Battlestations: Pacific

Battlestations: Pacific is an action and real-time tactics video game published by Eidos Interactive and developed by Eidos Hungary. It is also the sequel to the 2007 video game Battlestations: Midway. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on May 12, 2009 in North America, and on May 15, 2009 in Europe and Australia.[2] The Mac OS X version of the game was developed by Robosoft Technologies and released on 8 October 2010 by Feral Interactive.[3]

Battlestations: Pacific
Developer(s)Eidos Hungary
(PC and Xbox 360)
Robosoft Technologies (Mac OS X)
Eidos Shanghai
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
(PC and Xbox 360)
Feral Interactive
(Mac OS X)
Composer(s)Richard Jacques
David Kates
SeriesBattlestations
Platform(s)Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
Release
Genre(s)Action, real-time tactics
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

On April 19, 2010, Square Enix Europe confirmed the closure of the games' developers, Eidos Hungary.[4]

Gameplay

Battlestations: Pacific expands on Battlestations: Midway in several ways, adding new combat features such as more advanced submarine combat, more easily customizable planes and ordinance loads, island invasions, which have effects on the battle at hand. New weapons, planes, and ships were added, such as HVAR Rockets and experimental fighters, including the Kikka and Shinden, along with kamikaze units, such as the Ohka and Kaiten; there are also some more conventional aircraft and ship additions.

Battlestations: Pacific shifts events beyond the Battle of Midway for the American forces as they continue the war onwards to Okinawa and final victory.

The most drastic addition is that of the Japanese campaign, which tells a "what if" story in which Japan is victorious at the Battle of Midway and continues their war effort beyond that point to invade Hawaii, trade technology with Germany, and defeat the United States of America, with an ending cinematic of General Douglas MacArthur signing a peace treaty on the Yamato in San Francisco Bay, meant to echo the surrender of Japan on the deck of the USS Missouri.

It is also possible to, at the start of the attack on Pearl Harbor, "kill" the two main characters of Battlestations: Midway. If the player managed to sink Henry's PT boat, the pilot would comment "His name was Henry. This is not his story." After shooting down Donald's more advanced plane, he would go on to comment that "Fighter ace, huh? At least you died in the air." pointing back to Donald's death on the USS Yorktown at Coral Sea.

Multiplayer

Battlestations: Pacific features five new multiplayer modes that can be played with or against other humans or AI-controlled characters online or offline.

  • Island capture - Each team starts with one or two Headquarters as their main bases to launch units from. Units are brought into the battle by spending Command Points on each unit. There are numerous islands scattered around the map and each one's base can be captured either by paratroopers or seaborne assault. Capturing a base can unlock different unit types or Naval Supplies which are single use items that can enhance your fleet for example arming your ships with more effective ammunition. By holding bases you accumulate points and the game ends when either the time runs out, one team reaches the designated score or one team runs out of bases.
  • Duel - This mode allows you to fight against other players or the AI in a chosen unit class, last team with a unit left wins.
  • Competitive - All players are on the same side with a specific objective to complete but the main goal is to score more than the other players.
  • Siege - One team must defend an island with their specific set of units while the other team is in an attacking position. The game ends when one team has drained their resource pool.
  • Escort - A key unit (or units) must be protected by one team up to a certain point while the other team is set on destroying the said objective.

Development

In 2008, Battlestations: Midway's main site battlestations.net reported a sequel in development and later that year Battlestations: Pacific was announced.

The game's graphics engine has been overhauled. Details now include such things as foliage upon islands, water becoming transparent at shallow depths and a new cockpit view mode.

The game's damage model and physics engine, specifically the water based physics, have been redeveloped to a much higher level of realism than that of its predecessor. Ships split in two, smokestacks and crewmen could be blasted overboard. The wings, tails and engines can be shot off planes.

The game now includes several different types of environment effects, most notably the addition of night, day and other weather effects.[5] Over 100 playable units are included.[5]

A Japanese campaign which reflects plans that the Japanese had constructed if the Pacific War had turned in their favour is included alongside the historical US campaign.

The playability of the game has gained developer attention, with the learning-curve being shortened and the tabs for launching units and repairs was simplified.

Release

Battlestations: Pacific was released on May 12, 2009 in North America, and on May 15, 2009 in Europe and Australia.[2] A demo for Battlestations: Pacific was released on the April 30, 2009 for the PC and Xbox 360.[6] The demo contained a mission from the US single player campaign (Divine Winds of Leyte) as well as two multiplayer modes to play in Skirmish mode.

On January 10, 2019, Battlestations: Pacific was added to the Xbox One Backward Compatibility program.[7] The digital re-release on Xbox One came with a price tag of $24.99.[8]

Reception

On Metacritic the PC version of the game has got 74 out of 100 and the Xbox 360 has got 76 out of 100.[9][10] Eurogamer gave the game a 7/10 stating that "Battlestations: Pacific still has much to recommend underneath the flaws...the pleasures it does offer are enhanced by the knowledge that it's still the only game offering them." VideoGamer.com gave the game a score of 8/10 stating that "There's no questioning the fact that Battlestations: Pacific occupies a relatively unique place in the games market, and that it probably benefits considerably from the resulting freshness." However it also commented upon the games "choppy" moments, criticising the voice-acting as being "pretty cringe-worthy." GameSpot gave the game 8/10 summarising that Battlestations: Pacific "is a sequel done right: It's just as fun, but it's bigger, broader, and more fully realized." The Official Xbox Magazine gave the game a 7/10, TeamXbox awarded the game an 8.9/10 concluding that "Battlestations: Pacific is a highly rewarding experience for those who like their action with a heavy dose of strategy." but it also criticised some "gimmicky" elements. Boomtown gave the game a 9/10. X-Play gave the game a 4/5. Eidos has acknowledged some small technical issues with the game and has confirmed that it is currently developing a patch to fix said issues which will be released before any other downloadable content.[19]

Expansion packs

Battlestations Pacific has seen the release of three expansion packs after release. These expansion packs can be downloaded from Xbox live Marketplace.

References
  1. "Battlestations Pacific Release Date". GamersHell. March 12, 2009. Archived from the original on June 15, 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
  2. "Battlestations Pacific Soars Into Stores This May" Archived February 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, March 12, 2009. Retrieved on April 8, 2009.
  3. "Feral Interactive: Battlestations: Pacific".
  4. "Square Enix comes clean on cuts and closure".
  5. "Home - SQUARE ENIX". Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  6. "Home - SQUARE ENIX". Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  7. https://twitter.com/majornelson/status/1083408277566742528
  8. https://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Battlestations-Pacific/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802534307e9?DownloadType=Game#
  9. "Battlestations: Pacific for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  10. "Battlestations: Pacific for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  11. Whitehead, Dan (May 12, 2009). "Battlestations: Pacific". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  12. Reeves, Ben. "Deep Sixed". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 16, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  13. VanOrd, Kevin (May 18, 2009). "Battlestations: Pacific Review". GameSpot. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  14. Snider, Dave (May 20, 2009). "Battlestations: Pacific Review". Giant Bomb. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  15. Ocampo, Jason (May 20, 2009). "Battlestations: Pacific Review". IGN. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  16. Kelly, Neon (May 12, 2009). "Battlestations: Pacific Review". VideoGamer. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  17. Laughlin, Andrew (May 14, 2009). "'Battlestations: Pacific' (Xbox 360)". Digital Spy. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  18. Felsing, Sam (November 12, 2010). "Battlestations: Pacific for Mac". Macworld. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  19. "Home - SQUARE ENIX". Archived from the original on June 17, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
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