Game Reviews

In Space Trader: Merchant Marine by HermitWorks Entertainment and Meridian 4, players have the option of two single-player modes, Campaign or Challenges. There is also multiplayer which will be covered later.

Campaign is the story mode where players assume the role of a person who has just acquired their trading license. The player begins the game in search of a way to acquire a ship. As the story progresses, more planets can be visited and the missions increase in difficulty. To complete the chapter the player must earn an amount of money in a set time limit (based on interplanetary travel, not actual playing time.) The story isn’t very complex, but it provides players with some direction and a purpose for accomplishing their goals.

Challenge mode is similar to campaign except that it lacks the story element. There is still an amount of money that must be earned in a set time limit, there just seems to be less distraction and a greater emphasis on the buying/selling (trading) element of the game.

The game is played through the first-person perspective and is broken down into three tasks: Bounty hunting, collecting stash, and trading.

Bounty hunting is the action segment of the game. NPCs, such as bartenders, will offer rewards for your combat skills. The combat scenarios have an arcade feel to them similar to an early version of Unreal Tournament. These scenarios vary in length from 3-10 minutes depending on your skill and focus on the task at hand. There are several enemies that can be shot down for cash and items but there is always a target foe that must be defeated to claim the reward. The controls are the standard of what you would expect for an FPS and these missions are fun to play.