Strategic Shoot-'Em-Up: Liberation Army

Liberation Army, produced by the enigmatic Kou, is an exciting and violent game of war between a generic evil empire and the liberation forces, i.e. you. You battle over control of a linear galaxy, gaining a percentage of territory after each win.

Losing a fight doesn't mean the end of the game -- you simply lose some territory and fight to regain it. It's a nice design that feels more like a real war, with ups and downs, and it keeps losses from grating on your nerves.

There are two phases to each battle: planning and action. In the planning phase, you can save the game, buy units with "War Potentials," upgrade your forces, add battleships and outfit a pilot.

You have four pilots to switch between, and when one is damaged in battle, some of the damage carries over into the next phase. A steady rotation is key to keeping your leaders healthy.

After you've finished planning, it's time to "phase change" into battle. And what a battle it is. Hundreds of soldiers float around, engaging each other and forming battle lines. Your army can hold its own, but they usually need you to take decisive action, opening holes in the enemy line or attacking the flanks. On your side are basic soldiers, powerful escort units, and battleships. Enemy forces include troopers, battleships, missile satellites and, later in the game, imperial generals.

Battleships on either side deploy reinforcements -- 250 soldiers per side are usually in play at a time -- and destroying enemy ships is crucial. You have many weapons at your disposal, such as the Beam Machinegun and Sniper Rifle, and more can be researched in planning.

This game has a lot going for it. The graphics are pure, clean and functional. The action is frenetic, and while it can feel overwhelming to face 300 enemy units, the trick is finding, or creating, weaknesses in the enemy line. To keep the tactical side interesting, each battle has a different setup: In some, the armies start at opposing ends of the map, but others put you (or the enemy) in a surrounded position. Finding the best pilot and weaponry for each scenario adds a lot of depth and replayability to Liberation Army.

The weaknesses to this game are minor but worth noting. There is no story whatsoever. The music is frequently out of place and sometimes bizarre. Losing a battle costs a lot of territory, and will take many more battles to recover.

Once you've taken 100% of the territory, the game switches to Time Attack Mode, in which you try to beat the enemy army as quickly as possible. It's a lot of fun, and adds to the game's replayability.

It's an odd niche of a genre, but the stragetic shoot-'em-up Liberation Army works. Almost too well.