Early Access Impressions: Turn-Based Sci-Fi Tactics Game Menace Features Strong Combat but Lackluster Factions

The upcoming turn-based tactical game Menace presents a compelling core of shooting, team building, and detailed simulations, though some of its surrounding systems leave room for improvement during its early access period. In the game, players command an imperial space marine ship stranded in a semi-rebellious region. Surrounded by three local factions who cannot survive retaliation if they kill you but want to utilize you to take over, players must navigate a landscape where they are hired to solve problems and secure resources.

Unique Economy and Character Customization

Menace features a distinct lack of traditional money. Instead, players are paid directly in "OCI" (ship upgrade points) and indirectly through loot and experience. Loot is traded on a semi-randomized black market, which also provides emergency manpower and new recruitable characters. Rather than relying on purely randomized generic soldiers, the game features developer-designed characters with tailored collections of perks, closer to the style of Jagged Alliance than Battle Brothers.

Character progression relies on a shared pool of points used for "promotions" rather than individual experience points. This shared pool encourages players to distribute levels evenly across their roster instead of focusing solely on building a few overpowered squad members. Additionally, squad leaders can bring between two and eight "squaddies" into combat, with each squaddie mirroring the leader's armor and weaponry. Larger squad sizes translate to more shots and increased resilience, though they also make the unit highly vulnerable to explosives and cost more "supplies" to field.

Detailed Combat Simulation

Combat in Menace is highly detailed, with the game engine modeling every individual bullet. Armor functions as a hard barrier that either completely stops an attack (and takes damage itself) or is bypassed entirely to injure the wearer. The simulation allows for creative squad compositions, such as small, specialized two-man teams using high-value weapons to exploit specific morale or accuracy-reducing perks.

Current Flaws and Faction Systems

While the tactical layer is highly engaging, other aspects of the game currently feel lacking. The interaction with the game's three local factions is relatively flat, as players must complete every mission offered for new ones to appear, preventing any real conflict of interest. Players only ever fight a limited pool of enemies, including insectoid hive aliens, pirates, a rogue faction, and the game's titular "menace" faction.

Additionally, the ship upgrade system suffers from balance issues, with many upgrades being either ineffective or so vital that they render alternative choices obsolete. The game's user interface is also in need of refurbishment, particularly regarding how information is presented in battles where players cannot save mid-mission.