school art style that more than makes up for what it lacks in polish.”
- “The graphics took a step backwards from Aftermath; they introduced some confusing resource requirements with advisers and a council (trying to borrow elements from the Civilization series, I suppose). Either way, it does not work.”
- “Opened the game and could change the graphics or any options as the screen resolution was massively off, and the button for confirming graphic changes was beyond the screen dimensions.”
- “You'll probably not like this (so I was told) if you're looking for a first-hour XCOM successor or can't overlook the outdated graphics.”
gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
62%
9%
The gameplay is often compared to classic XCOM, featuring strategic and tactical mechanics that encourage thoughtful decision-making, with the addition of new elements like terraforming. While the core mechanics are praised as the strongest aspect of the game, some players feel that the metagame lacks depth and can become tedious. Overall, it offers a mix of engaging strategy and a compelling storyline, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking a purely strategic experience.
- “If you're craving for more XCOM-like gameplay, this might be a good candidate.”
- “An awesome strategy with lots of uncertain mechanics that makes you think.”
- “The core gameplay is future combat RTS with a pause button.”
- “The gameplay isn't.”
- “In fact, the gameplay is the opposite.”
- “If I play a tutorial, I do this to understand the base aspects and mechanics of the game.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, including mission-breaking issues and inconsistent AI, particularly on Windows 7. While some players found minor bugs manageable with troubleshooting, the overall experience is marred by polish issues and a clunky interface, leading to frustration and, in some cases, abandonment of the game.
- “Buggy missions make it extremely easy to break your game completely if you miss a capture mission.”
- “Sorry, loved most versions of X-COM so wanted to love this, but it's just too buggy to run under Windows 7. Lucky it was at a throwaway price - I've thrown the game away as well.”
- “It has lots of polish issues (minor bugs, unclear info, pacing issues, sudden ending, clunky interface in places, camera glitches, AI inconsistencies, etc.) - but the combat, character development, and micromanagement chores are just the right level of complexity.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is praised for its efficient planning steps, which suggest a potential for smooth frame rates. Additionally, players can enhance weapons and suits with add-ons, significantly improving performance and allowing for the extraction of advanced technologies from enemies.
- “Weapons and suits can be upgraded with add-ons that can transform their performance, and new and powerful technologies can be extracted from your adversaries.”
- “The game is extremely efficient in its planning steps, and I could see potential for FPS to run smoothly.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in "UFO: Afterlight" is noted for its continuous playback of tracks from the movie, creating an immersive auditory experience. However, this constant repetition may detract from the overall gameplay for some players.
- “In fact, UFO: Afterlight won't stop running, constantly playing the music from the movie.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users find the game to have decent to great replayability, indicating that it offers enough engaging content and variety to encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “For me, it does have great replayability.”
- “Great game, has decent replay value.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere, while not as strong as that of X-Com, is still enjoyable, bolstered by significant improvements in graphics, research elements, and voice acting. Overall, players find the atmosphere fun and engaging despite some comparisons to other titles.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its funny characters, which contribute to an enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the combination of lightheartedness with a challenging combat and management system, enhancing the overall engagement.
- “The graphics are nice and enjoyable, with funny characters as well as a rather challenging combat/management system if you increase it.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find that while the game's art and core mechanics are strong, the grinding aspect of the metagame is often tedious and lacks strategic depth, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging part of the experience.
- “Unfortunately, while the art and core gameplay are very good, the metagame in most of its aspects lacks the element of strategy and becomes a tedious afterthought.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “After a while, the grind becomes more of a chore than an enjoyable part of the game.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Character development in the game is praised for its appropriate level of complexity, allowing for engaging progression, despite the presence of various polish issues such as bugs and interface problems. Overall, while the gameplay experience may be marred by technical flaws, the depth of character development remains a strong point.
- “The character development is rich and engaging, allowing players to truly connect with their characters and see them grow throughout the game.”
- “I love how the character development system offers meaningful choices that impact the story and gameplay, making each decision feel significant.”
- “The depth of character development in this game is impressive; it provides a variety of paths and options that keep the experience fresh and exciting.”