Smugglers 5: Invasion Demo

Smugglers 5: Invasion is a space trading simulator that aims to satisfy the players who really like a futuristic interface and lots of buttons to press.

When you build something that you call a space trading game you expect to get just that, but it’s difficult to say just what Smugglers 5: Invasion is. For the most part, games like this one should be fun and easy to play. That’s not happening with this game which just feels like a lot of work.

Also, some of you might be put off by the graphics and implementation of the entire trading system, but if you’re playing this one, you’re not doing it for the graphics. The idea behind the game is solid and, in theory, it should be fun to play, but for some strange reason, it feels like it’s just poorly implemented.

Players get to build their own character, choose from a small number of face, and determine their allegiance. This, in theory, should make the game replayable, but it’s difficult to imagine finishing this game a second time.

In any case, as the developers from Niels Bauer Games are saying, this is a space trading title, so most of the time you’re going to look for things to buy cheap and sell at a better price on another planet. Space is dangerous, and you’re going to be challenged, but you can also get certain missions.

Fighting is really interesting because it’s done in a turn-based manner, but it’s not attractive, by any standard. I tried playing with the tutorial on, and it still feels like a hassle. It takes a while to figure out, but once you understand how the game is built, you’re only going to rinse and repeat.

The demo version for Smugglers 5: Invasion is really small, and it only covers the solar system, so players won’t be able to leave it. On the other hand, the solar system is more than enough to figure out if you like the game and if you want to invest even more time playing it.