Alpha Vertikan Empire Review: Space Combat MMO Browser game

Alpha Vertikan Empire Basics (3 out of 5)

Alpha Vertikan Empire is a game where you build up your own space empire. Before you join, you can create the name of your race so each player has his or her own unique name in the game. Planets can have many different structures on them such as mines for resources, storage, academies, barracks, and so on. In space, you can build shipyards, sensors, and trading stations. As you develop your empire, trading will become important and this will happen automatically provided you have a trading station. You can make fleets and invade other players or just colonize new planets. The game was originally in German but this is an English version. Some of the menus are still in German so it can be difficult to figure some things out in the game.

Structures (4 out of 5)

The game features a number of different structures for your planet. You’ll need resources such as the typical metal and energy. With a technology center, you’ll be able to access new improved ships. You can train officers and soldiers with a barracks and an officer academy. You have buildings to help suppress rebellions, as well as defenses such as flak guns to help repel attacks on your planets. In space, you’ll build shipyards and trading stations as well as sensors to help you discover nearby planets. An orbital station can also help to protect your planet. Other structures are purchased with platinum the games pay currency but you’ll start the game with some free platinum to spend. Some planets are better suited to certain structures so you’ll want to check each planets overview before you decide what to build. For example, a planet might be better suited to mining than a military presence.

Map (1 out of 5)

While the game has many cool things you can build, the map is a complete mess and it’s very hard to use. It’s not clear exactly how it works and most of the time it is hit and miss. There isn’t a problem hitting a planet near you but if you want to move around to another sector, you’ll have problems. There’s no button to get yourself home from where your searching on the map. You often have to reload the game to see where you are. The poor map brings down the value of this space based MMO and makes it almost not worth playing.

Ships (4 out of 5)

The game features a few different ships you can use in your fleet. The most important one is the colonizer, which you’ll use to get new planets into your empire. You’ll need to conquer planets with other players on them but this is no easy task without a good fleet. You have frigates and destroyers as your main fighting capital ships. Bombers can help to soften up planets prior to invasion. Rocket ships can destroy the economic structures on a plant prior to invasion by your forces. The cannon ship fires on the planets surface while raider ships can steal the planets resources for you. There’s some good information on the ships in the help section of the game.

Game Play/Multiplayer (3 out of 5)

You do get a good sense of empire building with Alpha Vertikan Empire and there are plenty of structures to build in the game. Each planet is unique with the resource it holds and there are great ships to build. But the terrible game map bogs down the game play.. The German version of the game is probably better but this English version isn’t worth playing due to the game map. As with many browser games you can join with an alliance and fight alongside other players. Use the alliance screen to join one or make your own in the game.

Interface/Graphics (3 out of 5)

In Alpha Vertikan Empire, it is easy enough to begin constructing buildings by using the build tabs at the bottom of the screen. Each tab tells you what you need to begin making that structure or ship. At the top, you’ll find the game map which you will curse as soon as you begin to play. The interface gets a negative rating due to the map. With a home button or some way to type in coordinates, the map would be easier to use. The game looks decent with different colored planets.

Conclusion (2 out of 5)

Alpha Vertikan Empire has all the elements of a space based empire building game but fails due to a very poor game map that wears down on your game play and makes you want to close the game and move onto new things. In fact you are better off playing space browser game such as Dark Orbit or Ogame and leaving the English version of Alpha Vertikan Empire behind you.

References

All images from Alpha Vertikan Empire.

Sources: Article is author’s own experiences playing Alpha Vertikan Empire.