Station Command shows why simplicity in strategy games works

More often than not, picking up a new strategy game can feel like learning a new language; grand strategies, 4X titles, and tactical strategy games are known for being deeply immersive, but rather unapproachable for new players at the same time.

As someone who loves strategy games, I was rather surprised by how intuitive Station Command felt at first – and I mean this in the most complimentary way possible. Here’s Kyusai’s first impressions of Station Command, courtesy of the game team providing a demo key, looking at its combat, narrative, and overall world.

Space pirates galore

Generally speaking, if a game has space pirates in it, I’m on board. The idea of flying around in space and strategically taking out hordes of pirates is always appealing, which is why Station Command’s demo caught my eye.

Station Command is a turn-based strategy game with auto-battling mechanics. What makes it unique – other than the space pirates and charming art style – is its branching narrative.

Most auto-battlers and strategies have an overarching story, sure, but don’t often feature dialogue choices and character interactions that directly impact the story. When you’re speaking to characters in Station Command, you can directly impact the story and shape your character, too.

The game follows a classic sci-fi premise – you’re a commander who’s been sent to take over control of a wayward crew, under the guidance of a cartoonishly evil corporation. You’ll be unpicking the story of the crew, battling enemies in turn-based auto-battles, and strengthening your fleet of fighters.

The Steam page for Station Command describes it as a “sci-fi corporate dystopia” which feels apt – the crew have mixed feelings on their brand new boss, and there are even suggestions of union-busting in the introductory cutscene, which was a jumpscare.

The core gameplay is fairly evenly split between dialogue and celestial battles. When you’re not facing off against space pirates, you’ll be speaking to your crew, selling salvaged parts for extra cash, and enhancing your different ships with unique weapons and extra tools to make a difference in battle.

I loved getting to know the different characters in Station Command, with Niamh and Jacq standing out as my favorites. The dialogue is well-written and believable, and I found the narrative sections to be just as enjoyable as the combat.

There’s a real focus on player autonomy, too. You get to choose your character background in the early stages of the demo when speaking to Mahsa, for example, picking whether you’re a corporate spy or a rising star in the corporation. There’s even the option to accept or decline assignments in your emails as well.

Surprisingly immersive

If you’ve played games like Order Automatica, you’ll know what to expect from battles in Station Command. You place your ships in formation before a battle, then hit the start button to set them in motion, firing beams and missiles at the opponents.

You have a finite amount of tactical points that you can use to make key moves during combat, like restoring your shields or targeting a specific member of the enemy fleet. Outside of this, battles play out automatically, with ships taking it in turn to fire their weapons or summon allies.

The real strategy lies in fleet formation and picking out the best possible weapons or upgrades for your ship. I didn’t find the combat to be too challenging once I’d figured out which weapons worked best with each piece of equipment, but it was engaging enough that I didn’t mind replaying battles where needed.

I don’t think that Station Command’s combat will necessarily be for everyone; if you’re more interested in real-time strategy and haven’t played many auto-battlers, it might not be too enjoyable for you. It’s not an intense game in its core gameplay loop by any means, as it’s the sort of game you can kick back with without worrying about quick-time events or speedy decisions.

If, like me, you’re a fan of auto-battlers, though, it’s a lot of fun. The art style in the game is simple but charming, and I found watching each tiny ship fire off miniature missiles and explosions to be satisfying. It helps that there’s a brilliant soundscape with retro synth music to go alongside this.

The character designs were brilliant, too. The characters are, largely, static, with a few different poses or facial expressions to go alongside their dialogue, in a similar vein to most visual novels. They’re incredibly vibrant, though, with intriguing backstories to match.

Based on my initial time with Station Command, it’s a game that I’d be happy to come back to. The combat is simple but fun, and the world-building is both believable and intriguing. While the auto-battling style of play won’t be for everyone, the narrative and artwork will keep fans of the niche entertained.

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